RESPONSES OF GROUNDNUT (Arachis hypogea L.) VARIETIES TO INTRA ROW SPACING ON YIELD COMPONENT AND YIELD IN GURSUM DISTRICT EASTREN, ETHIOPIA

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.