Effect of potassium and sulphur on growth, yield and economics of summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea l.)

Effect of potassium and sulphur on growth, yield and quality of summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) was studied at the PG Research Farm, Agronomy Section, RCSM College of Agriculture, Kolhapur (MS) during summer, 2018. The growth characters, yield attributes and yield of groundnut were influenced significantly due to application of different potassium and sulphur levels. The growth attributes viz., plant height, number of branches plant-1, plant spread plant-1, dry matter plant-1 were recorded highest with application of 45 kg K2O ha-1 which was at par with 30 kg K2O ha-1, but significantly superior over rest of treatments. The yield attributes viz., number of pods plant-1, weight of pods plant-1, weight of 100 kernels, shelling %, SMK % as well as dry pod yield (32.49 q ha-1), dry haulm yield (44.86 q ha-1) and harvest index (42.15%) were recorded maximum with application of 45 kg K2O ha-1 which was at statistically par with application of 30 kg K2O ha-1, but significantly superior over rest of treatments. As regards to the application of sulphure, the growth attributes viz., plant height, number of branches plant-1, plant spread plant-1, dry matter plant-1 were recorded highest with application of 40 kg S ha-1 which was at par with application of 20 kg S ha-1, but significantly superior over 10 kg S ha-1. The yield attributes viz., number of pods plant-1, weight of pods plant-1, weight of 100 kernels, shelling %, SMK %, dry pod yield (32.92 q ha-1), dry haulm yield (45.27 q ha-1) and harvest index (41.10%) were recorded maximum with application of 40 kg S ha-1 which was at par with 20 kg S ha-1, but significantly superior over 10 kg S ha-1. Application of 45 kg K2O ha-1 and 40 kg S ha-1 secured the maximum net monetary returns 81809 Rs ha-1 and 77803 Rs ha-1 with BCR of 2.33 and 2.27, respectively, followed by application of 30 kg K2O ha-1 and 20 kg S ha-1.