MSc

The study on "Quality evaluation of kernels of different cashew
varieties" was conducted to evaluate the physical characters, nutritional
composition and processing characters of twenty three cashew varieties available
and maintained at Cashew Research Station, Madakkathara.
The physical characters evaluated were weight, length, breadth and
thickness. The highest weight, length, breadth and thickness were observed m
H-1600, M-33/3, Priyanka and H 2/15 respectively ..
The nutrients analysed were moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrate, sugar,
amino acid, fatty acid, calcium, iron and phosphorus. They were estimated before
and after processing. The sugar content before processing, fatty acid content before
and after processing and iron content after processing were highest in Sulabha
whereas H-1600 had the highest mean value for sugar and fat contents after
processing. The highest protein and amino acid contents before and after
processing was observed in H-2/16. Dharasree had the highest mean value for fat
content before processing and calcium after processing. Highest calcium content
before and after processing was found to be in Madakkathara-2 and Dharasree
respectively. Carbohydrate content was found to be highest in Anakkayam and
lowest in Madakkathara-l before and after processing. Phosphorus and Iron
contents before processing was found to be highest in Tree No. 40 and
Madakkathara-l respectively .. There was significant variation between varieties
with respect to all nutrients except phosphorus. The difference in nutrients before
and after processing was not significant except in the case of calcium.
After processing cashew nuts were analysed for characters such as
kernel weight, shelling percentage, percentage yield of whole kernels and kernel
count. Madakkathara-l and Madakkathara-2 had got the highest values for shelling
percentage and percentage yield of whole kernels. Highest kernel weight was

observed in Priyanka. The difference in processing characters of different varieties
was found to be significant statistically.
Based on the physical characters cashewnuts were divided into three
clusters. Cluster I had eleven members which were Anakkayam, Madakkathara-2,
Priyanka, Sulabha, Dharasree, H-2116, Tree No.40, VTH 30/4, VTH 59/2. M-33/3,
M-44/3. Cluster IT contained Kanaka, Dhana, H-1600, H-2115 and Hybrid 4/5.
Madakkathara-l , Amrutha, H-1610, Tree No.129, Vengurla-2, Vengurla-4 and
M-26/2 constituted cluster Ill. Priyanka was found to be the best variety with
respect to physical characters.
Based on the nutritional composition cashew kernels were divided into
four clusters. Cluster I had seven members which were Amrutha, Dhana, H-21I 6,
Tree No.129, Tree No.40, M-44/3 and M-26/2. Dharasree H-1600 and M-33/3
were included in cluster IT. Cluster ITl contained An akkayam , Madakkathara-l ,
Sulabha, H-2115, VTH-30/4, VTH-59/2 and Hybrid-4/5. Madakkathara-2, Kanaka,
Priyanka, H-1610, Vengurla-2 and Vengurla-4 constituted cluster IV. Based on the
nutritional characters Sulabha was found to be the best variety.
Based on the processing characters cashew nuts were grouped into III
clusters. Cluster I contained 7 varieties namely Dhana, Amrutha, Sulabha, H-2I16,
Tree NoAO, VTH 30/4 and M-26/2. Anakkayam, Madakkathara-l , Kanaka,
Priyanka, Dharasree, H-1600, H-2115, Tree NO. 129, Hybrid 4/5, M-33/3 and
M-44/3 constituted cluster IT and Madakkathara-Z, H-1610, VTH-30/4, Vengurla-2
and Vengurla-4 constituted cluster lll. Among the varieties Madakkathara-l was
found to be the best with respect to processing characters.
Priyanka with best physical characters and with nutritional composition
almost similar to Sulabha and processing characters similar to Madakkathara-l can
be considered as the best variety with respect to all characters.