Abstract

Important commercially cultivated varieties representing three habit groups of groundnut were evaluated during rainy season for plant growth, nodulation and nitrogen fixation. Varieties of virginia runner, virginia bunch (spp. hypogaca var. hypogaea) were found to be superior bunch (spp. festigiate var. vulgaria) and valencia (spp. fastigiata var. fastigiata) in all the parameters studied. An early bunch variety, JL 24 among the spanish varieties, M 145 and TMV 10 of virginia bunch and $ 230, M 37 and GAUG 10 of virgina runner were found to have higher nitrogen fixation and plant growth. Significant and positive relationship was observed between nitrogen fixation traits, plant biomass and leaf arca. No correlation between the nitrogen fixation traits and pod yield was evidenced. However, the study indicated that JL 24, M 145 and GAUG 10 were found to have higher yield potential besides good nitrogen fixation.

Keywords: