Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-pftt2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-08T11:09:57.030Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Growth, yield performance and market quality of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) as affected by cropping season in southern Sierra Leone

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. Sesay  and
A. Yarmah
A. Sesay
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Njala University College, PMB Freetown, Sierra Leone Institute of Agricultural Research, PMB 540, Freetown, Sierra Leone
A. Yarmah
Affiliation:
Institute of Agricultural Research, PMB 540, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Traditionally, only one groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) crop is grown in the uplands during the rainy season (May-October) in Sierra Leone, with sowing starting at the beginning of the rains. However, a recent trend among groundnut farmers is to sow a second crop in September after harvesting the first crop. Thus a system comprising a first (major) and a second (minor) cropping season is being adopted, with the second season crop having to depend largely on moisture stored in the soil. Experiments were conducted in 1993 at the Institute of Agricultural Research Experimental Farm, Njala, to assess the agronomic potential of growing two crops a year. Crop phenology, growth and productivity were strongly influenced by cropping season. Pod yield ranged from 1·63 to 2·58 and from 1·16 to 1·95 t ha-1 in the major season, declining to 0·72–1·29 and 0·57—1·07 t ha-1 in the minor season. Haulm yield, number of mature pods, crop growth rate and partitioning were lower in the minor season by 58, 57, 40 and 13%, respectively. However, kernel quality was higher in the minor season. The results suggest that the growing of two groundnut crops in the uplands is a potentially viable management option in Sierra Leone, and could represent a more efficient utilization of the growing period.

Type
Crops and Soils
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 127 , Issue 2 , September 1996 , pp. 201 - 206
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Adaptive Crop Research and Extension (ACRE) Project (1983). Base-line Agronomic Survey Report of Sierra Leone. Institute of Agricultural Research Library, Njala, Sierra Leone.Google Scholar
Azam-Ali, S. N., Simmonds, L. P., Nageswara Rao, R. C. & Williams, J. H. (1989). Population, growth and water use of groundnut maintained on stored water. III. Dry matter, water use and light interception. Experimental Agriculture 25, 77–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bell, M.J., Wright, G. C. & Harch, G. (1993). Environmental and agronomic effects on the growth of four peanut cultivars in a sub-tropical environment. II. Dry matter partitioning. Experimental Agriculture 29, 491–501.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Conteh, S. (1985). Gravel characteristics of the Njala soil series. BSc Agricultural Project. Njala University College Library.Google Scholar
Golakiya, B. A. & Patel, M. S. (1992). Growth dynamics and reproductive efficiency of groundnut under water stress at different phenophases. Indian Journal of Agricultural Research 26, 179–186.Google Scholar
Harris, D., Matthews, R. B., Nageswara Rao, R. C. & Williams, J. H. (1988). The physiological basis for yield differences between four genotypes of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) in response to drought. III. Developmental processes. Experimental Agriculture 24, 215–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Joshi, Y. C., Nautiyal, P. C., Ravindra, V. & Snehi Dwivedi, R. (1988). Water relations in two cultivars of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under soil water deficit. Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad) 65, 182–184.Google Scholar
Kamara, C. S. & Godfrey-Sam-Aggrey, W. (1979). Time of planting, rainfall and soil moisture effects on cowpea in Sierra Leone. Experimental Agriculture 15, 315–320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karim, M. F. (1990). Growth, development and light interception of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L) Verde) and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) in relation to soil moisture. MSc thesis, University of Nottingham.Google Scholar
Mehan, V. K., Mcdonald, D., Ramakrishna, N. & Williams, J. H. (1986). Effects of genotype and date of harvest on infection of peanut seed by Aspergillus flavus and subsequent contamination with aflatoxin. Peanut cience 13, 46–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Misbahulmunir, M. Y., Sammons, D. J. & Weil, R. R. (1989). Corn-peanut intercrop performance in relation to component crop relative planting dates. Agronomy Journal 81, 184–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ndunguru, B. J., Ntare, B. R., Williams, J. H. & Greenberg, D. C. (1995). Assessment of groundnut cultivars for end-of-season drought tolerance in a Sahelian environment. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 125, 79–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Odell, R. T., Dijkerman, J. C., Van Vuure, W., Melstead, S. W., Sutton, P. M., Kurtz, L. T. & Miedema, R. (1974). Characteristics, classification and adaptation of soils in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Bulletin 78–4, Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agriculture, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and Bulletin 4, Njala University College, University of Sierra Leone.Google Scholar
Ravindra, V., Nautiyal, P. C. & Joshi, Y. C. (1990). Physiological analysis of drought resistance and yield in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad) 67, 290–296.Google Scholar
Sanders, T. H., Schubert, A. M. & Patee, H. E. (1982). Maturity methodology and post-harvest physiology. In Peanut Science and Technology (Eds Patee, H. E. & Young, C. T.), pp. 624–654. Yoakum, Texas: American Peanut Research and Education Society.Google Scholar
Sesay, A. (1990). Groundnut production and research needs in Sierra Leone. Paper presented at the Second ICRISAT Regional Groundnut Meeting, Niamey, Niger, 11–14 September.Google Scholar
Sesay, A. (1992). Plant infection and yield loss associated with cercospora leaf spots of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L) in Sierra Leone. Tropical Pest Management 38, 52–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simmonds, L. P. & Williams, J. H. (1989). Population, water use and growth of groundnut maintained on stored water. II. Transpiration and evaporation from soil. Experimental Agriculture 25, 63–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, J. H. & Saxena, N. P. (1991). The use of non destructive measurements and physiological models of yield determination to investigate factors determining differences in seed yield between genotypes of “desi” chickpeas (Cicer arietum). Annals of Applied Biology 119, 105–112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, J. H., Wilson, J. H. H. & Bate, G. C. (1976). The influence of defoliation and pod removal on growth and dry matter distribution in groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea L. cv. Makulu Red). Rhodesian Journal of Agricultural Research 14, 111–117.Google Scholar