Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Reciprocal differences and combining ability for growth and yield components in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.): a case of recommended cacao varieties in Ghana

  • Published:
Euphytica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The inappropriate use of cacao clones either as female or male parents in seed gardens have been suggested as some of the reasons for the low yields of cacao hybrid varieties grown in West Africa. The concept of reciprocal effects in cacao crosses has not been well studied. To investigate the impact of maternal effect on growth and yield traits, reciprocal differences and combining abilities of recommended cacao parents in Ghana were evaluated. Six clones, comprising four important seed gardens clones used across West Africa and two clones previously used as standards in international breeding projects were crossed in a 6 × 6 complete diallel mating design to produce 30 F1 progenies. These progenies were tested in the field using a random block design with four blocks and elementary plots containing 20 plants. Growth and yield traits including stem cross-sectional area in juvenile stage, jorquette height, bean weight, number of beans per pod and bean yield were monitored over a 6-year period. Mean squares of general combining ability (GCA), specific combining ability (SCA) and reciprocal effects were significant for almost all the traits except jorquette height in SCA. This indicates that additive and non-additive gene effects are important in the inheritance of the traits. The presence of reciprocal differences for all traits suggests the influence of maternal effects in controlling the traits. Manual pollinations for commercial seed production should, therefore, follow established protocol and clones recommended as female and male parents used strictly as recommended. One of the standard clones, AMAZ15/15 had significant positive GCA effect for yield, and consistently produced progenies with high SCA values. It could be added to parental clones currently used in producing cacao varieties in the seed gardens in Ghana and other West African cacao growing countries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams MW, Grafius JE (1971) Yield component compensation—alternative interpretations. Crop Sci 11:33–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adomako B, Allen RC, Adu-Ampomah Y (1999) Combining abilities for yield and vegetative traits of Upper Amazon cocoa selections in Ghana. Plantations Recherché Dévelopement 6:183–189

    Google Scholar 

  • Aneani F, Ofori-Frimpong K (2013) An analysis of yield gap and some factors of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) yields in Ghana. Sustain Agric Res 2:117–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Asante-Poku A, Angelucci F (2013) Analysis of incentives and disincentives for cocoa in Ghana. Technical notes series. MAFAP, FAO, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Baah F, Anchirinah V, Amon-Armah F (2011) Soil fertility management practices of cocoa farmers in the eastern region of Ghana. Agric Biol J N Am 2:174–181. https://doi.org/10.5251/abjna.2011.2.1.173.181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baker RJ (1978) Issues in diallel analysis. Crop Sci 18:533–536. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci1978.0011183X001800040001x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boza EJ, Motamayor JC, Amores FM, Cedeño-Amador S, Tondo CL, Livingstone DS, Schnell RJ, Gutiérrez OA (2014) Genetic characterization of the cacao cultivar CCN 51: its impact and significance on global cacao improvement and production. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 139:219–229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cerventes-Martinez C, Brown JS, Schnell RJ, Phillips-Mora W, Takrama JF, Motamayor JC (2006) Combining ability for disease resistance, yield, and horticultural traits of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) clones. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 131:231–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cilas C, Amefia YK, Bertrand B (1988) Etude de l’accroissement du diametre au collet dans un diallele quasi complet 8 × 8 chez le cacaoyer (Theobroma cacao L.). Café Cacao Thé 32:17–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Cilas C, Machado R, Motamayor JC (2010) Relationship between several traits linked to sexual plant reproduction in Theobroma cacao L: number of ovules per ovary, number of seed per pod, and seed weight. Tree Genet Genomes 6:219–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen L (1992) Power primer. Psychol Bull 112:155–159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daymond AJ, Hadley P, Machado RCR, Ng E (2002) Genetic variability in partitioning to the yield component of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). Hortic Sci 37:799–801

    Google Scholar 

  • Dias LAS, Kagayama PY (1995) Combining abilities for cocoa (Theobroma Cacao L.) yield component under South Bahia conditions. Theor Appl Genet 90:534–541

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Doaré F, Ribeyre F, Cilas C (2020) Genetic and environmental links between traits of cocoa beans and pods clarify the phenotyping processes to be implemented. Sci Rep 10:9888. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-66969-9

