Soil fertility and cocoa bean yield in renovated orchards in southern Bahia, Brazil

Cacao ( Theobroma cacao L.) is a nutrient-demanding tropical crop frequently cultivated in low-fertility soils. This study evaluated the relationship between soil chemical attributes and cocoa bean yield in orchards renovated with clonal cultivars in southern Bahia, Brazil. Over a four-year period (from the 4th to the 7th year after orchard renovation), relative cocoa bean yield and soil chemical attributes at three soil depths (0–10, 10–20, and 20–40 cm) were evaluated across 15 field trials (FTs). In the surface layer (0–10 cm), principal component analysis indicated a positive association between yield and P, K, and Zn. Comparisons among yield groups showed that lower-yielding plots had higher exchangeable Al contents and aluminum saturation (m) values in the subsurface layer (20–40 cm), suggesting potential chemical constraints to root growth and reduced water and nutrient uptake at depth. The substantial variability in soil chemical attributes among the experimental plots highlights the importance of site-specific soil fertility management, emphasizing soil testing in both the surface (0–10 cm) layer to guide fertilizer and lime recommendations and the subsurface (20–40 cm) layer for identifying potential Al-related constraints.