Mehta, H. M.Macwan, J. J.2018-04-162018-04-161993http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810043610A field experiment was conducted on loamy sand soil of College Agronomy Farm, Gujarat Agricultural University, Anand Campus, Anand, to study the effect of irrigation management and growth stimulants on growth, yield and quality of summer groundnut during the year 1990 and 1991. Thirty treatment combinations comprising three irrigation managements viz.. irrigation based on IW:CPE ratio of 1.0 (I1), irrigation based on physiological growth stages (I2) and irrigation as mentioned in I2 but first (at branching) and second (at flowering) irrigation was not given. In this treatment seeds of groundnut were treated with hydrophillic polymer and 10 kg/ha product was added to soil for retaining moisture (I3). Irrigation water was given at 50 mm depth to all treatments. Treatments of irrigation management were relegated to main .plot, while treatment of growth stimulants were embeded in sub-plot. The treatment of growth stimulants were : NAA at 25 ppm (30 DAS, 30 and AO DAS), boric acid at 0.2 per cent (30 DAS, 30 and 55 DAS), photosynthogen at 20 ppm (30 DAS, 30 and 40 DAS) and M.S.Ill N at 0.1 per cent (40 DAS) including control (No spray). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four replications. The recommended dose of N (25 kg/ha) and P205 (50 kg/ha) was given to all the plots. The irrigation treatment I1 enhanced growth attributes and analytical growth parameters viz., plant height, DM/ plant, LAI, RGR, CGR, NAR at various growth stages and number of branches/plant at harvest. Similartrend was observed in yield attributing parameters viz. .. number of pegs/plant, number of mature pods/plant, shelling percentage and weight of 100 kernels. The results indicated that during second year and in pooled analysis, irrigating the crop at I1 gave significantly higher pod yield of. groundnut as compared to l3, however, it was at par with I2. In pooled result, it was indicated that the differences were significant. The treatment I1 was significantly superior as compared to I3, however, at par with I. Treatment I1, had significantly increased haulm yield as compared to I2 and I3 during both the years. The results revealed that irrigation based on IW:CPE ratio significantly influenced quality parameters viz., oil content, oil yield/ha, protein content and total carbohydrate content of groundnut kernels. Treatment I1 and I2 increased total chlorophyll content in leaves as compared to I3 during different growth stages of the crop. It was further indicated that NPK uptake by kernels and haulm was significantly increased by I1 and I2 as compared to I3. The effect of growth stimulants on growth attributes and analytical growth parameters viz., plant height, number of branches/plant, DM/plant, LAI, RGR, CGR and NAR were significant at various growth stages due to the application of boric acid at 0.2 per cent at 30 DAS and M.S.Ill N at 0.1 per cent at 40 DAS as compared to other treatments. The results revealed that the yield attributing characters viz., number of pegs/plant, number of mature pods/plant, pod to peg ratio, pod yield/plant, shelling percentage and weight of 100 kernels were significantly increased under the treatment of boric acid (G5), M.S.Ill N (G9) and NAA (G1). The effect of growth stimulants on pod yield found significant during both the years. From the result, it was revealed that the highest pod yield (3255, 2960 and 3108 kg/ha) was recorded in the boric acid treatment (G5) during the year 1990, 1991 and in pooled analysis respectively. However, application of M.S.Ill N (G9) was also comparable. Oil content in kernels did not differ significantly due to growth stimulant, however, oil yield/ha. was significantly increased during both the years. It was further observed that M.S.Ill N at 0.1 per cent (G9) significantly increased oil yield/ha, protein content as well as total carbohydrate content during both the years. Whereas, the differences in total chlorophyll content in leaf were inconsistent during both/,years of study. It was evident from the results that nitrogen uptake by kernels was increased significantly in treatment of growth stimulants during both the years. The increase in N uptake by kernels under treatment of M.S.Ill N @ 0.1 per cent at 40 DAS (G9) was recorded as compared to control during both the years. However, N uptake by haulm was not found significant. Phosphorus uptake by kernels was increased due to treatment of M.S.III N (G9) as compared to control during both the years. The phosphorus uptake by haulm was favoured by treatment G5 (Boric acid @ 0.2 per cent at 30 DAS) as compared to control. Potassium uptake by kernels and haulm were significantly Increased as compared to control due to boric add (G5) during both the years. It was further revealed that WUE was Increased under the treatment of boric add (G5) during both the years. Interaction effect IxG exhibited significant effects on growth attributes, analytical growth parameters, yield attributing characters, pod and haulm yield. It was further indicated that quality parameters such as oil yield/ha, protein and total carbohydrate content were significantly increased as compared to control during both the years. Further, it was indicated that interaction effect of IxG exhibited significant effect on N uptake by kernels and haulm during both the years. Similar trend was observed for phosphorus uptake by kernels and haulm. Whereas, potassium uptake by kernels and haulm was found significant only during the year 1990. The interaction effect (IxG) found significant at 63 and 105 DAS for total chlorophyll content in leaf during both the years. Thus, the results revealed that for securing better quality produce with higher yield, net profit and BCR, without ill-effect on soil status, the summer groundnut (cv. GG 2) crop should be irrigated with 50 mm depth of irrigation water based on physiological growth stages (eight irrigations) OR at IW:CPE = 1 (15 irrigations) coupled with application of boric acid @ 0.2 per cent sprayed at 30 DAS OR M.S.Ill N @ 0.1 per cent at 40 DAS.enAGRONOMY, AGRICULTUREA STUDYThesis