There has been substantial research on shade in cacao agroforestry systems, with most studies focusing on the impact of the shade cast by the associated shade trees on microclimate and yield. However, to our knowledge, no cacao agroforestry studies have explored how shade and its microclimate-modifying capacity influence the agrosystem’s pest and disease regulating service. Utilizing thermal hygrometers and hemispherical photographs, we measured temperature and relative humidity during the dry and wet seasons as well as the shade of associated trees (associated shade), combining the latter with cacao self-shade (total shade). This approach enabled us to uncover how each shade type influences microclimate, yields, and pests and diseases beneath cacao trees. Additionally, we developed a novel method to estimate attainable yield, actual yield, and yield loss due to pests and diseases. Using yield loss as a proxy of the pest and disease regulating service and structural equation modeling, we built a model depicting the interaction network between shade types and their role in cacao pest and disease regulation. Our results showed that each shade type uniquely influenced cacao agroecosystem outcomes, with the associated shade negatively impacting attainable yield and total shade having a positive effect. Associated shade also mitigated the dry season microclimate and limited pest and disease occurrence. Notably, shade alone was not the sole pest and disease-related yield loss driver; it is part of a complex interaction network. These innovative shade measurement and yield loss estimation methods have enhanced enhance our understanding of pest and disease regulation. Conclusively, different management approaches for associated shade and total shade are crucial for optimizing yields and pest and disease regulation in cacao agroforestry systems.

人们对可可农林复合系统的遮荫进行了大量研究，其中大多数研究集中于相关遮荫树的遮荫对微气候和产量的影响。然而，据我们所知，还没有可可农林业研究探讨遮荫及其小气候改变能力如何影响农业系统的病虫害调节服务。利用热湿度计和半球照片，我们测量了干季和湿季的温度和相对湿度以及相关树木的遮荫（相关遮荫），并将后者与可可自遮荫（总遮荫）相结合。这种方法使我们能够揭示每种遮荫类型如何影响可可树下的小气候、产量以及病虫害。此外，我们开发了一种新方法来估计可达到的产量、实际产量以及病虫害造成的产量损失。使用产量损失作为病虫害调节服务和结构方程模型的代理，我们建立了一个模型，描述遮荫类型之间的相互作用网络及其在可可病虫害调节中的作用。我们的结果表明，每种遮荫类型对可可农业生态系统的结果都有独特的影响，相关遮荫会对可可产量产生负面影响，而总遮荫则产生积极影响。相关的遮荫还缓解了旱季小气候并限制了病虫害的发生。值得注意的是，遮荫并不是与病虫害相关的产量损失的唯一驱动因素。它是复杂交互网络的一部分。这些创新的遮荫测量和产量损失估算方法增强了我们对病虫害调控的理解。总之，相关遮荫和总遮荫的不同管理方法对于优化可可农林系统的产量和病虫害防治至关重要。