Cashew tree

Anacardium occidentale

1. Identification and origin

The cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale L.) is a tree species of the Anacardiaceae family, native to the tropical regions of South America, especially north-eastern Brazil. It is widely cultivated in tropical zones of Africa, Asia and Latin America, mainly for the value of the nuts and the pseudofruit (cashew apple).

2. Economic importance

The cashew tree is a strategic crop in several tropical countries, standing out for the production of cashew nuts, one of the most highly valued nuts on the international market. The pseudofruit is used in the production of juices, sweets and fermented beverages. Cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) has industrial applications, including resins, paints and composite materials.

3. Botanical characterisation

A medium-sized tree, which can reach 8–12 m in height, with a broad, irregular crown. The leaves are simple, alternate, thick and obovate. The inflorescences are terminal panicles with small, pinkish or greenish flowers. The true fruit is a nut, attached externally to the fleshy pseudofruit (cashew apple), which develops from the swollen peduncle.

4. Soil and climate requirements

It adapts well to dry and sub-humid tropical climates, with temperatures between 24–32 °C. It tolerates poor, sandy and well-drained soils, being sensitive to waterlogging. It prefers a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. It is a heliophilous and drought-resistant species, although production is greater with moderate and well-distributed rainfall.

5. Main pests

• Cashew stem borer (Analeptes trifasciata): perforations and loss of quality.
• Fruit flies (Anastrepha spp., Ceratitis spp.): damage to the pseudofruit.
• Scale insects (Coccidae): sap sucking and sooty mould.
• Mites (Tetranychidae): chlorosis and reduced vigour.

6. Main diseases

• Gummosis (Lasiodiplodia theobromae): gummy exudation and necrosis on the trunk.
• Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides): leaf spots and rot of the pseudofruit.
• Powdery mildew (Oidium anacardii): white mycelium on young leaves.
• Root rots (Phytophthora spp.): decline and death in poorly drained soils.

7. General crop management

Management includes the selection of adapted varieties, formative and sanitary pruning, removal of infected fruits and branches, and maintenance of well-drained soils. Fertilisation should be balanced, with attention to calcium and magnesium. Regular monitoring is essential for the control of anthracnose and fruit pests.

Bibliographic references

• EPPO Global Database – Anacardium occidentale.
• CABI Crop Compendium – Anacardium occidentale.
• Aliyu, O. M. (2012). Genetic diversity and breeding of cashew. African Journal of Biotechnology, 11, 120–130.
• Freire, F. C. O., et al. (2002). Diseases of cashew nut plants in Brazil. Crop Protection, 21, 489–494.
• Ohler, J. G. (1991). Cashew. FAO Plant Production and Protection Paper.