Response of summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) to irrigation regimes and mulching

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during summer seasons of 1999 2001 at Rahuri, Maharashtra, to find out appropriate irrigation schedule for summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and to evaluate the effect of mulch on crop performance in broad bed furrow method. Twenty four treatment combinations, comprising 4 irrigation re gimes based on cumulative pan evaporation (CPE), viz. 75, 100, 125 and 150 mm CPE, and 6 mulching treatment, viz. sugarcane trash 5 tonneslha and plastic film mulch (7 micron) with and without kaoline 8% and the control. Among all the irrigation regimes, irrigation scheduled at 75 mm CPE to summer groundnut recorded significantly higher yield parameters, dry pod yield (34.08 qlha) and net returns (Rs 32,012lha) in broad bed furrow (60 30 cm x 6.67 cm) than 100, 125 and 150 mm CPE. Mulching of plastic film with kaoline spray (8%) was found effective and registered highest pod yield (34.70 qlha) over rest of treatments. The net returns obtained owing to mulching with plastic film and sugarcane trash with and without kaoline spray were almost identical. The benefit : cost ratio indicated that the use of sugarcane trash 5 tonneslha was found economically feasible agronomic practice for summer groundnut. The total consumptive use of water (738 mm) was higher with minimum water use efficiency (4.61 kgtha mm) when irrigation was scheduled at 75 mm CPE. The water use efficiency was higher with use of plastic film mulch with kaoline (6.69 kglha mm) and was lowest with the control (3.49 kglha mm). On an average, the evapotranspiration losses were reduced to the extent of 25.77, 14.63 and 4.56% due to application of plastic film, sugarcane trash and kaoline spray, respectively.