Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Seed Research and Technology Centre, Hyderabad to induce dormancy in groundnut using maleic hydrazide (MH) during rainy season, 2010 and 2011. A non - dormant, bunch type of groundnut variety Narayani was utilized. Two foliar sprays of MH at different concentrations viz., 500, 750, 1000 and 1250 ppm were imposed at 60 and 90 days after sowing. Significantly higher germination of 80.0 and 81.73% immediately after harvest were recorded by untreated control seed lots during 2010 and 2011 seasons, respectively. The treatment of 1250 ppm of MH showed the lowest germination percent of 32.33 during 2010, while it was 36.33 during 2011, followed by 1000 ppm of MH at 60 and 90 days after sowing. Similarly, the same treatment had the least seedling vigour index of 1201 while that of untreated plot was 1905 during 2010 and 2012 during 2011. It was found that two foliar sprays of MH at 1250 ppm at 60 and 90 days after sowing would induce dormancy in non-dormant bunch type groundnut cultivar up to 30 days and protects the seed from in situ germination due to untimely rains at the time of harvest.

Key words:  Pre-harvest sprouting, chemicals methods, induction of dormancy, groundnut.