Performances of groundnut varieties under sub-tropical climate of North East Hilly Agro-Ecological Region of India

Abstract

North east hilly eco-region of India is characterized by highly undulating topography and fragile ecology. Here the cultivation of rice on upland and medium land is not a profitable venture to farmers. Therefore, to find out alternative crop with high yield potential cultivars a three year field study from 2008 to 2010 on agronomic evaluation of groundnut cultivars under sub-tropical climate of North East hilly Agro-ecological region was carried out. The experiment consists of fourteen groundnut cultivars (V<sub>1</sub>- ICGS-76, V<sub>2</sub>- GG-2, V<sub>3</sub>- GG-13,V<sub>4</sub>-TG 37 A, V<sub>5</sub>-FeESG-10, V<sub>6</sub>-FeESG-8,V<sub>7</sub>-K-134,V<sub>8</sub>-GG-6,V<sub>9</sub>-SB XI, V<sub>10</sub> GG-11,V<sub>11</sub>-KAUSHAL,V<sub>12</sub>-GG-4,V<sub>13</sub>-GG-2,V<sub>14</sub>-GG-8) as treatment in randomized block design and replicated thrice. Results revealed that highest plant dry weight was produced by cultivar “KAUSHAL” (32.99 g/plant), while lowest was recorded with cultivar “FeESG-10” (16.32 g/plant). However, the highest numbers of pod (25.32) were observed with “ICGS-76”. Cultivar GG-11 had produced highest pod and seed weight (34.80 g/plant and 20.62 g/plant, respectively) as compared to other cultivars, while lowest pod and seed weight (8.96 g/plant and 6.39 g/plant, respectively) with “FeESG-8”. Maximum pod yield (2.06t/ha) was produced by GG-11 cultivars, although highest stover yield (2.37 t/ha) was produced in cultivar KAUSHAL. Cultivar GG-11 had also recorded highest shelling percentage. Therefore, it is suggested that GG-11 a better option for substituting the upland and medium land rice during kharif season for enhancing the farmer’s income.