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A field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of soaking of seeds of peanut (Arachis hypogea L.) before sowing in freshly prepared solutions of two fertilizers namely Sangral and Quick nutria at different concentrations of 0, 1, 2 or 3 ml L-1 and at different periods of time (0, 12, 24 and 36 h). The results showed that all treatments had no effect on plant height. On the other hand, an application of Quick nutria fertilizer produced significantly longer roots (59.79), root fresh (31.55 g) and dry weights (21.48 g), leaf area index (LAI) (23.82) and yields of pods (13.60) and seeds (18.52%). These quantities were greater than those recorded from Sangral fertilizer. In addition, Quick nutria also improved water use efficiency (4.88 m3 kg-1). The seeds which were treated with fertilizers at a concentration of 3 ml L-1 produced the highest root length (22.43 cm), root fresh and dry weights (11.09 and 9.24 g), LAI (6.90), and pod and seed yields (3.44 and 2.28 t ha-1). The latter also improved water use efficiency of the peanut plants (3.017 m3 kg-1). Furthermore, soaking period of 36 h produced the highest root length (24.29 cm), root fresh and dry weight (12.03, 9.14 g), LAI (6.91), pod and seed yields (3.26, 2.06 t ha-1), and improved water use efficiency (4.41 m3 kg-1). The highest interaction effects were obtained from fertilizer × concentration, fertilizer × soaking periods, concentration × soaking periods, and fertilizer × concentration × soaking periods for all of the studied variables except plant height. Further to that, the optimum seed yield (2.96 t ha-1) was obtained from the seeds which were soaked in Quick nutria solution at 1 ml L-1 for 36 h. Soaking peanut seeds before sowing in freshly prepared fertilizer solutions at different concentrations is a simple and an economically viable option to improve the seedling establishment, plant growth and yield of peanut plant.

Key words: Quick nutria, Sangral fertilizer, water use efficiency.

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Citation: AL-Jobor KMM, AL-Hadithy SA (2014). Effect of seed soaking periods in varying levels of fertilizers on growth, yield and yield components of peanut. J. Agric. Crop Res. 2(7): 134-142.