Intercrop practices in cashew production
1 Department of Agronomy, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, P.M.B. 5244, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Economics and Extension, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, P.M.B. 5244, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
3 Value Addition Research Department, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, P.M.B. 5244, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
4 Plant Protection Section, Entomology Unit, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, P.M.B. 5244, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
5 Value Addition Research Department, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, P.M.B. 5244, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Review Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 10(03), 281–288
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2021.10.3.0268
Publication history:
Received on 02 May 2021; revised on 14 June 2021; accepted on 17 June 2021
Abstract:
Cashew is an important economic tree crop cultivated for its wood, apple and most especially the nut. The large plant spacing involved in its cultivation encourages intercropping. Intercropping cashew during the early phase of establishment with arable and sometimes tree crops is usually practiced which serves as food security, cultural weed control and means of additional income to farmers. The aim of this study is to look into some experimented cashew intercrop and gaps in the intercrop patterns. Review of past literatures was used in discovering cashew intercrop patterns in Nigeria and some major cashew producing countries. Intercropping cashew with arable crops is more popular and profitable than with tree crop except in Sri-lanka where intercropping with coconut seems profitable than cashew sole cropping. Intercropping of cashew with arable crops, legumes and vegetables did not affect the growth of young cashew except millet, sorghum and pigeon-pea. Cashew/maize and cashew/cassava/yam had high returns respectively. Intercrop combinations with more than two crops affected the growth of cashew. Cashew/rice and cashew/plantain intercrop suppressed the growth of weeds with no negative effect on cashew growth. More concise and implementable research can be done where information on weed control, growth parameters, nutrient demands, yield and economic returns can be gotten from an experiment on the various cashew intercrop patterns as this will make the findings more adoptable by the farmers. Intercropping cashew with more than 2 crops should be discouraged.
Keywords:
Cashew; Intercrop; Intercropping; Arable crops; Review; Pattern
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