Effect of POLY4 Application on the Growth and Yield of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Aim: To evaluate the effect of POLY4 Application on the Growth and Yield of Groundnut. Study Design: Randomized Block Design. Place and Duration of Study: Gungal Research Farm, ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dry land Agriculture, Hyderabad, India between June 2022 and October 2022. Methodology: A field experiment was conducted at Gungal Research Farm, ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dry land Agriculture, Hyderabad, and Telangana during the Kharif season of 2022 to the evaluate the Impact of POLY4 Application on the Growth and Yield of Groundnut. The experiment was assigned in ten treatments, laid out in Randomized Block design with three replications. The treatments were T1-Recommended NPK (20:40:50 kg ha-1) + gypsum @ 500 kg ha-1, T2-Recommended NP only, T3-Recommended NPK, T4-Recommended NP + 50% K through MOP, T5-Recommended NP + 100% of rec. K through Poly4, T6-Recommended NP + 100% of rec. K through Poly4 + gypsum @ 310 kg ha-1, T7-Recommended NP + 50% of rec. K through Poly4, T8-Recommended NP + 50% of rec. K through Poly4 + gypsum @ 310 kg ha-1, T9-Recommended NP + gypsum @ 500 kg ha-1 and T10-Control. Results: The application of Recommended NP(20:40 kg ha-1) + 100% of rec. K(50 kg ha-1) through POLY4 (T5) treatment resulted in a significant increase in both plant height and leaf area at vegetative (18.1 cm and 320.4 cm2 plant-1), at flowering (31.9 cm and 554.7 cm2 plant-1),at pegging (39.5 cm and 785.3 cm2 plant-1), at pod formation (48.5 cm and 1088.5 cm2 plant-1), and at the harvest (54.4 cm and 359.5 cm2 plant-1) respectively compared to the control. Significantly higher pod yield (1556 kg ha-1) was recorded under Recommended NP (20:40 kg ha-1) + 100% K (50 kg ha-1) through POLY4 (T5). The lower yield (844 kg ha-1) was recorded in control (T10). Conclusion: Polyhalite, also known as POLY4, is a highly effective fertilizer that provides potassium (K), sulfur (S), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) in a more efficient manner compared to equivalent soluble salts. Based on the findings of the current study, it can be concluded that application of 100% K through polyhalite (POLY4) along with recommended doses of nitrogen and phosphorus (20:40 kg ha-1) in sandy loam soil was the best performing treatment.