Amrutha (H-1597)
A 1998 Kerala hybrid (BLA-139-1 x H-3-13) with the smallest canopy in the Odisha trial and shelling of 30.3 to 31.58%. TNAU lists 18.35 kg a mature tree, but the trial's first four harvests gave only 3.07 kg.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Cashew (Kaju)
- Type
- Softwood grafted planting material
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- First bearing in about 3 years (grafted, TNAU crop-level); flowers December to January, fruits January to March
- Expected yield
- TNAU: 18.35 kg of nuts a mature tree; 7.18 g nut, 31.58% shelling, W210. Odisha trial: 3.07 kg a tree over four harvests (627 kg/ha)
- Suitable soil
- Tolerant of poor, lateritic and sandy coastal soil
- Release
- Cashew Research Station, Kerala Agricultural University, Madakkathara; released 1998, a hybrid of BLA-139-1 and H-3-13 (TNAU, Kerala)
About this variety
Amrutha (H-1597) is a cashew hybrid of BLA-139-1 and H-3-13, released in 1998 by the Cashew Research Station of Kerala Agricultural University at Madakkathara. TNAU lists a spreading canopy with extensive branching, flowering in December to January and fruiting from January to March, and a yellowish apple with 72.2% juice. The nut weighs 7.18 g (139 to a kilo), with a 2.24 g kernel, 31.58% shelling and the W210 export grade. A mature tree gives 18.35 kg of nuts. In the Odisha trial (planted 2008) Amrutha was among the smallest trees of the 25: 2.67 m tall in 2013, and the smallest trunk (37.53 cm) and canopy (10.87 square metres) in 2014. It gave 1.30 kg of nuts a tree in 2014 and 3.07 kg over four harvests, with shelling of 30.31% and 30.8%.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Amrutha if you want a compact cashew tree with a high shell-out and are willing to wait for the crop. The Odisha trial named it for dwarf architecture: 2.67 m tall in 2013 and a canopy of 10.87 square metres in 2014, the smallest of 25 varieties. TNAU gives 31.58% shelling, a 7.18 g nut, W210 and a mature-tree yield of 18.35 kg. The catch is the early crop. At Bhubaneswar its four-harvest total was 3.07 kg a tree (627 kg/ha), the lowest group. So Amrutha is a candidate for closer planting, which the trial authors say needs further testing, not a variety for a quick return.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeJune to December is the best planting time (TNAU).
- Spacing7 x 7 m, about 204 trees a hectare (TNAU crop-level figure).
- Sowing methodPlant softwood grafts in pits of 45 x 45 x 45 cm filled with topsoil, 10 kg of FYM and 1 kg of neem cake (TNAU).
- IrrigationCashew is normally rainfed. TNAU says watering from flushing to fruit maturity improves yield.
- FertilizerTNAU crop-level schedule, per tree per year: year 1, 10 kg FYM, 70 g N, 40 g P and 60 g K; from year 5, 50 kg FYM, 500 g N, 200 g P and 300 g K. Apply in November-December on the East Coast, or in two equal doses in June-July and October-November.
- HarvestingTNAU lists flowering in December to January and fruiting from January to March for Amrutha. Pick the apples fresh if you process them, and dry the nuts in the sun for 2 to 3 days to 10-12% moisture.
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Tolerant of poor, lateritic, gravelly or sandy coastal soil; pH 5.0–6.5 (TNAU)
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
First bearing in about 3 years (grafted, TNAU crop-level); flowers December to January, fruits January to March
Expected yield
TNAU: 18.35 kg of nuts a mature tree; 7.18 g nut, 31.58% shelling, W210. Odisha trial: 3.07 kg a tree over four harvests (627 kg/ha)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- The smallest canopy of 25 varieties at Bhubaneswar (10.87 square metres in 2014), named for dwarf architecture.
- The highest shelling in TNAU's KAU sheets, 31.58%, and 30.31% and 30.8% at Bhubaneswar.
- TNAU lists 18.35 kg a mature tree, one of the higher KAU figures.
Things to consider
- The lowest early yield in the Odisha trial: 3.07 kg a tree over four harvests (627 kg/ha).
