EFFECT OF ROW SPACING AND SOWING TIME ON PRODUCTION POTENTIAL OF GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS-HYPOGAEA)

A field study was conducted with groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivar 'M 13' to the effect of date of sowing and row spacing on the production potential over 4 consecutive during 1985-1988. The crop was sown on 4 dates (fourth week of May, third week of June. first and third weeks of July) with 3 row spacings (20, 30 and 40 cm) in split-plot design with 4 replications. Sowing in third week of June gave significantly higher pod yield than that in the first week and third weeks of July except in 1985. Mean pod yield of 20.6 q/ha was obtained when the crop was sown in the third week of June which was 14.6. 3 1.0 and 49.5% higher than that of fourth week of May. first and third weeks of July sowing respectively. No significant differences among 20, 30. and 40 cm-row spacings were observed in pod yield for the 4 crop seasons, however, the closer row spacings tended to produce higher stalk yield. Non-significant interaction effect between dates of sowing and row spacing for pod yield suggested that by sowing the crop in wider rows of 40 cm compared to the currently practised spacing of 30 cm, a saving of about 25% on seed requirement can be achieved without any reduction in pod yield.