SEED YIELD, QUALITY, OIL CONTENT AND AFLATOXIN ACCUMULATION IN GROUNDNUT (Arachis hypogaea L.) GENOTYPES AT BABILE, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is one of the most important foods and oil crop. However, the production and productivity of the crop are constrained by various factors, which include low seed quality and fungal diseases. Thus, this research was undertaken with the specific objective to determine seed yield, quality, oil content, and aflatoxin accumulation in 17 groundnut genotypes at Babile during 2018 main cropping season. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) and completely randomized design (CRD) were used for field and laboratory experiments, respectively. significant (P<0.01) difference were found in days to 50% flowering and 90% physiological maturity, stand count at emergence and at harvest, mature pod per plant, seeds per pod, shelling percentage, dry pod yield, seed yield, and oil content. However, there was no significant difference for days to 50% emergence among groundnut genotypes. The seed oil contents ranged from 44.42 to 46.88% for G5 and G15, respectively. In addition, significant (P<0.01) differences were observed for seed quality attributes. The earliest days to 50% flowering and 90% physiological maturity were recorded for G8 and G14 genotypes, respectively. The highest stand count at emergence and harvest were also recorded for G3. Superiority for mature pod per plant, seeds per pod, shelling percentage, dry pod yield and seed yield was recorded for G5, G17, G3, G1 and G10 genotypes, respectively. The germination percentage, vigor index II and seedling dry weight were high for G4, whereas vigor index I was high for G17. The seed yield was significantly and positively correlated with seedling dry weight and seed vigor index II. Groundnut genotypes showed a differential response to the incidence of seed infections due to Aspergillus species. Eight genotypes were positive for detectable aflatoxin B1 with low (13.98 ppb) and high (1990.86 ppb) levels in G14 and G12 genotypes, respectively. This finding indicates that the levels of aflatoxin contamination in all genotypes were exceeded the tolerance level of international standards set for aflatoxin B1, while nine (G3, G4, G5, G7, G8, G10, G11, G13 and G15) genotypes had no detectable aflatoxin level. In conclusion, genotypes resistant to aflatoxin accumulations and having outstanding result in yield and quality parameters can be used in the down-stream groundnut improvement program. However, the experiment was employed for only one year at one location, and required to repeat in more variable environments over seasons for reliable recommendation