Influence of Plant Spacing on the Growth and Yield of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Abstract

The field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of three plant spacing (50x30cm, 60x30cm and 70x30cm) on the vegetative and yield parameters of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). The experiments were conducted as a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) during 2013 and the treatments were replicated three times. The results showed that vegetative parameters such as leaflet area, leaf area, number of branches, plant fresh weight, dry fresh weight, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant and seeds yield per plant. All vegetative parameters were significantly different at p≤0.05 among the spacing. The highest leaflet area, leaf area, number of branches, plant fresh weight, dry fresh weight, number of pod per plant, number of seeds per plant and seeds yield per plant were produced at 60x30cm. Regression analyses of seeds yield with vegetative growth parameters revealed a moderate positive relationship of seeds yield with leaflet area (R2=0.81), leaf area (R2=0.71), No. of branches per plant (R2=0.74), and plant fresh weight (R2=0.58), plant dry weight (R2=0.68). Regarding yield components, seeds yield was found to have a moderate or strong positive relationship with No. of pods per plant (R2=0.62) and number of seeds (R2=0.96).