In bunch types of groundnut, the total (cumulative) number of lowers produced per plant was not related to pod yield under field conditions. Flower production is therefore not a constraint in productivity. However, a positive significant relationship was observed between the total number of flowers produced during the first two weeks after commencement of flowering and pod yield. Studies on the number of potential mature pods produced on the 70th day indicated that in bunch types of groundnut this parameter is determined 5 to 6 weeks after the commencement of flowering. Genotypes having the highest number of developing pods on the 70th day were those which also produced the highest number of flowers during the first two weeks after commencement of flowering. Genotypes which showed greater synchrony in flowering during the earlier phase of reproductive growth also showed higher pod yields. The advantages of synchronous flowering in bunch groundnuts and a simple field technique to identify genotypes with greater synchrony in flowering is discussed.
