Evaluation of Groundnut Varieties for Yield and Adaptation in Kano State

This study evaluates the yield performance and adaptation of groundnut varieties under the agro-climatic conditions of Kano State, North West Nigeria. Groundnut is a major food security, income, and oil crop for farming households in northern Nigeria, and variety selection significantly determines production outcomes. The introduction of improved varieties by IITA and IAR has expanded the range of options available to farmers, but their comparative performance under Kano State conditions has not been adequately documented for extension recommendation purposes. This study establishes a randomised complete block design experiment at Bayero University Kano research farm using six groundnut varieties: SAMNUT 24, SAMNUT 26, SAMNUT 22, Ex-Dakar, RMP-12, and a local farmer variety as control. Pod yield, kernel yield, shelling percentage, hundred-seed weight, and days to maturity are assessed over two growing seasons. Findings reveal that SAMNUT 24 produces the highest pod yield of 2.8 tonnes per hectare, significantly above the local variety at 1.4 tonnes per hectare, and has the shortest maturity period at 91 days, making it the best fit for the shorter rainy season of the Kano area. SAMNUT 26 shows superior kernel quality with the highest oil content. The study concludes that SAMNUT 24 is the most suitable improved groundnut variety for Kano State conditions based on yield and maturity performance. It recommends accelerated multiplication and distribution of SAMNUT 24 seed through the Kano ADP system.

Keywords: groundnut varieties, yield evaluation, Kano State, SAMNUT, adaptation.