Initial training / shape pruning

• The sprouts coming from the rootstock portion of the graft, that is from the portion below the graft joint, should be removed frequently during the first year of planting.
• Initial training and pruning of young cashew plants during the first 3-4 years is essential for providing proper shape.
• The plants should be allowed to grow by maintaining a single stem up to 0.75-1.00 m from ground level. This can be achieved by removing the side shoots or side branches gradually as the plants start growing from the second year of planting.
• Weak and criss-cross branches can also be removed.
• Branches growing unevenly may also be cut off.
• Proper staking of the plants is required to avoid lodging due to wind during the initial years of planting.
• Initial training and pruning of cashew plants facilitate easy cultural operations such as terrace making, weeding, Fertilizer application, nut collection and plant protection.
• Panicles emerging from the grafts during the first and second year of planting should also be removed (de-blossoming) in order to allow the plant to put up good vegetative growth.
• The plants are allowed to flower and fruit only from the third year onwards.

General pruning

• In older cashew plantations, removal of dried or dead wood, criss-cross branches, water shoots etc. should be attended to at least once in 2-3 years.
• This allows proper growth of the canopy and receipt of adequate sunlight on all the branches.
• Pruning of cashew plants should be done during May / June.

Intercropping

• Pineapple is the most profitable intercrop in cashew plantation in the early stages of growth.
• It can be planted between two rows of cashew in trenches opened across the slope.
• Paired row of pineapple suckers can be planted in each trench at 60 cm between rows and 40 cm between two suckers within the row.
• These trenches can be opened at 1 m between two rows of cashew.
• Ginger, lemongrass and tapioca are also suitable as intercrops.

Top working

• Top working is a technique evolved to rejuvenate unproductive and senile cashew trees.
• Top working can successfully rejuvenate poor yielders in the age group of 5-20years.
• The unproductive trees are to be beheaded at a height of 0.75 to 1.00 m from ground level.
• The stem should be cut with a saw to avoid stump splitting.
• The best season for beheading trees is May-September.
• Soon after beheading, the stumps and cut portions should be given a swabbing with copper oxychloride and carbaryl 50 WP (50 g each per litre of water).
• Sprouts emerge 30-45 days after beheading. Sprouting will be profuse in young trees.
• New, 20-25 days old shoots should be grafted with scions of high yielding varieties using softwood grafting technique.
• To ensure at least six or seven successful grafts, 10-15 grafting are to be done on the new shoots of every tree.
• The best season for grafting is July–November.
• Thinning of the extra shoots arising from the stumps should be done to obtain better growth of the grafts.
• Removal of sprouts below the graft joint and removal of polythene strip from the graft joint should be done.
• Top working is simple and can be done by farmers after getting proper training.