Agriculture and Food Sciences Research

An experiment on studies on the growth and yield of prostrate groundnut variety (Arachis hypogaea L.), as affected by oil palm bunch ash in Umudike, Southeastern, Nigeria, was conducted at the eastern farm of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State. The research was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with three replications. The treatments comprised the oil palm bunch ash levels of 0, 4, 6 and 8 tha-1. Result, showed that number of leaves per plant increased at 4 and 8 weeks after planting (WAP), and declined at 12 WAP due to senescence. Number of branches per plant increased at 4, 8 and 12 WAP, while shoot dry weight increased at 4 and 8 WAP, and declined at 12 due to senescence. Dry matter content was higher at 4 WAP, but dropped at 8 and 12 WAP, due to the translocation of photo-assimilates (biomass) as the crop developed in age. 8 tha-1 of oil palm bunch ash produced highest growth parameters compared with the control (0 tha -1). Improved number of seeds per pod (18.27 pods); number of seeds per plant (27.7 seeds); weight of pods per plant (20.89g); weight of seeds per plant (15.27g), 100-seeds weight (57.8g); harvest index (0.17); shelling percentage (74.2%); pod yield (5.22 tha-1) and seed yield (3.82 tha-1) were obtained at 8 tha-1, although performances were statistically similar. Consequently, 8 tha-1 of oil palm bunch ash is recommended for the cultivation of groundnut in Umudike, Southeastern, Nigeria.