The Effect of Combining Calcium, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizer Application on Groundnut Yield in Smallholder Farmers’ Sole Cropping System

Abstract

A b s t r a c t A r t i c l e I n f oA field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of combining Ca, N and P on yield of groundnuts. The 3 3 factorial experiment involved applying the nutrient-elements at three levels of P at P 0 , P 30 and P 60 kg P ha -1 ; Ca at Ca 0 , Ca 100 and Ca 200 kg Ca ha -1 and three levels of starter N at N 0 , N 10 and N 20 kg N ha -1 . Treatment combinations were randomly allocated in each of the three blocks. Groundnut variety MGV 5 was grown as a sole-crop for two consecutive growing seasons of 2014/15 and 2015/16. Results revealed that application of Ca, N and P either alone or in combination resulted in significant increase in the 100 seed weight and yields of haulm, pods and kernels of groundnuts. The application of the fertilizer combination at the rate of Ca 200 N 20 P 60 kg ha -1 had an additive synergistic effect on MGV 5 and consequently resulted in the highest kernel yield of 4.18 t ha -1 , pod yield of 6.72 t ha -1 , haulm yield of 5.87 t ha -1 and the highest 100 seed weight of 102.7 g. It was, therefore, concluded that the fertilizer combination of Ca 200 N 20 P 60 kg ha -1 is appropriate for obtaining optimum yields of groundnuts.