EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND SULPHUR ON YIELD AND SEED QUALITY OF GROUNDNUT

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during the period from February to August 2021 in Kharif season, to study the effect of nitrogen and sulphur on yield and seed quality of groundnut. The experiment consisted of two factors, and followed split plot design with three replications. Factor A: Different levels of nitrogen 4) viz; N 0 : 0 kg Urea ha -1 /0 kg Nitrogen ha -1 , N 1 : 20 kg Urea ha /9.2 kg Nitrogen ha -1 , N 2 : 25 kg Urea ha -1 /11.5 kg Nitrogen ha -1 and N 3 : 30 kg Urea ha /13.8 kg Nitrogen ha -1 and Factor B: Different levels of sulphur (4) viz; S 0 -1 -1 : 0 kg Gypsum ha

/0 kg Sulphur ha -1 , S 1 : 250 kg Gypsum ha -1 /45 kg Sulphur ha -1 , S 2 : 300 kg Gypsum ha

/54 kg Sulphur ha -1 and S 3 : 350 kg Gypsum ha -1 /63 kg Sulphur ha -1 . The analysis of various data revealed that significant differences were observed in groundnut growth, yield, and quality characteristics as a result of nitrogen and sulphur application doses and their treatment combination. In case of different levels of nitrogen application the highest pod yield (2.06 t ha -1 ), kernel yield (1.65 t ha -1 ), seed protein content (27.14 %), seed oil content (49.59 %), seed nitrogen content (4.34 %), seed sulphur content (0.27 %) and seed germination percentage (90.58 %) were reported in N 3 treatment followed by N treatment. Seed yield and quality of parameters of groundnut increased with increased sulphur fertilizer application and the highest pod yield (1.95 t ha -1 ), kernel yield (1.56 t ha -1 ), seed protein content (24.79 %), seed oil content (46.16 %), seed nitrogen content (3.97 %), seed sulphur content (0.24 %) and seed germination percentage (91.42 %) were recorded in S treatment. In respect of the combination effect, the highest pod yield (2.37 t ha -1 3 ), kernel yield (1.95 t ha -1 ), seed protein content (29.56 %), seed oil content (51.62 %), seed nitrogen content (4.73 %), seed sulphur content (0.29 %) and seed germination percentage (96.33 %) were achieved in N 3 S 3 treatment combination. However N treatment combination showed statistically similar results in pod yield and N

treatment combination showed statistically similar results in nutrients content in groundnut seed. Therefore it may be concluded that both nitrogen and sulphur had beneficial effect on yield and quality seed production of groundnut. Application of nitrogen (25-30 kg Urea ha -1 ) and sulphur (300-350 kg Gypsum ha -1 ) along with their combination exhibited the best performance on yield and quality seed production compared to other treatment combination.