EVALUATION FOR YIELD OF SOME SELECTED GROUNDNUT (Arachis hypogaea L.) CULTIVARS GROWN AT KEFFI, NASARA WA STATE NIGERIA

Evaluation for yield of selected groundnut cultivars was earned out; nine cullivars were evaluated in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replication at the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology Research/ Experimental Garden Nasarawa State University Keffi. Plant nutrient analysis were significantly different (P^TO.05), Ca (3.35-5.05%), P (0.41-0.49%), N (4.00-4.54%) and K (3.62-5.58%). Fresh mass per plant, dry mass per plant, number of pods per plants, number of seed per plants, pod formation per plants without seeds, 100 seed weight, fresh yield mass and dry yield mass was studied for yield determination were significantly different (P.T0.05). Two genotypes, ICGV 15-5891 and ICGV 15-07947, displayed a significantly high number of seeds produced per pod. ICGV 15-07999 produced fewer seeds per pod compared to all other genotypes. ICGV 15- 5891 was the least performing genotype when compared to ICGV- 15-09932 with respect to dry matter and pods produced. ICGV-12991 produces significantly higher seed yield of 936kg ha-1. Genotype ICGV-12991 has a moderate dry matter and high number of pod per plant at harvest which makes it high yielding for the location to which they were evaluated. Therefore, ICGV-12991 is highly recommended for farmers as well as useful for breeding programme.