Sulpher and boron nutrition of groundnut (arachis hypogaea L)var TG-3

Abstract

An investigation was undertaken at the college of Agriculture, Vellayani during the period from April to November 1990, to study the effect of different levels and time of application of sulphur (15 kg, 20 kg and 25 kg S.ha-1) and boron (4 kg and 6 kg B.ha-1) for groundnut cv. TG-3 in the red sandy clay loam of Kerala The investigation compared of an initial pot culture study followed by a field experiment. The pot culture study was laid out in completely randamised design and the field experiment in randomised block design with three replications. The highest dose of sulphur, viz. 25 kg S.ha-1 recorded significant influences on growth characters like plant height, number of leaves and leaf area index of the crop. The effect of boron was significant at 90 DAS for number of branches, at 90 DAS and at harvest for number of leaves, and at 60 DAS and 90 DAS for leaf area index. Significant response was noted only upto 4 kg B. ha-1 for growth characters. The effect of sulphur and boron application on nodule number was significant. But the three levels of sulphur and two levels of boron were on par with each other. Sulphur had a favourable influence on all the yield attributing characters viz. number of pods plant-1 , weight of pods plant-1, weight of kernels plant-1weight of pods plant-1, weight of kernels plant-1, 100 kernel weight and shelling percentage and consequently on pod yield, total drymatter production and harvest index. Sulphur at 20 kg and 25 kg S. ha-1 were found to be on par in their effects. Boron at 4 kg and 6 kg B. ha-1 were on par in influencing the pod number plant-1, pod weight plant-1, pod yield and bhusa yield of groundnut. There was a significant interaction between 25 kg S. ha-1 and 6 kg B. ha-1 for pod number plant-1. The oil content of groundnut kernels increased with progressive levels of sulpur and boron application. Sulphur at 20 kg and 25 kg and boron at 4 kg and 6 kg were on par in their effects. The protein content of groundnut kernels also increased with progressive levels of sulphur, with the levels 20 kg S. and 25 kg S. ha-1 on par with each other. But the protein content increased upto 4 kg B.ha-1 only. Sulphur and boron application enhanced the boron content of kernels significantly while application of sulphur alone increased the sulphur content of kernels. Maximum N, P and S uptake were noted when sulphur was applied @ 25 kg ha-1 . Maximum N uptake by the crop was noted when boron was applied @ 4 kg B. ha-1. B uptake was also significant only upto 4 kg B. ha-1. The time of application did not have any significant influence on growth characters, yield attributes, or yield of the crop.