Introduction to major field crops (1+1)

Water Management

Irrigation:Maintenance of optimum soil moisture at critical growth stages is the key factor for releasing higher yields. Early vegetative, growth, flowering, pegging and pod formation are considered as critical stages, of which peak flowering and pod formation stages are the most crucial. Imposing drought of 20 days, after 15-20 days of sowing (with pre-sowing irrigation) followed by releasing water stress providing two irrigations at five days interval helps in the development of deeper root system, synchronized flowering, higher biomass production and higher pod yield. Irrigation should be stopped one week before harvest so that the quality of seeds does not deteriorate.

Use of sprinkler and drip irrigation methods are becoming popular since water requirement in these methods is about-half and the water use efficiency is also quite high but the only drawback is the high initial cost involved.

Drainage:Good drainage should be provided for realizing good yields of groundnut. Present practice of flood irrigation aggravates problem and also makes it difficult for the penetration of pegs into the soil. Groundnut needs aeration in the rooting and pegging zones. Inadequate aeration results in abnormal respiration which in turn inhibits root growth and retards metabolic functions. Besides, the plants become chlorotic due to deficiency of N and or S in coarse textured soil or Fe in calcareous soil in oxygen deficient environment.