Plantation Crops

Irrigation in cashew

• Initial years of establishment: In the initial stages of establishment (seedling stage) cashew needs irrigation in summer especially in sandy soils. However, we have to provide drainage in places of water stagnation.
• Drip irrigation with four drippers at 1 m away from the tree base @80l/tree once in 4 days from the second fortnight of December to the end of March coinciding with the flowering season resulted in significantly higher yield as compared to lower levels of irrigation or without irrigation (Samuel, 2002).
• Experiments at DCR Puttur has shown that, Irrigation during January to March has doubled yield in yielding cashew plantation .
• Note: However, by irrigation flowering period in cashew is extended. To have shorter flowering period (convenient for harvest and TMB management) we have to with hold irrigation before flowering.