b) Methods of cultivation

i.) Planting Material

Effects of planting materials on flavour have already been noted in Part I: Section 1. Selection of planting material affects also yield, colour, bean size, cocoa butter content and, to some extent, cocoa butter hardness/fatty acid composition (e.g. Mustiga et al. 2019). 

There is fundamental choice between Criollo and Trinitario trees to produce “fine flavour” grades, or “Forastero” or Amazonian types and their hybrids to produce mainstream cocoa. For most growers this choice is not open to them as their planting material will be dictated by what is available locally, though growers are strongly encouraged to obtain recommended varieties (seed or clonal materials) from a reputable source rather than use materials from their own or neighbouring farms. 

If production of significant quantities of “fine flavour” grades are being considered, it is important that due consideration is given to the potential market for such cocoas. 

Where “fine flavour” grades are grown in areas where mainstream cocoas are also grown, it is important that the types can be segregated and marketed separately.

Within the “Forastero” populations, particularly within the Amazon hybrids planted widely today, there are appreciable differences in bean weight and it is prudent to avoid planting selections which tend to produce small beans.

There are significant effects of pollen donors on colour and bean size. It is important not to have stands of trees for “fine flavour” and mainstream cocoa production in close proximity, especially if pale colour is a critical characteristic of the “fine flavour” cocoa. 

Pods resulting from cross pollination will contain a higher proportion of darker beans. 

The much darker colour of beans from the Amazon type trees is dominant. The maternal parent has the strongest effect on the flavour of the beans (Clapperton, 1994, Sukha et al., 2017) though the pollen donor may have some effect on certain flavour characteristics (Sukha et al., 2017).