THE EFFECT OF HARVESTING DATES ON SOME AGRONOMIC AND QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF PEANUT (Arachis hypogaea L.) VARIETIES GROWN AS A MAIN CROP IN MEDITERRANEAN REGION (TURKEY)

Abstract

This study was conducted at the experimental area of the Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Cukurova University as a main crop in 2015 and 2016. The objective of this study was to determinate the effect of harvesting dates on some agronomic and quality characteristics of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) varieties grown as a main crop in Mediterranean region (Turkey). The experimental design was a split plot with three replications. The Halisbey, Sultan, Arioglu-2003, Osmaniye-2005, NC-7, Batem-5025, Flower-22, Flower-32, Flower-36, Brantley and Wilson peanut varieties (Virginia market type) were used as a plant material in this research. The plants were harvested at 149, 156, 163 and 170 days after sowing (DAS).In this research; the pod yield per hectare, shelling percentage, 100-seed weight, maturity index, pod number per plant, pod weight per plant, protein and oil percentage characteristics and fatty acids composition of varieties were investigated. The results indicated that the pod yield per hectare, shelling percentage, 100-seed weight, maturity index, pod number per plant, pod weight per plant, oil percentage, stearic and oleic acids percentage values were increased when the harvesting delayed, but the protein content, palmitic and linoleic acids percentage were decreased.The pod yield was increased from 4185 kgha-1 to 5682 kgha-1 when the harvesting delayed from 149 DAS to 170 DAS in a two year average.