Kandunga Klorofil dan Pertumbuhan Semai Kakao (Theobroma cacao L.) pada Perlakuan Cekaman Kekeringan yang Berbeda

Abstract

Drought stress will result in decreasing the rate of water absorption by plant roots. This decrease will result in disturbances in plant growth, especially in a growing network includes the addition of Growth in dry mass, volume, length or area of cells resulting from the interaction or processes in plants through photosynthesis, respiration, transport, water relations and nutrient balance. Morphological and physiological responses of plants against stress and patterns of plant adaptation to different environments is very important especially for the purposes of cultivation and the prediction of properties of responsive that plant. The purpose the of this research to examine changes in content klorofil a and b, and growth (number of leaves and plant height) cocoa seedling age of 12 months at different water stress. The study was conducted in the village of Plana Bayumas, Central Java Province, which lasted from Jauary 2007 to June 2008. Cacao tree used was 12 months in ehich the cocoa beans used for seedling of hybrid clones derived from cocoa pods from the village O,o Kulawi Donggala District of Central Sulawesi. Cocoa seedlings were given three treatments of water stress that soil water content 75%, 50%, and 25%. Observations of variable chlorophyll a and b, number of leaves and plant height after one month and two months of stress. The results showed drought effect on leaf chlorophyll content of seedlings of cocoa, where the plants grown on soil water content of 50% have chlorophyll a and b are lower than those grown on soil water content 75%. The growth of cocoa seeedlings are best when planted with soil water content 75%, because the soil moisture content of 50% and 25% of the number of leaves and plant height decreased.