Enraizamiento de ramas de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) CCN-51 utilizando hormonas sintéticas de ácido naftalenacético (ANA) y ácido indolbutírico (AIB)

The objective of the research was to evaluate the rooting capacity of cacao branches (Theobroma cacao L.) using synthetic naphthaleneacetic acid (ANA) and indolebutyric acid (AIB) hormones. The rooting micro tunnel was established in the "La María" Experimental Farm belonging to the Faculty of Livestock Sciences of the State Technical University of Quevedo (UTEQ), located at Km 7.5 of the Quevedo - El Empalme road. A completely randomized experimental design (DCA) was used with five treatments and five repetitions. The treatments evaluated were T0: Without hormone, T1: 3000 mg/kg of ANA + 3000 mg/kg of AIB, T2: 3250 mg/kg of ANA + 3250 mg/kg of AIB, T3: 3500 mg/kg of ANA + 3500 mg/kg of AIB and T4: 3750 mg/kg of ANA + 3750 mg/kg of AIB. Data were taken on the number of outbreaks and shoot length at 30 and 45 days, number of roots, length of the largest root, percentage of rooting, survival and economic analysis. In the results it was observed that the balanced application of T2: 3250 mg/kg of ANA + 3250 mg/kg of AIB, showed the best results in terms of rooting, survival and economic viability, despite not influencing the generation and length of buds and roots. The highest percentage of rooting was presented by T2: 3250 mg/kg of ANA + 3250 mg/kg of AIB. The highest survival rate was recorded by the T2 treatment: 3250 mg/kg of ANA + 3250 mg/kg of AIB. With the application of T2: 3250 mg/kg of ANA + 3250 mg/kg of AIB of synthetic hormones, a better Benefit/Cost Ratio could be obtained with 1.42. Keywords: Cocoa; synthetic hormones; buds