Agronomic behavior of forty-one interconnectional crosses of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) in Ecuador

Cacao production in Ecuador faces challenges in identifying clones that are highly productive and meet international standards for physical and sanitary quality.  Such studies are crucial for identifying high-performance and quality clones to enhance the competitiveness of Ecuadorian cacao in the global market. The aim of this research was to evaluate the agronomic performance of 41 interclonal cacao crosses to identify superior genetic materials. The research was conducted at the “La Represa” Experimental Farm in Los Ríos, Ecuador, using a completely randomized design with 41 treatments and two replications. Productive variables, sanitary variables, physical quality, and grain quality through cutting test were evaluated, classified according to the INEN–176 standard. The results showed that treatments T2, T34, and T33 achieved the highest productivity indices, although with high labor costs. In terms of physical quality, treatment T16 had the highest seed index, while T3 and T8 had the highest values for lobe thickness and furrow thickness, respectively. Treatment T31 reached 92.50% fermentation in the cutting test, classifying in the ASSPS category, the highest according to the standard.