ABSTRACT
Groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) can be grown over a wide range of climatic conditions. It has been reported that under low temperature conditions, polythene mulch applied at beginning of crop growth accelerated emergence, seedling growth, flowering and increased pod number and 100 seed mass of groundnut by increasing soil temperatures. The normal planting time of spring groundnut in Punjab is February and its harvesting coincides with the onset of the monsoon which results in significant harvest losses. The soil temperature is quite low under Punjab conditions in the months of January and February so groundnut germination is affected. The plastic mulches are known for the increase in soil temperature and for conserving higher soil moisture in the root zone. Therefore, this study explores possibility of planting groundnut in the month of January and harvesting it before the onset of the rainy
A field experiment was conducted during winter/spring season of 2007 and 2008 in the department of Soil and Water Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana. The soil of the experimental plot was loamy sand, with pH 8.2 and EC of 0.14 mmhos/cm. Soil was low in organic carbon (0.36%), available N (244.8 kg ha-1), high in available P (25.0 kg ha-1) and medium in available K (240 kg ha-1).
