CONCENTRACIÓN DE NUTRIENTES EN HOJAS, UNA HERRAMIENTA PARA EL DIAGNÓSTICO NUTRICIONAL EN CACAO.

The aim of this study was to estimate the foliar concentrations in cocoa farming (Theobroma cacao L) as a diagnostic tool of their nutritional status. At the Research Center of the National Federation of Cocoa Producers (Fedecacao) located in Miranda-Cauca, Colombia, the study assessed the effect of five doses of NPK fertilization in nutrient concentration in leaves of four cocoa clones CCN-51, TSH-565, ICS-39, and ICS-95 from 20102012. Experimental design was randomized complete block design with five treatments: TR(control), T1(25% NPK), T2(50% NPK), T3(75% NPK), T4(100% NPK) and four replicates. The concentration of 11 nutrients (N, P, K+, Ca2+, S, Mg2+, B, Zn2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Mn2+) and their relation with yield was evaluated for three years. Results showed differences in the foliar concentration of nutrients assessed by effect of treatments, by clone, and by clone*treatment interaction. The foliar concentration used was derived from higher yield-related treatment, whereby, a proposal for nutritional diagnosis in cocoa based on nutrient monitoring was created to evaluate nutrient concentration in leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]