- The close-spacing idea is a trial authors' suggestion that needs further evaluation, not a tested spacing.
- No disease rating published.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Kerala
18.35 kg or 3.07 kg: two numbers for two tree ages
TNAU lists Amrutha at 18.35 kg of nuts a mature tree. The Odisha trial, with grafts planted in 2008, recorded 0.92 kg a tree in 2013 and 1.30 kg in 2014, 3.07 kg over four harvests (2011 to 2014), which is 627 kg/ha at 204 trees a hectare. These are not the same thing. TNAU's figure is for a mature tree and the trial is for a young one, and the trial authors say the low yields were mainly due to the early bearing stage, with yields rising year on year.
So do not set the two numbers against each other, and do not budget on either. For Amrutha the honest reading is that a small, spreading, high-shelling tree starts slowly in Odisha-type conditions. If you plant it, keep a yield record per tree for the first six years and compare it with a neighbouring block of Dhana or Kanaka, which gave 7.28 and 7.16 kg over the same four harvests.
Can you save seed from this crop?
This one is raised from planting material — suckers, grafts, cuttings or tubers — not from a seed packet. Take it from a registered nursery or a government farm, so the plant is true to the variety and free of disease.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Cashew (Kaju) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akshaya | Kerala farms that sell on kernel size and can accept a shell-out just above the 28% standard | First bearing in about 3 years (grafted, TNAU crop-level); flowers December to January, fruits January to March | TNAU: 11.78 kg of nuts a mature tree; 11 g nut (the largest on the KAU sheets), 28.36% shelling, W180 | Kerala |
| Amrutha (H-1597)this page | Small plots or trials where a compact tree and a high shelling percentage matter more than early yield | First bearing in about 3 years (grafted, TNAU crop-level); flowers December to January, fruits January to March | TNAU: 18.35 kg of nuts a mature tree; 7.18 g nut, 31.58% shelling, W210. Odisha trial: 3.07 kg a tree over four harvests (627 kg/ha) | Kerala |
| Anagha | Kerala farms that want a large-kernel nut with the best listed yield among the Anakkayam hybrids | First bearing in about 3 years (grafted, TNAU crop-level); flowers January to February, fruits February to April | TNAU: 13.73 kg of nuts a mature tree, the highest of the three Anakkayam hybrids; 10 g nut, 29% shelling, W180 | Kerala |
| Bhaskara | Steady nut yield on normal spacing | First bearing in 3 years (grafted) | Odisha trial: 9.85 kg a tree over four harvests (2,010 kg a hectare at 7 x 7 m) | Karnataka |
| Bhubaneswar-1 | Odisha farms that want a locally sourced variety with high shelling and a medium canopy | First bearing in about 3 years (grafted, TNAU crop-level); no flowering calendar was found for Bhubaneswar-1 | Odisha trial: 7.12 kg of nuts a tree over four harvests (1,453 kg/ha); shelling 30.77% and 30.68% | Odisha |
| BPP-8 | Farmers in eastern, Odisha-type conditions who want the variety with the best published trial yield | First bearing in about 3 years (grafted, TNAU crop-level); no flowering calendar was found for BPP-8 | Odisha trial: 11.86 kg of nuts a tree over four harvests (2,420 kg/ha), the best of 25 released varieties; 6.0 kg a tree in 2014 | Andhra Pradesh |
| Dhana | Large cashew apples plus a good nut | First bearing in 3 years (grafted) | TNAU: 10.66 kg of nuts a mature tree; 8.2 g nut, 29.8% shelling, W210. Odisha trial: 7.28 kg a tree over four harvests | Kerala |
| Dharasree | Kerala farms that want a compact tree with a mid-size nut that shells out well, from the Anakkayam station | First bearing in about 3 years (grafted, TNAU crop-level); flowers December to January, fruits January to March | TNAU: 10.66 kg of nuts a mature tree; 7.8 g nut, 30.5% shelling, W240 | Kerala |
| Kanaka (H-1598) | Farmers who want a high shelling percentage and a steady early yield, and have room for an open, tall tree | First bearing in about 3 years (grafted, TNAU crop-level); flowers November to December, fruits December to March | TNAU: 12.8 kg of nuts a mature tree; 6.8 g nut, 30.58% shelling, W280. Odisha trial: 7.16 kg a tree over four harvests (1,461 kg/ha) | Kerala |
