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<p>Smallholder cacao (<i>Theobroma cacao</i> L.) systems in the humid tropics face mounting thermal and hydric stress. This study investigated how shade-canopy design structures the soil–leaf–physiology coupling in smallholder hedgerows in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, using two clones (MCC 02 and Sulawesi 2) across eight single- and mixed-species shade compositions (coconut, banana, and <i>Gliricidia sepium</i>). Mixed, multistrata shade modified the understorey microclimate and improved key aspects of soil fertility—most consistently total N and cation exchange capacity (CEC), with treatment- and clone-dependent shifts in soil pH and exchangeable K—relative to simpler or unshaded conditions. At the leaf level, layered canopies enhanced chlorophyll and modulated stomatal traits, while single-leaf optical properties (SCOP) revealed clone-specific light-use strategies: MCC 02 tended to favour higher leaf absorptance (the fraction of incident light absorbed), whereas Sulawesi 2 more often regulated reflectance/transmittance as photoprotection. These physiological adjustments translated into stronger vegetative growth and more stable cherelle counts under multistrata shade, particularly where <i>G. sepium</i> was included. Together, the results support a soil–leaf–physiology coupling in cacao, whereby canopy composition is a primary lever for regulating below-canopy energy, water, and nutrient regimes and aligning leaf function with site conditions. Practically, multistrata mixtures that include <i>G. sepium</i>, with spacing and pruning tuned to maintain diffuse light and airflow, litter retention to sustain nutrient cycling, and clone–shade pairing (such as MCC 02 under layered shade), can enhance climate resilience in smallholder hedgerow systems.</p>

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Multistrata shade structures soil–leaf–physiology coupling and enhances climate resilience in smallholder cacao hedgerows

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月11日

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  • Darmawan Risal,
  • Risma Neswati,
  • Muh Jayadi,
  • Ifayanti Ridwan,
  • Baharuddin,
  • Sartika Laban,
  • Novaty Eny Dungga

摘要

Smallholder cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) systems in the humid tropics face mounting thermal and hydric stress. This study investigated how shade-canopy design structures the soil–leaf–physiology coupling in smallholder hedgerows in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, using two clones (MCC 02 and Sulawesi 2) across eight single- and mixed-species shade compositions (coconut, banana, and Gliricidia sepium). Mixed, multistrata shade modified the understorey microclimate and improved key aspects of soil fertility—most consistently total N and cation exchange capacity (CEC), with treatment- and clone-dependent shifts in soil pH and exchangeable K—relative to simpler or unshaded conditions. At the leaf level, layered canopies enhanced chlorophyll and modulated stomatal traits, while single-leaf optical properties (SCOP) revealed clone-specific light-use strategies: MCC 02 tended to favour higher leaf absorptance (the fraction of incident light absorbed), whereas Sulawesi 2 more often regulated reflectance/transmittance as photoprotection. These physiological adjustments translated into stronger vegetative growth and more stable cherelle counts under multistrata shade, particularly where G. sepium was included. Together, the results support a soil–leaf–physiology coupling in cacao, whereby canopy composition is a primary lever for regulating below-canopy energy, water, and nutrient regimes and aligning leaf function with site conditions. Practically, multistrata mixtures that include G. sepium, with spacing and pruning tuned to maintain diffuse light and airflow, litter retention to sustain nutrient cycling, and clone–shade pairing (such as MCC 02 under layered shade), can enhance climate resilience in smallholder hedgerow systems.