Intercrop practices in cashew production

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.