R.C. Gajbhiye, B.V. Padhiar and N.I. Shah
Abstract
An experiment was conducted to access the efficacy of water soluble nutrients (fertilizers) with reference to fruit set and fruit retention in cashew cv. Vengurla-4, at Agriculture Experimental Station, Paria-396 145, Tal. Pardi, Dist. Valsad (Gujarat) during the year 2011-12 and 2012-13 under rainfed conditions with eleven treatments viz., 19:19:19 (1% and 2%), 0:52:34 (1% and 2%), 13:0:45 (1% and 2%), 0:0:50 (1% and 2%), urea (2%), MgSO4 (3%) and control with three replications in randomized block design. Uniform 8 years old trees of cashew cv. Vengurla-4 planted at 8m x 8m spacing were selected for experimentation. The recommended dose of fertilizers was applied twice to all the treatments including control. All the water soluble fertilizers sprays were applied thrice; at flushing, flowering and fruit set. During the experimentation, fruiting attributes were recorded at appropriate stages. In present investigation, fruiting parameters of cashew Vengurla-4 were significantly influenced by different grades of water soluble nutrients (fertilizers) during both the years and pooled study. Among the different treatments tried, urea @ 2% (T9) and 19:19:19 @ 2% (T2) were found significantly superior in respect of enhancement of number of nuts/panicle, fruit set (%), number of nuts at marble stage, fruit retention (%) and number of fruits harvested/panicle of cashew cv. Vengurla-4 over rest of treatments including control; while, it was lowest under control during both the years and pooled study.