The variety of cacao determines the season of production, yield quality and quantity, durability and resistance to pests and disease.
Grafting of cacao improves on its productivity and it is done using 3 methods which are side graft, single node and cleft graft.
Grafting materials are spray bar, grafting knife, clippers, grafting wrappers and para film.
Grafting methods
Before grafting, sanitize equipments, select healthy and vigorous root stocks. Collect budwood (scion) from suitable branches with mature leaves and buds.
Cut branch with 3-6 nodes down from tip, remove leaves, put it into plastic bag and transport it quickly to minimise water loss.
For side graft, prepare root stock and put graft on side of root stock and top the plant. After, prepare scion, make bevelled cut and fix budwood into root stock using grafting wrapper and seal it using para film.
For single node graft, collect budwood, remove leaves ,prepare root stock and make a short cut measuring the scion length. Make bevelled cut on one side and small cut on the other and cut budwood just above the bevelled cut and after put it into root stock and wrap it with para film.
The top wedge/ cleft graft is successful during summer when temperature is higher with less rain.
For successful top wedge grafting , Collect budwood, remove leaves, make bevelled cut of 1.5 inches and prepare root stock by topping above 68 inches from base.
Continue by making a deep cut of 1.5 inches on top of root stock using blade and inserting it in the budwood. Wrap using graft wrapper and para film which are removed after 2 months when grafting is successful.
Finally, Remove root stalk once leaves of grafted budwood mature and remove any new shoots emerging from root stock as well.
