Types of flowers and fruitification of irrigated dwarf cashew clones

Abstract

The ratios staminate to complete flowers and young cashew apple to complete flowers are very important for determining cashew apple formation and crop yield in cashew trees (Anacardium occidentale L.). This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the panicle position on flower type and cashew apple yield in two yearly dwarf cashew clones (CCP 09 and EMBRAPA 51) grown under irrigated system. The study was carried out in the Curu Experimental Field of the Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, located in Paraipaba County, Ceará State, Brazil, from 2003 to 2004. Three plants from each cashew clone were sampled. Sixteen panicles from each plant were used in order to establish the number of staminate, complete, and anomalous flowers, following the north, south, east, and west direction. Four panicles were evaluated for each direction. Upon opening of the flowers, data were taken from each inflorescence, in the morning from 9:00 to 11:00. Results led to the conclusion that the clones did not differ regarding the number of mature cashew apples. On the other hand, the number of young cashew apples seemed to be affected by panicle position in clone CCP 09 alone. Panicle position did not influence number or type of flowers, neither number of mature cashew apples. Similarly, panicle average lifetime was not influenced by its position in the plant. The ratios complete to staminate flowers and young cashew apple to complete flowers were genotype dependent.