TY  - BOOK
AU  - Rajamony L 
AU  - Mohanakumaran N (Guide)
TI  - Studies on the Floral Biology and Fruit Set in Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.)
U1  - 633.8 
PY  - 1981///
CY  - Vellanikkara
PB  - Department of Plantation Crops, College of Horticulture
N2  - Studies  were conducted  at the Regional Research Station, Pillicode during  1980-81 to gather  information on the pattern of  flowering and  fruiting , aspects of  floral biology, fruit set , fruit development  etc.  in cocoa.	
Though  flowering was  seen  throughout  the year,  two peak seasons (may –June  and  November-December) could  be  identified . A  double peaked  pattern  was  also  observed  with regard to pod  harvest, June –August being the major  peak. Cherelle  wilt  occurred throughout the year , the maximum being in July. Cherelles did not  wilt after the  tenth week of development.	
Data on the  commencement and completion  of  anthesis and anther dehiscence were collected . The  stigma  receptivity  was found to be high  between 12 noon to 2 pm . A medium  for  germinating pollen grains  in vitro was  identified . Keeping  pollen grains  in tissue paper packets  under dry  and comparatively cool conditions  extended  the  viability up to  five days . Seven Dipterous insects and  five  Formicid species  were  identified  as floral visitors .	
The  fifteen   plants  included in the  studies were  found  to be  cross-compatible ; but  only  four of them  were  self – compatible.
	Hand  pollination   increased  the  percentages  of  fruitset and  pod harvest , indicating  scope   for  assisted  pollination in cocoa.	
Variation was observed between  the main trunk  and  the fan shoots  with  regard  to the  percentage of  fruit  set,  number of  cherelles  wilted  and  the  percentage  of cherelles carried   to  maturity .
	The  cushions that  supported  developing pods  up to  the harvestable  stage  flowered less frequently  than  those which exhibited  no  set  or complete wilting of  cherelles.	
The development  of  cocoa pods  was  found to be a  very gradual  process. The pods took , on the average ,  about  140 days  to reach  the ripening   stage.

UR  - https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810102695
UR  - https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/displaybitstream?handle=1/5810102695&fileid=abfa5d8e-5bdc-4418-b61a-275f3a7ca5a0
ER  -