Effect of sowing dates and spacings on summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during summer 2012 at the Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, C. P. College of Agriculture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, to study the effect of sowing dates and spacings on summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). The soil of the experimental field was loamy sand in texture, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen, and medium in available phosphorus and potash, with a soil pH of 7.85. Twelve treatment combinations comprising four levels of sowing dates, viz., 31 January, 10 February, 20 February, and 1 March, as main plot treatments, and three levels of spacing, viz., 22.5 cm, 30.0 cm, and 45.0 cm, as subplot treatments, were tested under a split-plot design with four replications. Higher plant height, number of filled pods per plant, total pods per plant, and pod weight per plant, as well as pod yield (2431 kg/ha) and haulm yield (3006 kg/ha), were recorded with the crop sown on 20 February. With regard to spacing, the crop sown at 22.5 cm spacing recorded the maximum number of filled pods per plant, total pods per plant, and pod weight per plant, which resulted in significantly higher pod yield (2482 kg/ha) and haulm yield (3061 kg/ha).