ISSN 2756-388X
International Journal of Plant and Animal Sciences Vol. 1 (1), pp. 005-010, March, 2013. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Influence of water stress and benzyl adenine imposed at various growth stages on yield of groundnut
J. J. Dhruve* and D. N. Vakharia
Department of Biochemistry, B. A. College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, India.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].
Accepted 20 December, 2012
Abstract
Transient water deficit stress was imposed on peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) at different phenophases for different durations, water stress at vegetative stag (20 days after sowing), pegging stage (45 days after sowing) and at pod development stage (65 days after sowing). Stress was imposed for 20 days. Transient water deficit stress at all phenophase resulted decline in pod weight per plant, pod yield, Shelling percentage, haulm yield and biological yield. The maximum haulm yield and biological yield was recorded in cv. GG-2. The haulm yield and biological yield were declined under drought conditions at all crop growth stages. The highest haulm yield and biological yield was observed in benzyl adenine soaked seed followed by drought conditions at vegetative stage. Greater harvest index was observed at pegging and pod development stage under drought conditions. Benzyl adenine soaked seed treatment alone reduced the harvest index as compared to control, while, benzyl adenine followed by drought at vegetative stage significantly improved the harvest index. Benzyl adenine soaking seed treatment significantly improved the pod yield, haulm yield and biological yield under drought conditions and greater positive effect of benzyl adenine was recorded under drought conditions at vegetative stage followed by pod development and pegging stage.
Key words: Benzyl adenine, biological yield, haulm yield, harvest index, peanut (Arachis hypogaea L), pod weight, pod yield, relative water content and shelling percentage, water stress.