Investigations on self-compatibility and extent of self and cross pollination in cashew

To address the issues of presence of self-incompatibility and extent of self and cross-pollination in cashew, studies were carried out employing eight cultivars and four types of pollinations viz ., self-pollination, geitonogamy, hand self-pollination, hand cross-pollination. Observations on percentages of initial fruit set, final fruit set, fruit shed as well as total fruit set were recorded. The cultivars differed significantly for all the traits studied. In hand self-pollination, initial fruit set varied from 7.97 to 17.03 per cent. The final fruit set ranged from 10.47 to 3.13 per cent. The fruit shed varied from 9.53 to 1.85 per cent. The total final fruit set varied from 12.50 per cent (NRCC Sel-2) to 41.88 per cent (Ullal-3). In hand cross-pollination, the initial fruit set varied from 9.30 to 18.83 per cent. The final fruit set ranged from 3.77 to 7.90 per cent and the fruit shed varied from 4.12 to 15.06 per cent. The total final fruit set ranged from 15.06 per cent (Priyanka) to 31.58 per cent (NRCC Sel-2). Cultivar, Ullal-3 showed more fruit set in self-pollination and geitonogamy. All the varieties were found to be self- compatible and hence self-incompatibility does not seem to operate in cashew. Six varieties were cross-compatible and two were partially cross-compatible as female parents. The study indicated that self as well as cross-pollination play significant roles in fruit set in cashew. The estimates of heritability in broad sense and genetic advance for final fruit set were high in self- pollination and geitonogamy, high and moderate in hand self and cross-pollinations.