Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is absorbed by plants and bioaccumulated in their tissues, and its ingestion may cause adverse effects on human health. However, information on the relationship between soil moisture and Cd bioaccumulation in cocoa-growing soils remains limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different irrigation volumes (50, 75, 100, and 125%) on Cd bioaccumulation and biomass production in two cocoa genotypes (EET-103 and CCN-51), as well as on soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC), in two soils from El Oro and Guayas, Ecuador. A split-plot design was used with three factors: A (soils), B (genotypes), and C (irrigation). The variables evaluated included plant height, stem diameter, shoot and root dry biomass, Cd absorption, translocation, and bioaccumulation, as well as soil pH and EC. The highest dry matter production and Cd bioaccumulation were observed in genotype EET-103 grown in El Oro soil and in genotype CCN-51 grown in Guayas soil. A higher irrigation volume (125%) increased the pH of El Oro soil and reduced Cd bioaccumulation by 38.48%, whereas pH decreased in Guayas soil under the same irrigation condition. In El Oro soil, pH and EC showed an inversely proportional relationship. These results suggest that irrigation management and the selection of cocoa genotypes with lower affinity for Cd may be useful strategies to reduce Cd bioaccumulation in cocoa plants.

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