Institutional Profile
About ICAR-DCR Puttur
The ICAR-Directorate of Cashew Research (DCR), Puttur, Karnataka, is the apex institution for cashew research in India. Established in 1982, DCR leads research on cashew cultivation, pest management, post-harvest technology, and variety development, serving farmers across all major cashew-growing states.
Mission
ICAR-DCR Puttur is mandated to conduct basic and applied research in all aspects of cashew improvement, production, protection, and post-harvest technology to enhance cashew productivity and profitability for farmers across India.
The directorate serves as the national coordinating centre for the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Cashew, linking research stations across all major cashew-growing states including Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal.
Research Divisions
Cashew Improvement
Germplasm collection, variety development, breeding for yield and quality.
Plant Protection
Pest and disease surveillance, IPM strategies, biopesticide evaluation.
Agronomy & Soil Science
Nutrient management, irrigation, inter-cropping, and soil health.
Post-Harvest Technology
Processing, grading, value addition, cashew apple utilisation.
Biotechnology
Molecular markers, tissue culture, genomics for crop improvement.
Transfer of Technology
Extension, farmer training, technology demonstrations, Cashew Connect AI.
Coverage States (AICRP on Cashew)
About Cashew Connect
Cashew Connect is the Transfer of Technology initiative from ICAR-DCR Puttur, built in collaboration with Statoberry. It makes ICAR-DCR’s 40+ years of cashew research accessible to farmers and agronomists in their native languages, 24/7.
The AI system draws from peer-reviewed publications, technical bulletins, field trial data, and expert knowledge curated by ICAR-DCR scientists.