Growth and grain yield changes in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) as affected by different irrigation regimes and foliar application of ethanol

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is one of the most important legume crops and it is rich in oil (47-53 %) and protein (25-36 %). Drought stress is the prime abiotic constraint, under the current and climate change scenario in future situation. Globally, abiotic stresses drastically affect crop productivity and cause to decline substantial yield. According to the reports, the decline of quantitative and qualitative yield in crops is primarily due to water deficit condition. Foliar applications of methanol and ethanol cause to increas CO2 assimilation in plants. A wide range of C3 crops have shown an increase in growth and seed yield after spraying with 10-50% methanol alcohol. Positive effects of methanol and ethanol on C3 crops have been reported for wheat, soybean and oilseed rape.

In order to evaluate of seed yield changes and some agronomic characteristics in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) as affected by different irrigation regimes and foliar application of Ethanol Alcohol , this experiment was performed as split plat based on randomized complete block design with three replications in experimental field of Agicutural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Guilan Province, Astara (Kanroud research station), Iran during 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons. Four level of irrigation regimes at 25, 50 and 75 and 100 mm evaporation from class A pan evaporation and three levels of ethanol such as 10, 20 and 30 % (v:v), comprised experimental treatments, as main factor and sub factor, respectively.

All measured agronomic characteristics in groundnut were significantly influenced by the interaction effect between irrigation regimes and ethanol applications except the number of sub-branches per plant at 1% probability level (Table 2). In this experiment, the greatest days number to the initial flowering (41.5 days), days number to the end of flowering (89 days), flowering period (49.5 days), days number to the maturity (139 days), plant height (65.85 cm), biological yield (8492 kg/ha), pod yield (4067 kg/ha), grain yield (kg/ha), pods number per plant (49.26) and 100-seed weight (53.49 g) were obtained in response to the interaction effect between irrigation regim at 25 mm evaporation from class A pan evaporation and foliar application of ethanol at 20 % (v:v). But, drought stress significantly reduced all mentioned agronomic traits and foliar application of ethanol at 20 % (v:v) significantly improved these agronomic characteristics in both drought stress and irrigation conditions. In this experiment, the highest coefficient correlation was obtained between grain yield and agronomic traits such as plant height (r=0.95**), pod yield (r=0.97**), pods number per plant (r=0.92**) and 100-grain weight (0.91**).

Results of this experiment showed that irrigation and foliar application of ethanol caused to improve plant growth and grain yield of groundnut under region climatic condition. Hence, the foliar application of ethanol with 20 % (v:v) does could be recommendable to enhance plant growth and grain yield of groundnut under region and similar climatic conditions.