Abstract:
This study was to search for an alternative means of raising healthy
cocoa seedlings at the nursery that will accelerate seedling growth. The
objective of the study was evaluating the growth of cocoa seedlings treated to
soil and foliar amendments at the nursery at Akim Tafo in the Eastern region
of Ghana. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design
with three replicates and nine treatments. The following nine treatments were
imposed on the soil in the polythene bags: T1-Inorganic liquid Fertilizer-
Sildaco10:10:10: 0.42 ml. T2- Fertilizer-Sildaco10:10:10: 0.84ml. T3-NPS14-
31-0-S Inorganic Granular Fertilizer 0.6g. T4-NPS14-31-0-S Fertilizer 1.2g,
T5-Green OK Organic liquid fertilizer 0.42 ml. T6-Green OK 0.84 ml. T7-
Elite (Organic granular) 4.5g. T8-Elite 9.0g and T9-Control. The experiment
was conducted from January 2020 to July 2020. Hybrid cocoa seedlings were
transplanted and allowed to grow for seven months. The fertilizers increased
significantly (P>0.05) the plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, fresh
root and shoot weights and dry root and shoot weights of cocoa seedlings
especially organic solid fertilizer. The treatments also increased significantly
(P>0.05) soil and leaf N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, soil pH relative to the control.
Treatment 3 &4 NPS was high in pH content of the soil. Elite organic fertilizer
double dose was recommended for cocoa seedlings at the nursery for
Cocobod. In conclusion using of fertilizer will help increase growth of cocoa
seedling and give a healthy strong cocoa to boost the nation economic stability
especially organic fertilizers that will not affect the environment. Elite organic
fertilizer double dose was recommended for cocoa seedlings at the nursery.
