Response of foliar applied potassium on groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) productivity to combat changing climatic scenario

Climate change is the main reason of stagnation of crop yield in Rajasthan as well as in worldwide. A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2011 at farmers’ fields in different villages of Dausa district of Rajasthan, which falls in agro climatic zone IIIa (Semi arid eastern plain zone). Soils of the experimental sites were sandy to sandy loam in texture, slight alkaline in reaction, low in nitrogen and phosphorus and medium in potassium status. The study consists three treatments namely T₁-control (water spray), T₂-Foliar spray of potassium sulphate 0.5 per cent, T₃-spray of potassium chloride 0.5 per cent. Two foliar sprays were made one at pre flowering stage and the other at grain development stage. The above three treatments were replicated 50 times at farmers fields of the different villages of Dausa district. The groundnut variety GG 20 was grown in the III^rd to last week of June. The crop was harvested in the II^nd to III^rd week of October. The results of the experiment indicated that pod yield (q/ha) was found superior in treatment T₂-Foliar spray of potassium sulphate 0.5 per cent recorded by the tune of 19.14 q/ha, followed by T₃-Foliar spray of potassium chloride 0.5 per cent which recorded the pod yield (q/ha) by the tune of 18.15 q/ha, Both the treatment found superior over water spray or control. Treatment T₂-Foliar spray of potassium sulphate 0.5 per cent and recorded the highest grain yield which was 15.30 per cent higher over T₁ i.e. water spray or control (16.60 q/ha).

Overall study revealed that both the treatment i.e. T₂ Foliar spray of potassium sulphate 0.5 per cent and T₃-Foliar spray of potassium chloride 0.5 per cent found superior and farmer can increase their yield of groundnut by adopting this technology and gave their input in changing climatic scenario.