POD SOWING TECHNIQUE CUM PRIMING ON GROWTH, YIELD, YIELD ATTRIBUTING CHARACTERS AND ECONOMICS OF GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGAEA L.).

Field experiments were conducted during the dry season of 2017 (June-September) and the wet season of 2017-2018 (December-March) at Regional Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Vridhachalam, Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu to study the pod sowing technique cum priming on the growth and productivity of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design (SPD) with three replications. The main plot treatments consisted of three spacing (30 × 10 cm; 30 × 15 cm and 30 × 20 cm) treatments while the four pod priming subplot treatments were as follows: Control (dry pod), 1% CaCl2; 1% KH2 PO4 and water soaking. It can be concluded that the new and novel method of pod sowing with 30 × 15 cm combined with 1% CaCl2 may be recommended. Hence from this study, it can be concluded that the novel method of pod sowing with 30 × 15 cm combined with 1% CaCl2 with a higher benefit-cost ratio of 2.19 and 2.23 for spacing and pod priming respectively. Hence, it may be recommended in areas across the globe where labor shortage, drudgery reduction, vagaries in monsoon, mechanized cultivation are typical to get assured crop establishment and cultivation of groundnut for getting higher yield and profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]