Effect of plant population dynamics and different weed free regimes on growth, yield and quality of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Productivity of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Bangladesh is very low, due to many limiting factors beset in its cultivation. Plant density and weed competition in crop constitute the main limiting factors. In order to combat the problems, the optimum plant density and most appropriate weeding period for good production in groundnut has been investigated at Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Two plant density viz. ۲۰۰,۰۰۰ and ۴۰۰,۰۰۰ plants ha-۱, and seven weed competition periods from ۰, ۲۵, ۴۰, ۵۵, ۷۰, ۸۵ DAS and up to harvesting time were studied. Nineteen species of weeds representing ۱۰ families were found to grow and population density was ۱۵۰ plants m-۲. The major infesting species of weeds were Cyperus rotundus L. (Mutha), Chenopodium album L. (Bathua), Physalis heterophylla L. (Foska begun), Gnaphalium luteo-album L. (Shwetomuli) and Paspalum disticum L. (Knot grass) which constituted about ۸۴.۶۶% of the total weed population. Cyperus rotundus alone shared the maximum relative density (۵۷%) having ۸۵.۵ plants m-۲ area of total weed vegetation and also shared the maximum intensity of infestation (۲.۸۵). Intensity of weed infestation was always higher at lower plant density. Weed dry matter production was higher at a density of ۲۰۰۰۰۰ plants compared to ۴۰۰۰۰۰ plants ha-۱. In contrast, weed dry weight was progressively increased with increasing weed competition period and it was the highest in unweeded plot and critical period of weed competition appeared at ۴۰ DAS. Weed competition period from zero to ۴۰ DAS and thereafter weed free up to crop harvest with a density of ۴۰۰۰۰۰ plants ha-۱ gave the highest pod yield The pod yield was found to have a significant negative correlation with weed dry matter production i.e. an increase in the dry matter production will lead to a decrease in the yield of pods.Productivity of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Bangladesh is very low, due to many limiting factors beset in its cultivation. Plant density and weed competition in crop constitute the main limiting factors. In order to combat the problems, the optimum plant density and most appropriate weeding period for good production in groundnut has been investigated at Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Two plant density viz. ۲۰۰,۰۰۰ and ۴۰۰,۰۰۰ plants ha-۱, and seven weed competition periods from ۰, ۲۵, ۴۰, ۵۵, ۷۰, ۸۵ DAS and up to harvesting time were studied. Nineteen species of weeds representing ۱۰ families were found to grow and population density was ۱۵۰ plants m-۲. The major infesting species of weeds were Cyperus rotundus L. (Mutha), Chenopodium album L. (Bathua), Physalis heterophylla L. (Foska begun), Gnaphalium luteo-album L. (Shwetomuli) and Paspalum disticum L. (Knot grass) which constituted about ۸۴.۶۶% of the total weed population. Cyperus rotundus alone shared the maximum relative density (۵۷%) having ۸۵.۵ plants m-۲ area of total weed vegetation and also shared the maximum intensity of infestation (۲.۸۵). Intensity of weed infestation was always higher at lower plant density. Weed dry matter production was higher at a density of ۲۰۰۰۰۰ plants compared to ۴۰۰۰۰۰ plants ha-۱. In contrast, weed dry weight was progressively increased with increasing weed competition period and it was the highest in unweeded plot and critical period of weed competition appeared at ۴۰ DAS. Weed competition period from zero to ۴۰ DAS and thereafter weed free up to crop harvest with a density of ۴۰۰۰۰۰ plants ha-۱ gave the highest pod yield The pod yield was found to have a significant negative correlation with weed dry matter production i.e. an increase in the dry matter production will lead to a decrease in the yield of pods.