Effect of municipal waste compost and nitrogen fertilizer on yield of peanut (Arachis Hypogae L.) under different management of irrigation

Abstract

Peanut is one of the sources of edible oil supply and one of the important crops in Guilan province. This plant is not very resistant to drought and insufficient water supply in the cultivation of this product, is one of the factors limiting for its yield and its successful producing definitely needs water supply. Therefore, if it is possible to increase water use efficiency by using materials such as compost, a positive step can be taken to produce peanuts in conditions without irrigation. Compost can increase plant growth and yield due to its high water holding capacity and gradual release of nutrients. And it seems that its consumption along with nitrogen fertilizer, which has a greater effect on increasing leaf area and plant growth among nutrients, can be effective in promoting peanut production. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of municipal waste compost and nitrogen fertilizer on yield and yield components of peanut in both irrigated and non-irrigated conditions.

This experiment was performed as a split split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications during 2018 and 2019. The main plot consisted of irrigation in two levels of irrigated (according to local custom) and without irrigation. Compost application treatment (in two levels of non-compost application and consumption of five tons per hectare) was as a sub-plot and nitrogen fertilizer treatment (in four levels of zero, 20, 40 and 60 kg of pure nitrogen per hectare) was as a sub-sub-plot. In both years, at the end of the growing season, pod length, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, weight of 100-seeds, seed oil, seed yield and biological yield were measured.

The results indicated that the highest number of pods per plant, pod length, seed oil and seed and biological yields were observed in irrigation treatments and application of 40 and 60 kg N ha-1. Application of five tons ha-1 of compost and 40 and 60 kg of nitrogen per hectare resulted in significant superiority for number of pods per plant and biological yield of peanuts. Applying compost along with 60 kg N ha-1 caused a significant increase in seed yield. The length of pods peanut was increased by use of compost compared to non-using it, at the rate of 9.65%. With increasing nitrogen consumption, weight of 100-seeds significantly increased and the highest weight of 100-seeds at the rate of 55.46 g was obtained in 60 kg N ha-1 treatment. Under no irrigation and no application of nitrogen fertilizer, seed yield was 21% higher in the second year compared to the first year. In the first year compared to the second year, seed oil was significantly higher by 4.58%.

Application of municipal waste compost and nitrogen fertilizer under drought stress conditions reduced the negative effects of stress on the studied traits and in the absence of stress, improved seed yield. It seems that the application of 40 kg ha-1 of nitrogen fertilizer along with five tons ha-1 of municipal waste compost in peanut cultivation can be effective to improve the seed yield of this plant, especially in non-irrigation conditions.