Impact of organic inputs on apple quality in cashew, Annacardium occidentale L

Cashew, Annacardium occidentale L has been emerging as one of the most important dollar earning plantation crops having very significant role to play in Indian economy hence there is need to produce organic cashew for export purpose. Besides the nut yield cashew apple or cashew pseudofruits are rich source of vitamin C, organic acids, minerals, carbohydrates with many medicinal properties. The present investigation on use of organic inputs in cashew was carried out under All India Coordinated Research Project on Cashew (ICAR) of OUAT, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Eight treatments of different organic inputs including recommended doses of fertilizers and FYM as control were used by adopting RBD replicated thrice in recommended cashew variety BPP-8. The results recorded during 2013–14 revealed significant variations among different treatments for various cashew apple quality parameters. Invariably integrated application of fertilizers and manures as control recorded significantly maximum cashew apple weight (59.17 g), TSS (13.87^oBrix) and juice recovery (65.42%) as well as statistically at par pulp content (32.89%), acidity (0.58%) and total sugar (11.49%) with respective highest values than rest of the treatments. Among the sole application of organic inputs application of 100 per cent nitrogen either through vermicompost + bio-fertilizers 200 g or through FYM + bio-fertilizers 200 g or 25 per cent N each as FYM + recycling of organic residue + in situ green manuring/green leaf manuring + bio-fertilizers @ 200 g were proved to be significantly better for various cashew apple parameters indicating the scope of organic cashew cultivation for quality apple production and utilization