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Edwin J, Masters WA (2005) Genetic improvement and yields in Ghana. Exp Agric 41:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eskes AB (2011) Collaborative and participatory approaches to cocoa variety improvement. Final report of the CFC/ICCO/Bioversity project on Cocoa Productivity and quality improvement: a participatory approach (2004–2010). CFC, Amsterdam. The Netherlands/ICCO, London, UK/Biodiversity International, Rome, Italy

  • Fan XM, Zhang YD, Yao WH, Bi YQ, Liu L, Chen HM, Kang MS (2014) Reciprocal diallel crosses impact combining ability, variance estimation, and heterotic group classification. Crop Sci 54:89–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher RA (1930) The genetical theory of natural selection. Clarendon, Oxford

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ghana Cocoa Board (2019) Cocoa. Ghana Cocoa Board. http://www.faostat/en/#data/QC

  • Glendinning DR (1957) The performance of the introductions and hybrids in W.A.C.R.I. trials. In: Report Cocoa conference 1957, Cocoa, Chocolate and Confectionery Alliance, London, pp 41–44

  • Glendinning DR (1964) A study of clonal cocoa varieties. Hortic Res 4:89–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Glendinning DR (1966) Further developments in the breeding programme at the Cocoa Research Institute, Tafo. Ghn J Sci 6:52–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffing B (1956) Concept of general and specific combining ability in relation to a diallel crossing system. Aust J Biol Sci 9:463–493

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hammer O, Harper DAT, Ryan PD (2001) Paleontological statistics software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontol Electron 4:9–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Karavolias NG, Greenberg AJ, Barrero LS, Maron LG, Shi Y, Monteverde E, Piñeros MA, McCouch SR (2020) Low additive genetic variation in a trait under selection in domesticated rice. G3 Genes Genomes Genet 10(7):2435–2443. https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.120.401194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Köhler C, Wolff P, Spillane C (2012) Epigenetic mechanisms underlying genomic imprinting in plants. Annu Rev Plant Biol 63:331–352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lanaud C, Fouet O, Legavre T, Lopes UV, Sounigo O, Eyango MC, Mermaz B, da Silva MR, Loor Solorzano RG, Argout X, Gyapay G, Ebaiarrey HE, Colonges K, Sanier C, Rivallan R, Mastin G, Cryer N, Boccara M, Verdeil JL, Efombagn MIB, Peres Gramacho K, Clément D (2017) Deciphering the Theobroma cacao self-incompatibility system: from genomics to diagnostic markers for self-compatibility. J Exp Bot 68:4775–4790

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lockwood G (1981) Resistance of cocoa to swollen-shoot virus in Ghana II. Assessment of seed inoculation experiments. Ann Appl Biol 98:131–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lockwood G and Gyamfi MMO (1979) The CRIG cocoa germplasm collection with notes on codes used in the breeding programme at Tafo and elsewhere. Technical Bulletin, No. 10. Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Tafo

  • Mahgoub GMA (2011) Partitioning of general and specific combining ability effects for estimating maternal and reciprocal effects. J Agric Sci 3:213–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Motamayor JC, Lachenaud P, Mota SJW, Loor R, Kuhn DN, Brown S, Schnell RJ (2008) Geographic and genetic population differentiation of the amazonian chocolate tree (Theobroma cacao L.). PLoS ONE 3:10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nesme T, Plenet D, Hucbourg B, Fandos G, LauriI PE (2005) A set of vegetative morphological variables to objectively estimate apple (Malus × domestica) tree orchard vigour. Sci Hortic 106:76–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nyadanu D, Akromah R, Adomako B, Akrofi AY, Dzahini-Obiatey H, Lowor ST, Atta O, Kwoseh C, Awuah RT, Adu-Dapaah H, Larbi-Koranteng S, Adu Amoah R, Manigben KA, Attamah P (2017) Genetic control, combining ability and heritability of resistance to stem canker in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). Euphytica 213:263. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-017-2059-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nyadanu D, Lowor ST, Akrofi AY, Adomako B, Dzahini-Obiatey H, Akromah R, Awuah RT, Kwoseh C, Adu-Amoah R, Kwarteng AO (2019) Mode of inheritance and combining ability studies on epicuticular waxvproduction in resistance to black pod disease in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). Sci Hortic 243:34–40

