Abstract:
Groundnut, a significant cash crop in eastern Ethiopia, currently yields low output. One
contributing factor to this low yield is the lack of recommendations for appropriate plant
spacing and varieties. As a result, an experiment was conducted in the Gursum District,
eastern Ethiopia, during the 2022 cropping seasons. The aim was to ascertain the effects
of plant spacing and varieties on yield components, and yield of groundnut with various
growth behaviours. The treatments consisted of three cultivars (Roba, Werer-961, and
Babile-1) with four intra-row plant spacing (10 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm, and 25 cm). These
treatments were replicated three times each and arranged in a factorial manner using a
randomized complete block design. The main effects of variety were highly significant
(P<0.01) on, number of pod per plant, stand count percent at harvest, numbers of matured
pod per plant, numbers of seed per pod, dry pod yield per hectare and seed yield per
hectare. The highest number of pod per plant was recorded from the Roba variety. The
highest stand count percent at harvest (96.56%), numbers of matured pod per plant,
(38.38), numbers of seed per pod(2.251), dry pod yield per hectare (1.93 t ha-1) and seed
yield per hectare (1.79 t ha-1) were. Obtained from Babile-1 variety. Variety also had a
significant effect (P<0.05) on dry biomass yield and hundred seed weight, shelling
percentage and harvest index. The Babile-1 variety recorded the highest dry biomass
yield (5.351t ha-1), hundred seed weight (79.98%), and shelling percentage (72.53%) an
d harvest index (35.27%). The main effects of intra-row spacing were highly significant
(P<0.01) on stand count percent at harvest, numbers of seed per pod, dry pod yield and
seed yield. Among the intra-row spacing, the highest stand count percent at harvest
(96.56%) and numbers of seed per pod (2.251) were, observed at 25 cm intra row
spacing dry pod yield (1.93 t ha1) and seed yield per hectare (1.79 t ha1) were, recorded
from lower Intra row spacing (10cm). Intra row spacing had a significant effect (P<0.05)
on dry biomass yield, hundred seed weight shelling percentage and harvest index The
highest dry biomass yield (5.351t ha1) shelling percentage (72.53%) and harvest index
(35.27% ) were observed at 10 cm intra-row spacing. The highest hundred seed weight
(79.98%) was observed at 25 cm intra-row spacing. The interaction effect of varieties and
intra-row spacing was also found highly significant (P<0.01) on, dry pod yield and seed
yield, but had a significant effect (P<0.05) on number of pod per plant, numbers of seed
per pod, above ground biomass, hundred seed weight and harvest index. The highest dry
pod yield (1.93 t ha-1) and seed yield (1.79 t ha-1) were, obtained from the combination of
Babile-1 variety with 10 cm intra-row spacing. Thus, it can be concluded that the
application of the Babile-1 variety with a combination of 10 cm intra-row spacing yielded
the highest seed yield compared to the Roba and Werer 961 varieties and 15, 20, and 25
cm intra-row spacing in the study area.