Journal of Innovative Agriculture, Volume 3, Issue 3 : 10-15
Research Article

OPEN ACCESS | Published on : 28-Sep-2016

Mechanization in rainfed groundnut through farmer’s participatory approach

  • Kathirvelan P
  • Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Yethapur, Salem- 636 119, Tamil Nadu, India.

Abstract

On Farm Experiment was conducted at Ammayenthal village of Thirupathur block of Sivagangai District, Tamil Nadu during Kharif 2010 season to study the effect of mechanization in rainfed groundnut (decorticator, seed drill sowing) for drudgery reduction against conventional method, foliar nutrition with groundnut consortia and split application of N and K fertilizers on yield and yield attributing characters of rainfed groundnut. The On Farm Experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized block Design with three replications. The soil of the experimental filed was sandy loam in nature. The treatments consisted of two shelling practices viz., farmers practice (manual hand shelling) and shelling through manual decorticator, two crop establishment methods such as manual sowing with country plough and seed drill sowing, two split application of N and K fertilizer viz., farmers practice (full basal) and three splits at basal, flowerings and pegging stage and two foliar nutrition viz.,  farmers practice (foliar spraying of  2.0 per cent DAP at fifty per cent flowering) and foliar nutrition with groundnut consortia at fifty per cent flowering and pegging stage. The results of the on farm experiment revealed that plant density load per unit area, leaf area index, fertility co-efficient, number of pods per plant, pegging percentage, shelling percentage, pod yield and haulm yield was significantly influenced by seed drill sowing, foliar nutrition with nutrient consortia and split application of  N and K fertilizers. Groundnut shelling through manual decorticator had registered the lowest kernel damage and highest plant density per unit area as compared to conventional method of sowing. Whereas, lower yield and yield attributing characters were noticed with farmers practice. Significant interaction between crop establishment methods and nutrient management practices was observed and crop established through seed drill sowing and foliar nutrition with nutrient consortia and split application of N and K fertilizers gave maximum Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) and higher net return as compared to rest of the treatments.

Keywords

Crop establishment, nutrient consortia, decorticator, split application

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