Growth and Yield Response of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Varieties to Plant Density

A field experiment was conducted at the research field of Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki during the 2018 farming season to determine the effect of plant density on growth, yield and yield components of groundnut varieties. The experiment was conducted in a 3x4 factorial laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The treatments comprised three groundnut varieties (SAMNUT 24, 25 and 26) and four planting densities (40,000, 80,000, 120,000, and 160,000 plants ha-1). Each treatment was replicated four times. The parameters measured were plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, days to 50% flowering, shoot dry weight, leaf area index, crop growth rate, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, number of pod per plant, pod weight per plant, hundred seed weight, number of seeds per plant, shelling percentage and total yield per hectare. The results showed that groundnut varieties were significant in all growth and yield parameters assessed except number of days to 50% flowering, Relative Growth Rate, number of pod per plant, and hundred seed weight while planting density recorded significant effect on all the growth and yield parameters. There were also significant interaction effects of varieties and plant density on plant height, number of branches per plant, leaf area index, relative growth rate, pod weight per plant, number of seeds per plant, and total yield per hectare. This result indicated that SAMNUT 26 and plant density of 160,000 plants ha-1 recorded the highest yield of groundnut and can be recommended for the farmers in the study area.