UNIFORMITY TRIAL ON GROUNDNUT

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Date
1992
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Abstract
The concept of optimum plot size in field experiments has received a serious consideration in recent years. The plant breeders have to test large number of varieties and hence like to have optimum plot size so that they can incorporate as many varieties as possible in a single experiment. On the other hand, agronomists might like to try some treatments which are also limited in supply and hence they cannot afford to have plot size more than what is necessary. Further more, the experimental results based on very small plots do not give reliable estimate of treatment responses and hence recourse to the optimum plot size. A uniformity trial on groundnut was conducted as no such information about optimum plot size and plot shape was available in India and as groundnut occupies a pride of place among oil seed crops of India. The trial was conducted during kharif 1991 in Student's Farm, College of Agriculture, Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. The test variety of groundnut was TMV2, a spanish bunch variety and a popular cultivar of the region. The results indicated that experimental field of uniformity trial was having uniform soil fertility gradient in general. Yields were following normal distribution based on the values of coefficients of skewness and Kurtosis both row-wise and column-wise. As the area of plot size was increased, the coefficient of variation decreased slowly. The value of 'b' was -0.0524, which is close to zero whic:. indicated that i·~ere was high degree of correlation among plots with Lespect to soil fertility gr,dient. The optimum plot size was determined as 7.2 m (20 x 0.36) using maximum curvature method. Blocking was efficient with rectangular plots, when the plots within the block were arranged perpendicular to the longer side of the plot. Among the rectangular plots,blocking was more efficient with the blocks having longer side across the crop rows. Block shape of 3:3 arrangement with 9 plots per block was found to be six times more efficient than without blocking. The growth characters such as number of leaves per plant (X 2 ) and height of the plant (X 3 ) were found to be significantly and positively correlaeed with pod weight (Y) in most of the stages of the crop growth. Number of leaves per plant (x2 ) and height of plant (X 3 ) were found to be significantly influencing pod weight (Y) in all the stages of the crop growth as was evidenced from significant partial regression coefficients values in multiple regression analysis except at stage 6 (90th day). Number of branches per plant (X) was having highest negative direct effect on pod w~ight whereas number of leaves per plant (X) and height of the plant (X 3 ) were having positive direct effect on pod weight. Number of branches per plant and number of leaves per plant were effecting pod weight indirectly through height of the plant.
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UNIFORMITY TRIAL ON GROUNDNUT
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