| NRCC Selection-1 | Farmers who already have these trees, or are offered the name by a nursery and want to know what it means | Short duration; flowers December to February, fruits March to April (ICAR-DCR) | ICAR-DCR: 10 kg of nuts a tree; 7.6 g nut, 28.8% shelling, W210. Withdrawn from recommendation | Karnataka |
| NRCC Selection-2 | Farmers who want a short-duration, DCR-recommended selection with a good trial record, and plant for the nut | Short duration; flowers November to January, fruits February to March (ICAR-DCR) | ICAR-DCR: 9 kg of nuts a tree; 9.3 g nut, 28.6% shelling, W210. Odisha trial: 8.81 kg a tree over four harvests (1,798 kg/ha), fourth of 25 | Karnataka |
| Priyanka | The heaviest cashew apple, for processing | First bearing in 3 years (grafted) | TNAU: 17.03 kg of nuts a mature tree; 10.8 g nut, 26.57% shelling, W180. Odisha trial: 4.15 kg a tree over four harvests | Kerala |
| Sulabha | Kerala farmers who want a big nut and a compact tree, and can accept a late flowering season | First bearing in about 3 years (grafted, TNAU crop-level); flowers January to February, fruits February to April | TNAU: 21.9 kg of nuts a mature tree, the highest of the KAU sheets; 9.8 g nut, 29.4% shelling, W210 | Kerala |
| Ullal-3 | Early, short flowering season in Karnataka | First bearing in 3 years (grafted) | TNAU: 14.7 kg of nuts a mature tree. Odisha trial: 8.04 kg a tree over four harvests (1,641 kg a hectare) | Karnataka |
| Vengurla-4 | Older, proven west-coast cashew | First bearing in 3 years (grafted) | TNAU: 17.2 kg of nuts a mature tree. Odisha trial: 7.68 kg a tree over four harvests | Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka |
| Vengurla-7 | Bold nuts for export-grade kernels | First bearing in 3 years (grafted) | ~18.5 kg/tree average; bold 10 g nuts, W180 kernel grade, ~30.5% shelling | Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka |
| VRI-3 | A smaller tree with W210 kernels | First bearing in 3 years (grafted) | TNAU: 11.68 kg of nuts a mature tree (another TNAU page says 14.19 kg); 7.18 g nut, 29.1% shelling, W210 | Tamil Nadu |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Cashew (Kaju) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Cashew (Kaju) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Cashew (Kaju) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Cashew (Kaju) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Cashew (Kaju) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Cashew (Kaju) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
What are Amrutha's parents and release year?
TNAU lists Amrutha (H-1597) as a hybrid of BLA-139-1 and H-3-13, released in 1998 by the Cashew Research Station of Kerala Agricultural University at Madakkathara.
Is Amrutha good for high-density planting?
It is a candidate, not a proven choice. The Odisha trial authors named Amrutha among the varieties with dwarf plant architecture (2.58 to 4.05 m tall) and said they need further evaluation for that purpose. We found no close-spacing trial for it.
Why was Amrutha's early yield so low in Odisha?
The paper does not single it out, but it records the smallest trunk (37.53 cm) and canopy (10.87 square metres) of the 25 varieties in 2014, and says low yields across the trial were mainly because the trees were young. A smaller tree carries fewer flowering shoots, so it gives less in its first harvests.
How does Amrutha's shelling compare with others?
TNAU gives 31.58%, the highest among the KAU sheets we read (Kanaka 30.58, Dharasree 30.5, Sulabha 29.4, Anagha 29, Akshaya 28.36). At Bhubaneswar it was 30.31% and 30.8%. International standard is above 28%, so Amrutha is comfortably over it.
Sourced from: Amrutha (H-1597) — TNAU Agritech Portal, cashew varieties, Tripathy, Sethi and Mukherjee, Evaluation of released cashew varieties under Odisha condition — Int. J. Bio-resource and Stress Management 6(5), 2015, Model Profile for 1.0 ha Cashew Cultivation — NABARD/TNAU. editorial policy.