Field experiments were conducted on rainfed cotton at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to study the effect of different mulching materials viz., black LLDPE, coir pith and dried banana leaves. Mulching increased the soil moisture content, soil temperature, cotton yield attributes and kapas yield. Among the different mulches tried, LLDPE mulch proved to be the best in enhancing the soil moisture content and yield of cotton.

A field experiment was conducted during Summer 1986 and 1988 at Agricultural Research Station, Aliyamagar to find out the most suitable intercrop for summer irrigated groundnut. Results revealed that though intercropping resulted in decreased groundnet yield, intercropping of groundnut with redgram, greengram and blackgram recorded significantly higher net returns compared to groundnut in pure stand. Intercropping of redgram with groundnut proved to be the most remunerative system while intercropping of ragi and cowpea with groundnut proved to be uneconomical.

A field experiment was conducted at Aliyarnagar involving groundnut-sorghum crop rotation to study the effect of nutrients applied to groundnut on the succeeding sorghum crop. The results revealed that application of 45 kg/ha phosphorus along with the recommended doses of other nutrients to groundnut, minimised the fertiliser requirement of sorghum to the tune of 1/3rd of the recommended dose

Field experiments were conducted to find out the correct sowing date for rainfed groundnut with one pre-sowing irrigations for three years. The results showed that pod yield in all the three varieties increased, if the sowing was advanced by ten days. The yield increase was a result of improvement in shelling out turn and SMK percentage. Crops sown 10 days early than recom- mended sowing date was significantly higher (1612 kg.ha¹) than other sowing dates. Among the varieties, Co 2 and JL 24 responded better than TMV2.

The results of a field experiment conducted during the special seasons (April-May) of 1987, 1988 and 1989 at Agricultural Research Station, Aliyamagar to find out the optimum production factors for rainfed groundnut revealed that the selection of improved variety JL 24, adoption of a spacing of 15 x 15 cm, providing one supplemental irrigation between 50 to 90 days and fertillizing the crop with 15N, 30P, 45K, kg.ha' resulted in the highest pod yield, net returns and cost benefit ratio.