Nut parameters
Yield attributing traits like nut length, nut breadth, nut weight, nut yield plant
-1 and nut yield hectare
-1 were found significantly influenced by foliar application of nutrients from flowering to fruit set as compared with control (Table 1). Maximum length (3.83 cm), breadth 92.65 cm) and weight (7.79 g) of nut were observed in T
5 whereas, minimum nut length (3.58 cm), nut breadth (2.51 cm) and nut weight (6.89 g) were reported in control. T
5 was found statistically parity with T
3 and T
4 for nut length and with T
4 for nut breadth and nut weight. T
5 was found superior among all the treatment and highest nut yield plant
-1 (6.05 kg) and nut yield hectare
-1 (1.24 tonnes) were found in T5 and lowest nut yield plant
-1 (4.00 kg) and nut yield hectare
-1 (0.82 tonnes) in T
6. Foliar nutrient application significantly influenced kernel weight of cashew and T
5 observed maximum kernel weight of 2.35 g which is statistically at par with T
4 (2.27 g) whereas, lowest kernel weight (1.95 g) was recorded in T
6. Shelling percentage of cashew was found non-significant and it ranged between 28.36% - 29.75%. Foliar spraying of nutrients resulted in more vegetative growth and accumulation of more photosynthates as reserved food material and utilized by plants during nut developmental stages which significantly improves nut characters like nut length, breadth and nut weight. Increase in nut set, nut retention and nut weight resulted in more nut yield plant
-1 and per hectare. These results were well supported by
Ramteke et al., (2022) in cashew,
Boora (2016) in mango,
Prabhu et al., (2018) in acid lime and
Jat and Kacha (2014) in guava. According to
Yamakanamardi et al., (2020), the storage tissues would have retained the leftover effects of nutrients like N, P and K that were adsorbed throughout the blooming and fruit set phase. These tissues then serve as a resource material for the growth and maturity of nuts.
Sapkal et al., (2000) have also reported on the increased cashew nut production resulted by urea spray. Increased nutrient adsorption and improved nut retention would have improved the tree’s ability to use its nutritional resources, producing a maximum production
(Kumar and Reddy, 2008).
Apple characters
Nutrient management of cashew impacted apple characters and found significant among treatments (Table 2). Maximum apple length (6.40 cm) was found in T
4 and it was at par with T
2 and T
3 whereas, minimum apple length was reported in T
6 (5.73 cm). Maximum and minimum apple breadth were observed in T
5 (4.28 cm) and T6 (3.89 cm) respectively. Highest apple weight was recorded in T
5 (56.03 g) which was at
par with T
2, T
3 and T
4. Lowest apple weight found in T6 (48.22 g). Spraying of macro, secondary and micronutrients resulted in protein and carbohydrate synthesis which helps in increasing size, shape and weight of cashew apple. In cashew,
Lakshmipathi et al., (2015) also corroborated these findings. Similar findings were also reported by
Gurjar et al., (2015) in mango. Biochemical parameters like apple TSS, total sugar, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content also influenced by foliar nutrient application. Highest TSS content was found in T
4 (12.74°Brix) and lowest in T6 (11.46°Brix). T5 reported maximum total sugar (12.42%) and ascorbic acid content (180.38 mg/100 g). Maximum and minimum titarble acidity were found in T
4 (0.48%) and T
6 (0.43%) respectively. Spraying of secondary and micronutrients along with major nutrients improving reproductive and quality traits and these results were accordance with
Lakshmipathi et al., (2023) in cashew,
Viswakarma et al., (2022) in mango and
Sabahat et al., (2021) in strawberry.
