GGE Biplot Analysis of Effects of Planting Density on Growth and Yield Com-ponents of High Oil Peanut

Abstract

Peanut planting density directly affects peanut yield and yield components, it is an effective way to adopt an optimal growing system for improving yield level. The paper presents an optimum density of peanut cultivation and a new method of data analysis. Five treatments (densities at 7.5×104, 10.5×104, 15.0×104, 19.5×104, and 24.0×104 holes per hectare) were designed with peanut cultivar Jihua 4. We investigated the agronomic traits, economic traits, yield components and pod yield in peanut, analyzed the differences between growing densities and every trait determined by SAS (Statistical Analysis System) and GGE (Genotype main effects plus Genotype×Environment interaction model). The results showed that there were inconsistent performances between traits and densities. The number of flowers per plant in the whole growth period, the number of pods per plant, pod yield per plant and pod yield per hectare were more sensitive to peanut planting density, but the main stem height, lateral branches length, shelling percentage, oil yield per hectare and protein yield per hectare were more stable. The number of flowers per plant in the whole growth period, the number of pods per plant, 100-pod weight and pod yield per plant decreased significantly with the increase of planting density, but pod yield per hectare increased. Pod yield produced by plants with the highest planting density were slightly greater than those with the lower planting density, while with planting density increasing, the increasing degree of pod yield per hectare decreased. Although the total pod yield increased with density, the higher yield achieved at the higher density did not give a higher economic profit which also affected by seed cost for planting. The result showed that the optimal planting density of Jihua 4 was from 10.5×104 to 15.0×104 holes per hectare based on maximal economic profit. GGEbiplot is a new and more realistic and effective method to analyze growth and yield components of high oil peanut cultivar.