Productivity and profitability of groundnut as influenced by crop geometry and plant nutrition

Abstract

Recommendations to obtain maximum yields of groundnut often don't occur with the same row
spacing and recommended doses of nutrients due to different crop needs. The proper plant spacing
and nutrition determined the yield of a particular variety in a specific agro-ecological environment.
A field experiment was conducted at Gwalior during kharif 2016 to assess the effect of plant geometry
and fertility levels on growth, yield, and profitability of groundnut crop for sustained yield. The
treatments consisted of three spacings (25×10 cm, 20×10 cm and 30×10 cm) and three fertility levels
(75, 100 and 125% recommended rate of fertilizers and was laid out in split plot design with three
replications, in fixed plots. Sowing of crop at 20×10 cm spacing resulted in 28 and 24% higher pod
yield and 41 and 47% higher haulm yield over 25×10 cm and 30×10 cm spacing, respectively.
Similarly, application of 125% RDF resulted in 7 and 21% higher pod yield and 12 and 32% higher
haulm yield compared to 100% RDF and 75% RDF, respectively. The crop also fetched highest gross
returns and B:C ratio where it was sown at closer spacing of 20×10 cm with 25% higher dose of
NPK.