EFFECT OF CROPPING SYSTEMS ON THE NUTRITIONAL VALUES OF CASHEW IN AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES OF CASHEW TREES IN BENIN

Cashew fruits are difference in genetic material, the type of soil and on the other hand, the age of the cashew trees, the cultivars and the type of cropping system in these agro-ecological zones. These results corroborate with them (Giauque et a l.,)and (Affo, 2005) who have shown an influence of cultivation practices on the quality of apples and cashews in Benin. Our results showed that the cashew-soy cropping system significantly improved the production of cashew nuts and apples regardless of the production age. In fact, Amiot-Carlin et al ., 2007 have shown that soils which regularly receive crop residues make it possible to obtain higher nutritional values at the fruit level. The organoleptic quality of cashew apple juice is also an important factor in the assessment of the marketability of cashew juice. Cashew apple juices from the ZTF cashew-soybean cropping systems are better accepted than those from the ZF cashew-maize and cashew-cotton cropping systems. These results demonstrate the association of crops as a cultivation practice for improving the nutritional and organoleptic quality of cashew fruits. Hence the need to install annual crop associations in cashew plantations in Benin in order to prevent nutrient degradation in the soils and in the apple and cashew kernel of the agro-ecological zones of the cashew tree in Benin.


(09), 492-499
493 on soil fertility. The most light-demanding crops such as cotton, yam, corn is more associated with the start of the cashew tree vegetation. According to (Balogoun et al., 2014), the advantages of these associations according to the peasant perception come down to a good occupation of agricultural space, a diversification of production, obtaining a double income, ease of maintenance of the cashew tree plantation and the benefit that these harvests provide.These low yields can compromise the competitiveness of domestic production if production is not substantially improved by appropriate innovations. According to (AFSSA, 2003), the addition of a nutrient can increase yields only if the element from the soil is the first factor limiting the yield of which the performance of the tree decreases and the result is at the end of nutritional disorders in fruits. Unfortunately, previous studies have not shown in their research the influence of cropping systems on the nutritional and organoleptic values of cashews in Benin.The objective of this work is to assess the effect of cropping systems on the nutritional values of cashew according to the agroecological zones of the cashew tree in Benin.

Description of the study area
The Republic of Benin covers an area of 114.760 km². It is located between 6 ° 15° and 12 ° 25° north latitude and between 0 ° 40° and 3 ° 45° longitude. It stretches from north to south over a length of 700 km. The chronological analysis of the flora of the phytogeography districts and of the climate made it possible to identify four cashew production zones in Benin: the very favorable zone, the favorable zone, the less favorable zone and the marginal zone. Figure 1 shows the geographic location of the study area Source: Survey results, 2020 Collection and chemical analyze of cashew almonds and apple according to agro-ecological zones This analysis made it possible to characterize the nuts according to the different zones. So, samples were collected as follows: Fifteen (15) kilograms of raw nuts were collected and purchased from producers / planters per locality and per zone, ie 15 kg per zone. This collection is carried out in the four zones. From the overall sample of 15 kg constituted by zone, it is taken from the 5 kg homogenized mixture (sampling rate = 33.33%) for the analysis of 494 nutritional parameters. In sum, 20 kg of nuts were collected.

Statistical analysis
All physico-chemical determinations were performed in triplicate and the data were processed using Microsoft Excel 2010 and SPSS version 16.0 software with which we performed frequency calculations and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The variability of the organoleptic parameters studied was tested according to the acceptability tests and the descriptive test of cashew apple juice according to the Duncan test.  Table 3 shows the nutritional composition of the cashew kernel according to the cropping systems according to the agro-ecological zones of the cashew tree.

Nutritional composition of cashew kernel according to cropping systems according to agro-ecological zones of the cashew tree
In the same column, the means followed by the same alphabetical letters are not significantly different (P <0.05) according to the Student Newman-Keuls test.

ZTF= Very Favorable Agro-Ecological Zone, ZF= Favorable Agro-Ecological Zone, ZPF = Unfavorable Agro-Ecological Zone, ZM =Marginal Agro-Ecological Zone.
Source: Survey results, 2020 Organoleptic characteristics of cashew apple juice in a cultivation system according to the agro-ecological zones of the cashew tree

ZTF= Very Favorable Agro-Ecological Zone, ZF= Favorable Agro-Ecological Zone, ZPF = Unfavorable Agro-Ecological Zone, ZM =Marginal Agro-Ecological Zone.
Source: Survey results, 2020 From the analysis of this table 5, it emerges that the organoleptic quality (taste and smell) of cashew apples varies according to the cropping systems and agro-ecological zones. 498

Effect of the agro-ecological zones of the cashew tree on the organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of cashew apple juice
The The analysis of the results according to the perceived level of organoleptic quality and the level of phosphorus, tannin, potassium, calcium and glucose content, made it possible to establish a factorial map in order to see the links that can be established between the nutritional values. and the agro-ecological zones of the cashew tree in Benin. The figure 5 shows these links.

Source: Survey results, 2020
The analysis of the results according to the perceived level of organoleptic quality and the level of phosphorus, tannin, potassium, calcium and glucose content, made it possible to establish a factorial map in order to see the links that can be established between the nutritional values. and the agro-ecological zones of the cashew tree in Benin. Analysis of the results shows that only apple juice from very favorable production areas (ZTF) have specific characteristics. Apple juices are distinguished by a low Acid Taste (GAPA ... 9), a Very Sweet or sweet Taste (GTS and GS). The nutritional composition is not significantly different between the different agro-ecological zones.

Discussion:-
The results of the physico-chemical analyze of apples and almonds showed a variation in nutritional values depending on the agro-ecological zone and the cropping systems. These variations could be explained by the 499 difference in genetic material, the type of soil and on the other hand, the age of the cashew trees, the cultivars and the type of cropping system in these agro-ecological zones. These results corroborate with them (Giauque et al.,)and (Affo, 2005) who have shown an influence of cultivation practices on the quality of apples and cashews in Benin. Our results showed that the cashew-soy cropping system significantly improved the production of cashew nuts and apples regardless of the production age. In fact, Amiot-Carlin et al., 2007 have shown that soils which regularly receive crop residues make it possible to obtain higher nutritional values at the fruit level. The organoleptic quality of cashew apple juice is also an important factor in the assessment of the marketability of cashew juice. Cashew apple juices from the ZTF cashew-soybean cropping systems are better accepted than those from the ZF cashewmaize and cashew-cotton cropping systems. These results demonstrate the association of crops as a cultivation practice for improving the nutritional and organoleptic quality of cashew fruits. Hence the need to install annual crop associations in cashew plantations in Benin in order to prevent nutrient degradation in the soils and in the apple and cashew kernel of the agro-ecological zones of the cashew tree in Benin.