Hedgerow Shading Reduces Heat Stress and Improves Cacao Physiology and Soil Fertility in Tropical Systems

Preprint (Research Square, not peer-reviewed) reporting a field experiment in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, Indonesia (July–December 2023, extended dry season) on smallholder cacao farms using a hedgerow system of native multipurpose species (coconut, banana, Gliricidia). Three natural shade levels (0–25%, 25–50%, 50–75%) were tested for effects on cacao physiology (chlorophyll, light distribution, stomata), vegetative growth and soil fertility. The 50–75% shading gave the best physiological and agronomic outcomes (higher chlorophyll, plant height 247.5 cm, stem diameter 7.8 cm, canopy width 223.6 cm), positioning hedgerow shading as a climate-resilient agroecological strategy.