| Questions | Answers |
|---|
| What are the climatic conditions for cashew cultivation |
Cashew can be grown in areas where temperature does not fall below 10˚C in cooler periods for prolonged duration and 32-36˚C during summer months. |
| In what type of soil can cashew be grown |
Cashew can be grown in almost all type of soils from sandy to laterite (up to an elevation of 600-700m) including waste lands of low fertility. It grows and yields best in well drained red sandy loams and light coastal sands. Heavy clay soils, poor drainage condition, very low temperature and frost are unsuitable. Sites prone to water logging and excessive alkalinity and salinity are not suitable. |
| How cashew plant propagated |
Since Cashew is a cross pollinated crop, vegetative propagation is recommended to produce planting materials. Soft wood grafts are the best planting materials. |
| What are the varieties recommended for commercial cultivation |
Successful cashew cultivation depends on the choosing of the best varieties suited to agro climatic condition and adoption of the right prodn. package of practices recommended. |
| What is the spacing for cashew planting |
Normal spacing recommended for planting Cashew is 7.5 m x 7.5 m for poor soils and 10 m x10 m for rich and deep soils and sandy coastal areas. High density planting: High density planting involves planting more no. of grafts per unit area initially and then thinning at a later stage. Here grafts can be planted at a spacing of 4m x4m or 5 x5 m or 8m x 4m consisting of 625 plants per ha. |
| What is the season of planting cashew |
Under rainfed conditions, planting is to be done during June-July or September-October coinciding with the monsoon. |
| Where I can get cashew grafts |
Cashew grafts can be obtained from the Cashew nurseries recognized by the DCCD all over the country. |
| What are the varieties suitable/recommended |
Depending upon the Agro-climatic condition the suitable varieties recommended for each region are indicated at Table-1. |
| What is the quality of grafts at the time of planting |
Minimum age of the grafts should be 6 months old and having more than five to seven functional leaves. |
| What is the method of planting |
Planting is done in pits of 60 cm cube. Fill the 2/3rd of the pits with top soil and organic manure (compost or dried farm yard manure-minimum 5 Kg per pit ) and grafts are planted after removing the polythene Bag. |