Groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) Varietal Response and Productivity to Different Planting Distances and Weeding Regimes.

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out in 2023 major rainy season (April to July) as well as the minor rainy season (August to November) at the Research fields of AAMUSTED, Mampong Campus to determine the effect of different planting distances and weeding regimes on the performance of groundnut cultivars in terms of growth and yield. A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated four times was used. The factors studied were: (A) two groundnut varieties (GHA-Chinese and OUG-Awi), (B) Planting distances (30cm x 20 cm and 20cm x 20 cm), and (C) Weeding regimes (2 weeks weed control interval and 3 weeks weed control interval). The results revealed varietal differences in vegetative traits such as plant height, number of branches, and canopy spread, with GHA-Chinese exhibiting superior growth, while OUG-Awi showed increased branching. Spacing significantly affected canopy architecture, with wider spacing (30 cm × 20 cm) promoting larger canopy spread and plant height. Frequent weed control (2-weeks weed control interval) improved vegetative performance and yield components by minimizing competition. Yield analysis showed that GHA-Chinese consistently outperformed OUG-Awi in pod number and grain yield, while OUG-Awi recorded higher seed size and 100-seed weight. The correlation analysis revealed that growth and yield components such as plant height, canopy spread, number of pods per plant and plot, seed weight per plot, and 100-seed weight had strong and significant positive associations with grain yield. These findings suggest that these traits play an important role in determining groundnut yield and can serve as useful selection criteria for improving productivity. The combination of GHA-Chinese × 30 cm × 20 cm spacing × 2-week weed control produced the highest grain yield (1.36 t/ha and 1.53 t/ha) respectively for the 2023 major and minor seasons hence recommended to farmers aiming for improved growth and higher yields.