Enhancing Production and Quality of Groundnut in Northern Ethiopia

Groundnut production is constrained by, biotic and a biotic factors. Aspergillus infection and subsequent contamination of groundnut with aflatoxin is a major limitation. Therefore study was executed in Abergelle on two sites to evaluate the effect of DAP fertilizer and gypsum application, tied ridging and supplementary irrigation on groundnut productivity and level of Aspergillus infection.The integrated agronomic management options showed a significant positive effect on plant height, pods/per plant, dry biomass weight, dry pod weight, kernel seed yield, 100 seed weight and reduction of Aspergillus flavus infection on groundnut at both experimental sites. The highest kernel yield (980kg/ha) and minimum Aspergillus flavus infection (3%) were recorded in management options where supplementary irrigation + Tied ridge + Fertilizer and Supplementary irrigation + tied ridging were practiced at Hadinet, respectively. The lowest yield (290kg/ha) and highest Aspergillus flavus (17.3%) was recorded in the control.