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ofori A, Padi FK, Ameyaw GA, Dadzie AM, Lowor ST (2015) Genetic variation among cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) progenies for resistance to cacao swollen shoot virus disease in relation to total phenolic content. Plant Breed 134:477–484

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ofori A, Padi FK, Ansah FO, Akpertey A, Anim-Kwapong GJ (2016) Genetic variation for vigor and yield of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) clones in Ghana. Sci Hortic 213:287–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ofori A, Padi FK, Amoako-Attah I (2020) Field evaluation of cacao progenies derived from Guiana clones for yield and black pod disease resistance. Crop Sci 60:249–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padi FK, Opoku SY, Adomako B, Adu-Ampomah Y (2012) Effectiveness of juvenile tree growth rate as an index for selecting high yielding cacao families. Sci Hortic 139:14–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padi FK, Ofori A, Takrama J, Djan E, Opoku SY, Dadzie MA, Bhattacharjee R, Motamayor JC, Zhang D (2015) The impact of SNP fingerprinting and parentage analysis on the effectiveness of variety recommendations in cacao. Tree Genet Genomes 11:44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-015-0875-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padi FK, Ofori A, Arthur A (2016) Genetic variation and combining abilities for vigor and yield in a recurrent selection programme for cacao. J Agric Sci 155:444–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pereira AS, Almeida AAF, Branco MCS, Costa MGC, Ahnert D (2017) Combining ability, heritability and genotypic relations of different physiological traits in cacao hybrids. PLoS ONE 12(6):e0178790

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Posnette AF (1943) Cocoa selection on the gold coast. Trop Agric (Trinidad) 20:149–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Posnette AF (1951) Virus research at the West African cacao research Institute, Tafo, Gold Coast. Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad) 28:133–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Satyavathi AV, Manga V, Muktinutalapati V, Rao S, Chittibabu M (2016) Genetic analysis of reciprocal differences in the inheritance of in vitro characters in pearl millet. Genet Mol Biol 39:54–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen J, Dirks R, Havey MJ (2015) Diallel crossing among doubled haploids of cucumber reveals significant reciprocal-cross differences. J Am Soc Hort Sci 140:178–182

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soria J, Ocampo F, Paez G (1974) Parental influence of several cacao clones on the yield performance of their progenies. Turrialba (Costa Rica) 24:58–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Tahi GM, Kebe BI, Goran JAK, Sangare A, Mondeil F, Cilas C, Eskes AB (2006) Expected selection efficiency for resistance to cacao pod rot (Phytophthora palmivora) comparing leaf disc inoculations with field observations. Euphytica 149:35–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tahi GM, Trebissou CI, Ribeyre F, Guiraud BSH, Pokou DN, da Cilas C (2019) Variation in yield over time in a cacao factorial mating design: changes in heritability and longitudinal data analyses over 13 consecutive years. Euphytica 215:106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-019-2429-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tan GY (1990) Combining ability analysis of yield and its components in cacao. J Am Soc Hort Sci 115:509–512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Upadhyaya HD, Sharma S, Singh S, Singh M (2010) Inheritance of drought resistance related traits in two crosses of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Euphytica 177:55–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yao WH, Zhang YD, Kang MS, Chen HM, Liu L, Yu LJ, Fan XM (2013) Diallel analysis models: a comparison of certain genetic statistics. Crop Sci 53:1481–1490. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2013.01.0027

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully thank the field and technical staff of the Plant Breeding Division, CRIG, for their support and assistance. This work is published with the kind permission of the Executive Director of CRIG as Manuscript no. CRIG/03/2012/024/009.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Box 8, New Tafo, Akim, Ghana

    Atta Ofori & Francis K. Padi

Authors
  1. Atta Ofori
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Francis K. Padi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Atta Ofori.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ofori, A., Padi, F.K. Reciprocal differences and combining ability for growth and yield components in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.): a case of recommended cacao varieties in Ghana. Euphytica 216, 193 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-020-02729-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-020-02729-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation