EFFECT OF WEEDING FREQUENCIES AND PLANT DENSITY ON THE VEGETATIVE GROWTH CHARACTERISTIC IN GROUNDNUT (Arachis hypogaea L.) IN NORTH KORDOFAN OF SUDAN

Weeds play an important role in the proper stand establishment of the growing crop, which ultimately affect the productivity and quality at the end of the growing season. A Field experiment conducted at North Kordofan of Sudan, on naturally infested fields during 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons, to determine optimal weeding frequency for weeding management in four plant density (17, 1 1, 8 and 7 plants m -2 ) of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L). Weeding treatments consisted of three levels (no weeding, weeding once (at 15 days) and weeding twice (at 15 and 30 days after sowing). The weeds were controlled using a hand hoe. The dominant weed species were Cenchrus biflorus L, Zornia glochidiata L and Trienemara pentanture L. Weeds significantly reduced the vegetative growth attributes measured. Weeding twice at 15 and 30 days after sowing was optimal for plant height, branches, nodes number and leaf area index. High vegetative growth performance obtained at population of 17 plants m -2 .