Effect of plant density and weed management practices on production potential of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Field experiments were conducted during kharif and summer seasons of 1998 and 1999 to study the effect of plant densities and weed management practices on yield maximisation in groundnut. The results revealed that maintaining a plant density of 5.0 lakh plants ha⁻¹ effectively reduced the weed density, weed dry weight and thereby recording higher weed control efficiency. The yield parameters of groundnut viz., number of pods plant ⁻¹, pod yield and kernel yield was significantly higher under 3.3 lakh plants ha⁻¹. Among the weed control treatments, pre-plant incorporation of fluchloralin at 1.0 kg ha⁻¹ followed by one hand weeding at 40 days after sowing recorded lesser weed density and dry weight. For yield maximisation, plant density of 3.3 lakh plants ha⁻¹ combined with fluchloralin at 1.0 kg ha⁻¹ followed by one hand weeding at 40 days after sowing was found to be best combination.