A physiological analysis of the branching pattern in sequential types of groundnut in relation to the fruiting nodes and the total mature pods produced

Abstract

The branching pattern of eight sequential branching types of groundnut was studied and the contribution of each node (fruiting point) of the n, n+1 and n+2 branches (if present) to the total number of mature pods per plant ascertained. The results indicated that n+2 branches were present in several varieties and their contribution to mature pods was significant in some of them. The first three nodes of the n+1 branches contributed from 50.6 per cent (in a variety which had significantly more n+2 branches) to 88 per cent in other varieties. The results also indicated that the contribution of the late formed n+1 branches was low and the total mature pods produced from all nodes decreased with each successive (chronologically) n+1 branch in all the varieties studied. Neither the total number of n+1 branches nor the number of mature pods per node was related to the pod number or pod yield, but the total number of fruiting points from all branches showed a high correlation with pod yield and mature pod number at harvest. The results suggest that for higher pod yield it may be desirable to have only a few n+1 branches (4 or 5) but with more fruiting points on each branch.