<p>The Embrapa 51 dwarf cashew clone has been showing very promising results among producers in the municipality of Severiano Melo (RN). In recent years, despite the severe drought registered in the region, cashew orchards recorded an average yield of about 1,000 kg of cashew per hectare. A cashew nut differential is resistance to drought and resinose ( Lasiodiplodia theobromae ), one of the major diseases affecting the species. In addition, the clone produces during eight months, whereas for the other cashew trees the harvest is concentrated in four months of the year.</p> <p>The agronomist and producer Antônio Tertulino explains that with the most distributed production during the year the producer manages to offer cashews in the market taking advantage of the price of the harvest and the off season. He points out that the cashew tree has behaved well in the dry season and expects better productivity (1.8 thousand kg per hectare) in years with rains within the historical average. Tertulino also says that producers in the region are taking better advantage of the peduncle, with the installation of juice factories in the region. "Six years ago, the main product here was chestnut, but now cashew is more profitable," he says.</p> <p>Edvaldo Rodrigues de Oliveira produces cashew trees in an area of ​​200 hectares and is very satisfied with the productivity achieved with the clone. "It slows down production, but it does not stop. It is an excellent plant compared to others, resistant to whiteflies and droughts.The clone Embrapa 51 was launched by Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical for commercial planting in rainfed cultivation in the semi-arid region. In addition to being resistant to resinose (Lasiodiplodia theobromae), one of the main diseases affecting the species, in recent years the cultivar has shown to be quite resistant to drought. Another advantage is that the crop occurs almost uninterrupted for up to ten months because the fruit development stages occur simultaneously.</p> <p>The clone presents characteristics of small plants, with a mean height of 3.5 m in the sixth year of age. In the fifth year, its average productivity is 1,510 kg of cashew per hectare. Depending on the locality, the crop varies between July and November.</p> <p><strong>Field day</strong></p> <p>In November, the Unit promoted a field day in that municipality where it gathered more than seventy producers and technicians. The event had the partnership of the Special Secretariat for Agrarian Development and Family Agriculture. At the occasion, eight Embrapa researchers approached subjects such as orchard management, phytosanitary, harvesting and post-harvesting.</p>