RELATIVE EFFICIENCY OF SOIL AND WATER MANAGEMENT-PRACTICES ON PRODUCTIVITY OF RAIN-FED GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS-HYPOGAEA)

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy seasons of 1990 and 1991 on sandy-loam soil of Tirupati, to study relative efficiency of s oil-moisture-conservation methods on the productivity of rainfed groun dnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Plough furrows at 30, 60 and 90 cm interva ls were effective in conserving the soil moisture leading to improveme nt in yield attributes and hence the pod and haulm yields of 'JL 24' S panish valencia groundnut. The highest pod yield of 3,089 kg/ha was wi th plough furrows at 30 cm interval. This method also resulted in high est rainfall-use efficiency of 3.06 kg/mm.