Mercy GeorgeSinish, M SKAU2019-06-012019-06-012003http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810106229PGThe experiment on "Nutrient management in cashew nursery" was taken up during 2002-2003 at College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur. The experimental site was Cashew Research. Station, Madakkathara, Kerala Agricultural University. It consisted of two parts viz., management practices for cashew root stock production and the management practices of cashew grafts. The experiment on the management practices for cashew root stock production was conducted to select the best organic sources (cowdung, poultry manure, coirpith compost) of nutrients in the potting media and to find the effect of Azaspirillum, Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi inoculation on the growth of root stocks. The-bulk density and particle density were found to be decreased and by the application of organic manure in the potting mixtures and the lowest was found with coirpith compost. The pore space and water holding capacity were increased by the organic manur~s in the potting mixtures and the maximum was observed with coirpith compost. In all the organic manure containing potting mixtures combined inoculation of Azospirillum, PSB and AMF decreased the days taken for germination, compared to single inoculation and the minimum was observed in coirpith compost applied treatment. The maximum germination percentage was found with AMF inoculation in cowdung containing potting mixture and Azospirillum+ PSB+ AMF inoculated potting mixtures of cowdung and coirpith compost. Among the different potting mixtures, a higher growth rate of seedlings were observed in the potting mixture containing sand:soil:cowdung+ Azospirillum+ PSB+ AMF . The care and management of grafts in the nursery involved soil and foliar application of nutrients in the second part of the experiment. Here all the treatments were having the" same potting mixture (sand:soil:cowdung+ Azospirillum+PSB"+AMF) and nutrient supplementation through various sources were given at 1 MAG and 3 MAG through soil and foliar application respectively. The performance of the grafts were found "better With the soil application of 100 ml of decanted extract of groundnut cake + 100 ml of 17: 17: 17 mixture (prepared by 100g 17:17:17 mixture added in 10 1 water) "at 1 MAG followed by 2% 17:f7:17 spray at 3 MAG.ennullThesis