Inventory of superior cocoa (Theobroma cacoa L.) clones in Gedong Tataan sub-district Pesawaran

Abstract

Pesawaran Regency is one of the largest cocoa-producing regions in Indonesia, ranking 5th, therefore cocoa plants are very strategic in this region. According to [1] Pesawaran Regency has a cocoa area of ​​27,411 ha with a total production in 2021 reaching 30 thousand tons, with an average production per hectare of approximately 1 ton of dry cocoa beans. This is considered still relatively low when compared to its potential. One of the cocoa-producing areas, namely the Gedong Tataan sub-district, is one of the largest areas for cocoa plants but its production is still relatively low at less than 1 ton/ha. Some of the problems in the Gedong Tataan sub-district include old plants, pests and unknown clones. The first step in a good cocoa cultivation business is to prepare clear planting material [2]. A clear cocoa clone will determine the sustainability of the cocoa business in the long term and benefit both production and increasing community income. The research was conducted using a survey method. Samples of respondents and cocoa plantations were determined purposively from cocoa plantation areas in Gedong Tataan sub-district, Pesawaran district, namely Sungai Rare and Wiyono villages. Observation variables in this study include identification of clone types (description) and climatic conditions. The obtained clone observation data were analyzed descriptively according to the morphological characteristics of each clone. Based on the data obtained, 5 types of superior clones were obtained including MCC 01, MCC o1, Sulawesi 01, Sulawesi 02 and BB. Based on the 5 clones, all of them had their own advantages and disadvantages, but in the Gedong Tataan sub-district the most commonly found was the MCC 02 clone with high production potential.