Effect of Planting Pattern and Weed Management on the Yield and Yield Components of Two Peanuts Cultivars in the Climatic Conditions of Kermanshah

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) possess significant commercial and nutritional value (Gulluoglu, Bakal, Bihter, Cemal, & Arioglu, 2016). However, this plant is highly susceptible to weed competition due to its slow canopy extension, dormant growth habit, and lengthy critical weed control period (Everman, Burke, Clewis, Thomas, & Wilcut, 2008). Consequently, effective weed control measures are crucial for successful peanut production. Furthermore, implementing appropriate planting patterns can reduce competition among peanut plants, enhance solar radiation absorption and other growth resources, and ultimately lead to increased crop yield (Bihter, Bakal, Gulluoglu, & Aroglu, 2017). Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of planting pattern and the integration of pre- and post-emergence herbicides with hand weeding on the yield and yield components of two peanut cultivars, specifically in the climate of Kermanshah, for the first time.

To investigate the impact of weed management and planting patterns on the yield and yield components of different peanut cultivars in the weather conditions of Kermanshah, a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design was conducted. The study took place in 2022 at the research field and physiology laboratory of the agricultural campus and natural resources of Razi University. The experiment consisted of three factors: Peanut cultivars (NC2 and NC7), Planting patterns (P1: row and plant spacing of 50 cm × 25 cm, and P2: 75 cm × 18 cm), Weed control treatments (M1: Two rounds of weeding combined with the application of Trifluralin 48% EC (796 g a.i.ha-1), Bentazon 48% SL (960 g a.i.ha-1), and Haloxyfop-r-methyl 10.8% EC (75 g a.i.ha-1), M2: Two rounds of weeding along with the use of Trifluralin (1233 g a.i.ha-1), M3: Two rounds of weeding combined with the use of Haloxyfop-r-methyl and Bentazon, M4: Complete weeding, and M5: Weed-infested treatment) Measurements of plant dry weight, seed dry weight, and pod dry weight per square meter were conducted using a precision scale. Additionally, the number of seeds and pods per square meter were counted. To assess seed size, photography and image processing using JMicrovision software were employed. The analysis of variance was performed using the GLM procedure in SAS ver. 9.4.

The results of the experiment revealed several significant findings. The NC7 cultivar exhibited the highest plant dry weight per square meter (620.83 g), showing a 37.37 percent increase compared to the NC2 cultivar (452.11 g). Similarly, the NC7 cultivar also demonstrated the highest pod dry weight per square meter (412.80 g). Among the weed control treatments, the M4 treatment resulted in the highest plant dry weight per square meter (678.79 g), which was about 416 percent higher than the M5 treatment (13.163 g). The M4 × P1 treatment combination produced the highest seed dry weight per square meter (291 g), while the P1 planting pattern yielded the highest pod dry weight per square meter (427.67 g). Notably, weed control treatments and the P1 planting pattern promoted larger seed size. Overall, effective weed control enhanced the studied traits of peanut. Although no significant differences were found among the weed control treatments, the combination of Trifluralin 48% EC (796 g a.i.ha-1) with a row and plant spacing of 50 cm × 25 cm is recommended for Kermanshah due to its lower herbicide consumption and comparable efficacy to other weed control treatments.

The results of the study indicate that optimizing row distances can play a crucial role in improving the yield and yield components of peanuts. Furthermore, the implementation of effective weed control measures, including both hand weeding and herbicide application, resulted in a significant increase in peanut yield. These findings highlight the importance of considering row distances and weed management strategies in peanut cultivation. Based on the favorable yield production of peanuts in the Kermanshah climate, it can be considered as a promising and viable crop for inclusion in summer rotations in the region. Further research and investigations should be undertaken to provide more comprehensive recommendations and promote the cultivation of peanuts in Kermanshah. This crop has the potential to contribute to agricultural diversification and enhance the profitability of farmers in the area.