Biochemical parameters of kernel
Biochemical parameters of cashew kernel was found significantly influenced by foliar nutrient management (Table 3). Fat content of cashew kernel was found maximum in T
5 (46.18%), it was statistically at par with T
4 (45.79%) and lowest in control (43.11%). T
5 (22.78%) recorded highest carbohydrate content of cashew kernel which was statistically at par with T
4 (22.68%) and T
3 (22.09%) and minimum carbohydrate content was found in T
6 (20.44 %). Foliar spray of nutrients had a substantial impact on protein content of cashew kernel. The maximum and minimum protein content of kernel were found in T
5 (22.89%) and minimum in T
6 (21.58%). T
5 was found statistically at par with T
4 (22.75%), T
3 (22.39%) and T
2 (22.30%). Both starch and moisture content of cashew kernel was found non-significant and maximum and minimum starch and moisture content were reported in T
5 and T
6 respectively. Foliar spraying of macro, secondary and micronutrients resulted in improvement in quality traits of cashew kernel. Foliar spraying enhanced translocation of nutrients and minerals to the fruits improving quality of fruits and deficiency of nutrients resulted in poor quality fruit production. This study is in consistent with
Lakhmipathi et al., (2023) in cashew and
Sabahat et al., (2021) in starwberry where macronutrients along with micronutrients, namely zinc, boron and iron, enhanced reproductive features, primarily fruiting parameters and quality attributes.
Correlation study of nutrient management on yield and yield attributing traits and biochemical properties of cashew nut and apple
Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was performed among yield and yield attributing traits and biochemical parameters under nutrient analysis for pooled data (Fig 1). The data presented in the figure indicate that nut physical characters like nut length was found positively correlated with nut breadth, nut weight, nut yield plant
-1, nut yield hectare
-1, kernel weight, shelling percentage, apple breadth, apple weight, fat content and starch content at P<0.01%; ascorbic acid content and titarble acidity at <0.05% and carbohydrate content of kernel at <0.001%. Whereas, moisture content of kernel was found negatively correlated at P value <0.001% and apple length and TSS were non-correlated with nut length. Similarly, nut breadth and nut weight were found positively correlated with most of the characters except moisture content which is negatively correlated at P value <0.01% and apple length was observed non-correlated with nut breadth and nut weight. Nut yield plant
-1 and nut yield hectare
-1 were positively correlated with nut length, breadth, weight, kernel weight, shelling percentage, apple breadth, apple weight, carbohydrate content, protein content; starch, total sugar and ascorbic acid content of cashew apple as well as fat content of kernel. Apple length, TSS and titratable acid content of cashew apple were non-correlated and moisture percentage of cashew kernel was found negatively correlated with nut yield (P<0.5%). Kernel weight was reported positively correlated with nut length, nut breadth, nut weight, nut yield plant
-1, nut yield hectare
-1, ascorbic acid content of apple, fat, carbohydrate and starch content of kernel at P<0.01%. Shelling percentage, apple breadth, apple weight and carbohydrate content were positively correlated with kernel weight and moisture content of kernel was found negatively correlated at P value<0.01%. Apple length exhibited non-correlated relationship with all the factors. Apple breadth and apple weight showed positive correlation with most of the characters except apple length which is non-correlated and moisture content of cashew kernel which was found negatively correlated at P<0.01%. TSS content of cashew apple was found non-correlated with most of characters except nut breadth, nut weight, kernel weight, shelling percentage, apple breadth, apple weight, ascorbic acid, titratable acidity, carbohydrate content and protein content and negatively correlated with moisture content at P<0.5%. Titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content and total sugar established positive correlation with most of the characters except moisture content which was found negatively correlated to these traits. Biochemical trait of cashew kernel like fat was found positively correlated with nut length, breadth, weight, kernel weight, shelling percentage, apple weight, carbohydrate content, protein content of kernel. Total sugar and ascorbic acid content showed positive correlation and nut yield plant
-1, nut yield hectare
-1, titratable acidity and starch content expressed positive correlation at P value 0.5%. Other biochemical parameters of cashew kernel like carbohydrate content, protein content and starch content were found positively correlated with most of the yield and yield attributing traits. Moisture content of cashew kernel was found negatively correlated with all the characters.