YIELD AND SEED QUALITY OF GROUNDNUT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PHOSPHORUS AND CALCIUM FERTILIZER

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at the experimental field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh during April 2021 to August 2021 to determine the effect of phosphorus and calcium on yield and seed quality of groundnut. The experiment consisted of two factors. Factor A: Phosphorus fertilizer (4 levels) viz., P = 0 kg P ha -1 (0 kg TSP ha -1 ), P 2 = 29 kg P ha -1 (145 kg TSP ha -1 ), P 3 = 32 kg P ha (160 kg TSP ha -1 ) and P 4 = 35 kg P ha -1 (175 kg TSP ha -1 ) and factor B: Calcium fertilizer (4 levels) viz., Ca 1 = 0 kg Ca ha -1 (0 kg gypsum ha -1 ), Ca 2 = 55 kg Ca ha -1 (275 kg gypsum ha -1 ), Ca 3 = 60 kg Ca ha -1 (300 kg gypsum ha -1 ) and Ca 4 = 65 kg Ca ha -1 (325 kg gypsum ha -1 ). The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications. Results indicated that, different levels of phosphorus and/or calcium had significant influence on most of the growth, yield and yield contributing characters and seed quality of groundnut. Results revealed that most of the yield and seed quality parameters gradually increased with increasing phosphorus level upto P 3 (32 kg P ha -1 -1 ) levels. Thereafter P

(32 kg P ha -1 ) and P 4 (35 kg P ha -1 ) showed statistically similar results. In case of calcium application, similar trend of yield and seed quality parameters were also observed in this study. In case of combined effect of phosphorus and calcium application, the maximum pod yield (2.36 t ha -1 ), seed yield (1.79 t ha -1 ), protein content (39.63%), oil content (48.25%), vitamin E content (9.69 mg 100 g seed ) and germination (90.70%) were recorded from P 4 Ca 3 (32 kg P ha -1 -1 with 60 kg Ca ha ) treatment combinations. On the other hand the minimum pod yield (1.44 t ha ), seed yield (0.91 t ha -1 ), protein content (29.41%), oil content (32.41%), vitamin E content (4.97 mg 100 g seed -1 ) and germination (76.60%) were recorded from P (control) treatment combinations. So, concluded from the study that the treatment combination P 4 Ca 3 (groundnut growing on 32 kg P ha -1 with 60 kg Ca ha -1 ) was found to be most suitable combination for the potential pod yield, seed yield and seed quality of groundnut.