Researchers compared three cacao systems over 11 years: pruned agroforestry (AF), pruned secondary forest (SFwP), and unpruned secondary forest (SFnP). SFnP produced the highest yields, averaging 212.4 kg/ha. It passed 300 kg/ha after 9 years. AF averaged 127.6 kg/ha and only matched that level after 11 years. SFwP yielded the least, averaging 58.0 kg/ha. Flowering intensity strongly predicted yield in AF and SFwP. It showed no such link in SFnP.
Trunk diameter grew fastest in SFnP, showing that pruning limited tree growth in the other systems. AF yields finally caught up to SFnP in 2022, after a two-year pause in pruning. This suggests pruning held back young trees more than older ones. SFnP also required the most harvest labor, due to its larger trees and higher pod counts. Harvesting efficiency stayed similar across systems after 2016.
