Diagnóstico del manejo técnico del cultivo de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) en pequeños productores del cantón El Carmen, Manabí.

Abstract

The present investigation had as objective to analyze the technical management of the cultivation of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) in the Agricultural Corporation of small farmers Manga del Cura, in the canton of El Carmen, Manabí, for this, cocoa producers were found on variables of pre-cultural, cultural and crop yield work; A multivariate analysis was performed to classify dimensions using the hierarchical cluster technique and the K-means technique could describe the generated clusters. The results show that the precultural tasks carried out by the cocoa farmers begin from the selection of the cocoa variety for planting, which was Criollo, which they have acquired on their own, whose final product is for export; the age of the crop is approximately 10 years, the previous land use was short-cycle cultivation, they do not provide shade for their crops, they clear or grave with machinery, they do not plow, they have another type of leveling, the layout implemented It was made of three bolillos, which are carried out prior to planting, it does not have drainage, the planting season was rainy and finally its planting distance is 4x4 m. The cultural tasks in the cultivation of cocoa that the producers carry out are: they sow at a depth of 40 x 40 cm, they do not carry out soil analysis, their fertilization is organic with application to the crown, which frequency is annual, they receive advice for their program of fertilization of the commercial house; From the analysis of the technical difficulties or deficiencies detected, an action plan has been established with the goal of establishing alliances with agricultural entities to assist small cocoa producers with training and soil analysis to improve the crop's production chain.