Impacts of Calcium and Magnesium Amendment on Soil Macrofauna Under Cocoa Trees in the South-West and Central- South of Ivory Coast

Toussegoué Anicet Gbeuli; Acka Jacques Alain Kotaix; Zoumana Konate; Koffi Hypolith Kouadio; Kouakou Stanislas Koffi; Gnion Mathias Tahi; Sidiky Bakayoko; Aïdara Sekou

Authors

Toussegoué Anicet Gbeuli 1University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa. National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Divo Station, Cocoa Program, Address: 808 Divo
Acka Jacques Alain Kotaix National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Divo Station, Cocoa Program, Address: 808 Divo
Zoumana Konate University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa
Koffi Hypolith Kouadio University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa
Kouakou Stanislas Koffi University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa. National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Divo Station, Cocoa Program, Address: 808 Divo
Gnion Mathias Tahi Council for the Regulation, Stabilization and Development of the Coffee-Cocoa Sector, 04 Address 2576 Abidjan
Sidiky Bakayoko University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa
Aïdara Sekou National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Divo Station, Cocoa Program, Address: 808 Divo

Keywords:

Soil acidity, calcium and magnesium amendment, cocoa tree, macrofauna, NPK, Ivory Coast

Abstract

The production of cocoa in Ivory Coast faces major challenges, particularly soil acidification, which leads to a significant decrease in yields. To reduce soil acidity under cocoa trees in order to maintain cocoa production, a study was conducted to test the effect of a mineral amendment containing calcium and magnesium (TerraCalco) in two agroecological zones (South-West and Central-South) of cocoa production in Ivory Coast. The study was carried out according to a split-split plot experimental design with 4 repetitions taking into account three factors; the first factor is the region represented by 2 levels (South-West and Centre-South), the second by soil depth with 3 levels, and the third factor, by the formulation of the input with 6 levels representing treatments T0, T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5. The results obtained showed that the localities of Méagui (South-West) and Guitry (Central-South) have the highest densities of macrofauna with the highest density of earthworms (20.67±2.65 individuals/m²) and termites (30.83±4.65 individuals/m²) at Méagui. The locality of Guitry exhibits the highest densities of ants (8.25±2.17 individuals/m²), beetles (5.22±2.10 individuals/m²), and myriapods (42.68±11.03 individuals/m²). The 0-10 cm depth contains the highest density of macrofauna per m², consisting mainly of earthworms (28.48±2.55), ants (12.81±1.82), termites (36.12±3.58), beetles (6.55±1.55), and myriapods (43.00±8.30). Treatment T5 achieved the highest densities per m² for all macrofauna groups, namely earthworms (17.69±3.81), ants (14.02±3.43), termites (24.42±5.63), beetles (7.71±3.10), and myriapods (40.79±19.10). In contrast, the control treatment T0 (without amendment) had the lowest densities for all the macrofauna groups, namely earthworms (17.69±3.81), ants (14.02±3.43), termites (24.42±5.63), beetles (7.71±3.10), and myriapods (40.79±19.10). In contrast, the control treatment T0 (without amendment) had the lowest densities for all the studied macrofauna groups.

Author Biographies

Acka Jacques Alain Kotaix, National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Divo Station, Cocoa Program, Address: 808 Divo

Docteur-chercheur, Agro-pédologue, National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Divo Station, Cocoa Program, Address: 808 Divo. Email: jackalin9@yahoo.fr

Zoumana Konate, University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa

Docteur-enseignant-Chercheur, Agro-pédologue, Maître de Conférences CAMES, University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa, Email: zoumko@yahoo.fr

Koffi Hypolith Kouadio, University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa

Docteur-chercheur, Pédologue, University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa, Email: zoumko@yahoo.fr

Kouakou Stanislas Koffi, University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa. National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Divo Station, Cocoa Program, Address: 808 Divo

Doctorant-chercheur, Agro-pédologue, University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa/National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Divo Station, Cocoa Program, Address: 808 Divo. Email: jackalin9@yahoo.fr

Gnion Mathias Tahi, Council for the Regulation, Stabilization and Development of the Coffee-Cocoa Sector, 04 Address 2576 Abidjan

Docteur-chercheur, Généticien, Directeur de recherche, Council for the Regulation, Stabilization and Development of the Coffee-Cocoa Sector, 04 Address 2576 Abidjan, Email: tahi_mathias@yahoo.fr

Sidiky Bakayoko, University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa

Professeur Titulaire, Enseignant-chercheur, Agro-pédologue, University Jean-Lorougnon Guédé Daloa (UJLoG), Agroforestry Training and Research Unit, Address: 150 Daloa, Email: zoumko@yahoo.fr

Aïdara Sekou, National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Divo Station, Cocoa Program, Address: 808 Divo

Ingénieur-Agronome, Entomologiste, National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Divo Station, Cocoa Program, Address: 808 Divo. Email: jackalin9@yahoo.fr

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