Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) productivity as influenced by SH bioregulator and ferrous sulphate spray in standing crop

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2011 at farmers’ fields in different locations of Dausa district of Rajasthan, which falls in agroclimatic zone IIIa (Semi arid eastern plain zone). Soils of the experimental sites were sandy to sandy loam in texture, slight alkaline (pH 7.6) in reaction, low in nitrogen and phosphorus and medium in potassium status. The study consists four treatments namely T₁-Control (No spray), T₂-0.5% ferrous sulfate spray at vegetative, T₃-500 ppm thiourea spray at vegetative and reproductive stage, T₄-500 ppm thiourea+ 0.2% ferrous sulfate (mixed solution) spray vegetative and reproductive stage. The above four treatments were replicated 20 times in the year 2011 at farmers fields of Khatwa village in Lalsot block of Dausa. The groundnut variety GG-20 was grown in the first to second week of June. The crop was irrigated at critical growth stages and as and when needed. The crop was raised with the recommended dose of major nutrients in the zone IIIa i.e. 15 kg N and 60 kg P₂O₅ per hectare. The crop was harvested in the third week of September.

The results of the experiment indicated that number of pods per plant, pod and haulm yield was found significantly superior in treatment T₄-500 ppm thiourea+ 0.2% ferrous sulfate (mixed solution) spray vegetative and reproductive stage by the tune of 14.89, 16.54 and 20.11 per cent higher over control, respectively. The yield attributes and yield of groundnut was also increased significantly in treatment T₂-0.5% ferrous sulfate spray at vegetative stage pod yield, haulm yield and number of pods per plant were increased by 11.82, 13.97 and 8.51 per cent higher over control or no spray that recorded 15.90 q/ha, 17.90 q/ha and 47, respectively.

Overall study revealed that the treatment T₄-500 ppm thiourea+ 0.2% ferrous sulfate (mixed solution) spray vegetative and reproductive stage found significantly superior and farmer can increased their yield of groundnut by adopting this technology and gave their input in changing the scenario of green revolution to evergreen revolution.