Page 6 - AWA_No_8 A & E copy.indd

CROP PROTECTION
Foliar feeding the growth of African cashew
production

full range of macronutrients, mesonutrients
(magnesium) and micronutrients, with the lat-
ter in the chelated form, and with something
special extra too. That is an organic extract
derived from a speci!c marine alga (seaweed)
and which delivers a biostimulation dimension
to tree seedling growth and establishment.
“Omex Bio 20 stimulates root growth and de-
velopment and will mitigate the physiological
stress experienced by young, tender seedlings
whether from abiotic factors like temperature
and moisture or biotic factors including pests
and diseases,” Ben told Arab World Agribusi-
ness.
“But what about cashew growers in coun-
tries where Omex Bio 20 may not be available”, I
asked. “This is where Omex 3X Emulsion comes
in as a sound and equivalent alternative”, said
DR TERRY MABBETT Oskar adding how this fully water soluble fer-
Africa continues to achieve phenomenal tiliser contains NPK macronutrients (nitrogen,
growth in the production of cashew with re- phosphorous and potassium), magnesium and
cent rates reaching 7% per annum. The African chelated trace elements (micronutrients).
cashew market was worth USD 822.49 million
(M) in 2024 is expected to reach USD 984.91 M Recommendations are for foliar sprays to
by 2029. the young seedlings in the nursery and again
when transplanted into the !eld. Omex Bio 20
Leading African producer is Cote d’Ivoire is applied at 2.5 ml/litre (l) of water to seedlings
which now accounts for 40% of African pro- in the nursery and transplanted seedlings.
duction. Following on is Nigeria, Benin and Omex 3X Emulsion is applied at 2.5 ml/l.
Tanzania with Ghana, Guinea Bissau and Burki- -XYHQLOH SODQWV LQ WKH ¿HOG
na Faso as other signi!cant players. Africa as a
whole produces 2.4 M metric tonnes of cashew Next plant growth and development stage
per annum and representing 60% of global to consider is juvenile plants having been
production. transplanted into !eld and needing to put on
fast and robust vegetative growth.” Omex Bio
The Francophone country’s gross cashew Ovate to oblong shaped leaves are leathery and shiny with 20 or Omex 3X Emulsion is applied at 1 litre
production more than doubled from 460,000 prominent midrib and veins (l)/hectare (ha) at monthly intervals for fast fo-
MT in 2013 to 1.1 million MT in 2021. During
the same period shelled cashew nut produc- liar growth and alongside Omex Zibo, one of
tion grew from 30,000 MT to 110,000 MT. In Omex’s newest and most novel products, and
2023 gross cashew production grew by a phe- speci!cally to deliver strong tree root systems
nomenal 19% to reach 1,225,935 MT. through fast but disease resilient growth Ben
and Oskar told Arab World Agribusiness how
Foliar application of high quality soluble nu- Omex Zibo is a highly concentrated liquid sus-
trient products is the way to feed the cashew pension product containing zinc (22.10% w/v)
tree says Dr Ben Odunlami and Oskar Winkler, and twinned with boron (7.30% w/v).
Technical Sales, Africa and Export Sales Man-
ager, Africa, respectively at Omex Agri"uids. “Zinc is pivotal in the formation and modula-
tion of enzymes which are critical in the early
Omex Agri"uids is a research and develop- stages of root and shoot development and is
ment based company and a world leader in also important in the production of proteins
the design and manufacture of soluble nutri- from amino acids and therefore clearly im-
ent products in both liquid and solid delivery portant during periods of rapid plant tissue
systems and tailor-made for foliar application growth. Zinc also helps to maintain membrane
to a huge range of crops including tropical fruit permeability, thus enhancing stress tolerance”,
and nut tree crops like cashew. Cashew is vir- says Ben. Role of Boron is no less important and
tually unique in this respect because it yields together with zinc is closely involved with the
a commercially soft ‘pseudo-fruit’ called the synthesis of cell wall material and the trans-
cashew apple (which actually is the swollen port of sugars”, says Oskar, “and therefore has
receptacle); and the kidney-shaped and bean- crucially important tissue strengthening and
like hard nut which as the true fruit is inserted growth consolidation roles”. Like Omex Bio 20,
into the cashew apple. Cashew in"orescence at the branch tip bearing pinkish- Zibo is applied as a foliar spray at monthly in-
coloured "owers and developing fruits at the same time tervals and at a rate of 0.5 l/ha
Seedlings)in)the)nursery
of seedling trees and essential for successful Mature)plants
As with virtually all tropical tree crops life establishment post-transplanting.
for the cashew tree starts in the nursery as Cashew trees now mature and typically
tiny seedling trees, and requiring rapid root “A pair of products called Omex Bio 20 and starting to "ower and bear fruit in the third or
establishment and fast foliar growth prior to Omex 3X Emulsion”, said Ben and Oskar. Ben fourth year and reaching maximum fruit yield
transplanting into the !eld. So I asked Ben and Odunlami told Arab World Agribusiness how by year 7 continue to receive two spray applica-
Oskar what Omex has to o#er cashew growers Omex Bio 20 is a highly concentrated liquid tions of Omex Bio 20 or Omex 3X Emulsion one
across Africa who want the fast, strong growth emulsion product providing growers with the month apart and at an elevated rate of 3 l/ha.
4 Vol. 40 No. 8