MSc

Cashew is an important dollar earning plantation crop grown for its delicious
kernels. In Kerala, during harvest few nuts may escape collection and the hidden ones
will germinate with the onset of rain. These germinated nuts called as cashew sprouts
are traditional delicacy among rural people. Cashew Research Station, Madakkathara
has commercialised the traditional technology of sprout production which open up an
alternative market to cashew growers. Sprout and micro greens are now popular owing
to its nutritive value.
Commercialization of traditional technology of cashew sprout production needs
systematic study on influence of seed nuts characteristics on quality of produce. In this
context, the study was formulated to evaluate the response of seed nut size, pre-soaking
treatments and varieties on production of quality cashew sprout. The cashew seed nuts
available at cashew research station Madakkathara used as study material and the
production was done in a specially designed germination chamber.
The seed nut size had significant influence on sprouting behaviour and recovery
of sprout. Small (below 5 g) and medium (5-7 g) sized nuts recorded lowest mean
sprouting time (14.02 and 14. 52 respectively), days to sprout (12 and 12.33
respectively). But there was no significant difference in percent sprouting. Whereas
cotyledon recovery (5.76g) and total weight of sprout (7.73g) were significantly high in
sprout produced from large seed nut (above 7g). However, the total outturn of sprout
from one kilogram of seed nuts was significantly high when small seed nut of below 5
g was used for sprout production (710.5g/kg). The study also elucidated that total
outturn had significant negative correlation with seed size, mean sprouting time and
days to sprout and significant positive correlation with percent sprouting and sprouting
index.
Influence of storage of seed nuts on sprouting has shown that there was no
significant difference in percent sprouting and sprouting behaviour in seed nuts of
current season harvest and seed nuts of previous season harvest stored under
temperature 21 0C and relative humidity of 65 %. All seed nuts of previous season
harvest stored under ambient condition failed to germinate even with various presoaking treatment.
While evaluating the 14 pre-soaking treatments of seed nuts of current season
on sprouting behaviour, it was observed that highest percent sprouting (87.5%) was
observed in treatment T3 (soaking in water for 72 hours). The days to sprout (11.5 days),
days to fifty percent sprouting (13.83days) and mean sprouting time (13.62 days) was
significantly low in the same treatment. The seed nut of previous season harvest stored
in storage chamber recorded the highest percent germination (80%) days to sprout
(12.50 days), days to fifty percent sprouting (14.12 days) and mean sprouting time (13
days) in treatment T4 (soaking of nuts in water for 96 hours.).The pre-soaking has no
significant difference in cotyledon characters, total weight of sprout and cotyledon
recovery of sprout. The outturn of sprout from one kilogram of seed nut was
significantly high when seed nut were pre-soaked in water for 72 hours.
The harvested sprouts stored in aluminium laminated cover recorded the lowest
physiological loss in weight. The overall acceptability of stored sprout was also
significantly good when stored in aluminium laminated cover. The colour of the sprout
retained when stored in aluminium laminated cover up to 4 days (150- medium yellow
green – A). The viable bacterial count and fungal count was significantly low in sprout
stored under aluminium laminated cover.
Cashew varieties showed significant difference in sprouting behaviour and
recovery of cashew sprout. The percent sprouting was significantly high in variety
Anakkayam-1 (97%) and VRI-3 (96%). The total weight of sprout and cotyledon
recovery recorded significantly high values in variety NRCC Selection-2 (8.67, 6.76 g
respectively).The outturn of sprout from one kg of seed nut was significantly high in
variety Anakkayam-1 (675 g/ kg). The outturn of variety Madakkathra-1 (588.4g/kg)
was at par. The bio chemical qualities of sprout viz. total sugar (3.3 %), iron (18.65
mg/100g), protein (3.05g/100g) free amino acid (3.33g/100g) were significantly high in
variety Anakkayam-1 .The tannin content was the lowest in variety Anakkayam-1
(2.82mg/100g) and Madakkathara-1 (3.70mg/100g).The organoleptic qualities of
variety Anakkayam-1, was also preferred over other varieties.