Effect of land configuration and mulching on productivity and energy use in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea)

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) seasons of 2013–15 on acid lateritic soils of Konkan, to study the effect of land configuration and mulching on resource use efficiency and productivity of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). The experiment consisted of 4 land configuration and 3 mulching treatments. The pooled results revealed that, groundnut pod yield was significantly influenced by various land configuration and mulching treatments and it was significantly highest under broad bed and furrow method of land configuration (80–20 cm) i.e. 2.48 t/ha over flat bed sowing, ridges and furrow method (50 cm) and raised bed and furrow (30 width with 30 cm furrow) method of sowing. However, use of transparent polythene (7 micron) film mulch resulted in significantly higher pod yield of 2.50 t/ha over paddy straw mulching (2.18 t/ha) and no mulching (control), i.e. 1.70 t/ha. The maximum field water-use efficiency was observed under broad bed and furrow method with transparent polythene mulch (1.77 kg/ha-mm) treatment. Economics of the treatments indicated that, groundnut sown on broad bed and furrow method topped in the rank for net returns ( 31, 392/ha) with benefit: cost ratio of 1.41: 1. However, transparent polythene mulch noticed higher net returns of 26, 341/ha with benefit to cost ratio 1: 1.32 followed by paddy straw mulching ( 17, 597/ha with 1.23: 1 benefit: cost ratio). Broad bed furrow method with polythene mulch treatment showed the highest field water-use efficiency of 1.77 kg/ha mm, highest energy balance (63629 MJ/ha) with higher energy-use efficiency (4.11) and energy productivity of 0.14 kg/MJ.