Status of Cacao Trees Following Seasonal Floods in Major Watersheds of the Peruvian Amazon

Abstract

Three cacao (Theobroma cacao) production systems (traditional, mixed and monoculture) were studied in Peru between February and July 2012 in order to evaluate the response of the species to an extremely high seasonal inundation along Amazonian rivers. Survival rates of cacao individuals after flooding varied greatly, between 0.6% to 100%, depending on the type of production system and the age of the plants. The highest number of flower cushions was found on trees from 8 to 10 years old, with an average of 9.7 flower cushions 30 cm above the high water line and 9.1 cushions 30 cm below the water line. Results indicate that younger, unshaded cacao trees are most vulnerable to floodwater mortality and flower cushion damage, and the importance of agroforestry systems in cultivating this tree species in highly disturbed and increasingly unpredictable floodplain environments.