Agro-morphological response of cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao L) hybrid families to water deficit in Côte d’Ivoire

Drought caused by climate change is triggered by deforestation. It has altered rainfall distribution, humidity, and air temperature. This situation threatens the sustainability of cocoa cultivation in certain regions where rainfall is between 900 and 1,200 mm. A study was conducted in a zone with insufficient rainfall (Toumodi) and a zone with normal rainfall (Divo). The objective of this study was to determine the impact of drought on 25 hybrid families through agro-morphological parameters. The experimental design was a factorial block including region and family as factors. Drought caused an increase in mortality and a reduction in growth and development of the hybrid families, as well as a decline in production in the Toumodi area. Across the two agro-ecological zones, eleven (11) out of the twenty-five (25) hybrid families (F23, F22, F7, F19, F18, F25, F15, F1, F16, F24, and F13) exhibited the best agro-morphological performance. Moreover, in the drought-affected area of Toumodi, five (05) other hybrid families (F4, F12, F14, F10, and F21) showed superior performance for the evaluated parameters. These hybrid families are potentially resistant to water deficit associated with drought.