EFFECTS OF SOWING GEOMETRY ON POD YIELD AND ITS ATTRIBUTES IN GROUNDNUT UNDER SUB-MOUNTAINOUS CONDITIONS OF NORTHERN NWFP (SWAT VALLEY), PAKISTAN

Significant differences (P::c.0.05) were observed between years, sowing dates and their interactions. Thegroundnut crop matured earlier in 2003 than 2002. Among different sowing dates, late sown plots matured earlierthan earlier sown plots. Similarly, in year x sowing date interaction, late sown plots (June I) reached maturityearlier than early sown plots (April I) . Taller plants were noted during 2002 (43.94 em) than 2003 . In year xsowing date interaction, taller plants (44.08 em) were recorded in plots sown earlier (April I) than late sown plots(June I) . Maximum pods plant were recorded during 2003 (39.53) than 2002 (29.11). Pods plant were more inearly sown plots whereas in case ofyear x sowing dates interaction, maximum p ods plant (46.66) were observed inplots sown on April 15 during 2003 and the plots sown on April I in both the years remained at par. Kernels pod were maximum in plots sown during 2003 (1.69) as compared to 2002 (1.65) . Among sowing date s, early sown plots(April I) produced maximum kernels pod (1.83) . In case ofye ars x sowing dates interaction, maximum kernelspod (1.88) were obtained from plot sown on April 15 durin g 2003 fo llowed by plots sown on April I during boththe years. Pod length was maximum in plots sown durin g 2003 than 2002. Among SOlving dates, maximum podlength was reco rdedfor pl ots sown on April I. In case ofye ars x sowing dat es interaction, maximum po d length wasobrained from pl ot sown on April I durin g 2002 . Maximum 100-kernel weight was recorded dur ing 2003 (62.9 7)than 2002 (60.74). Among different sowing dates, maximum 100 kernel weight was observed for pl ots sown onApril 0I (67. 73) , while year x sowing dates interaction revealed maximum 100 kernel weight (69. 12) from the pl otsown on April I . Maximum mature kernel % was recorded during 2002 (88. 09) than 20 03 (83.64). In case ofsowingdates, maximum mature kernel % was recorded in pl ots sown on April I (92.34) . Similarly, ye ar x sowing datesintera ction revealed maximum mature kernel % (92.8 1) from pl ot sown on April I during 2002, whereas plots sownon the same date durin g 2003 remained at pal . Maximum p od y ield kg ha l was produced by the pl ots sown during2003 . In case of different sowing dates, maximum pod y ield was observed from the plots sown on April I (4245 kgIta ). Whereas ye arsx sowing dates interaction revealed maximum p od y ield (5 12 1 kg ha ) fo r plot sown on April Idlu ing2003followedby plots ofApril 15 (42 70 kg ha) during the sam e year.