Cadmium Mitigation in Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) Using Organic and Chemical Amendments in Tropical Soils under Greenhouse Conditions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29076/issn.2528-7737vol19iss51.2026pp1-14pKeywords:
metal bioimmobilization, activated carbon, soil contamination, soil amendments, heavy metalsAbstract
Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in cocoa plants represents a critical constraint for production sustainability and international market access, driving the need for agronomic strategies aimed at reducing its bioavailability in soils. Objective. To evaluate the effect of organic and mineral amendments on Cd accumulation and translocation in cocoa plants (Theobroma cacao L.) under controlled greenhouse conditions. Materials and methods. The study was conducted over a 153-day period in the greenhouse of the Tropical Experimental Station Pichilingue (INIAP, Ecuador), using soil collected from a cocoa plantation in Santa Rosa canton, El Oro Province. A completely randomized design with eight treatments and four replicates was applied, including zeolite, vermicompost, calcium carbonate, activated carbon, charcoal, sugarcane filter cake, microorganisms, and an untreated control. Plant growth variables, soil pH, Cd concentration and content in plant tissues, as well as Cd transfer from roots to shoots, were evaluated. Results. The amendments did not significantly affect plant growth variables or soil pH; however, significant differences were observed in Cd dynamics. Treatments involving carbon-based materials, particularly activated carbon, showed greater effectiveness in reducing Cd content in the aerial parts and limiting its transfer from roots, compared to the control treatment. Conclusions. The application of soil amendments, especially carbon-based materials, represents an effective strategy to reduce Cd accumulation and mobility in cocoa plants under greenhouse conditions. These findings highlight their potential as a management tool to mitigate Cd contamination in cocoa production systems; however, further validation under field conditions and across full production cycles is required.
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