“Reduced Groundnut yield due to fewer pod development” – Are you facing this problem in your groundnut field irrespective of following good agricultural practices?   If so, you may be confused why it is happening and what steps you can take to overcome it. Whether you are already cultivating groundnut or planning to do so, read further to understand the underlying reason behind it and find the effective solution for enhanced crop productivity.  Groundnut as an indeterminate crop  Groundnut exhibits two unfavorable characteristics during its growth cycle.   As an indeterminate crop, it continues to flower and produce pegs simultaneously until reaching maturity.  Once the pods reach physiological maturity, they have a tendency to germinate if exposed to water. Consequently, more than 50% of the plant’s energy is wasted on producing non-effective pods, while the effective pods are prone to germination in the presence of rainfall or irrigation.   These circumstances ultimately result in a significant decline in both yield and the overall quality of the crop.  How does plant growth retardant help to improve groundnut yield?  Improving the productivity and quality of groundnut involves considering numerous factors, including proper water management, effective weed management, appropriate nutrient management and pest and disease management. While these elements are crucial, an often-overlooked aspect is harnessing the power of hormones to elevate the quality and yield of groundnut pods.   Paclobutrazol is a plant growth retardant which acts by inhibiting gibberellin synthesis resulting in reduced vegetative growth, reducing internodal growth to give shorter stems, increasing root growth, flowering and increases the yield. Use Cultar or Taboli along with good cultural practices to stimulate the flowering, pegging and increase the yield.   Paclobutrazol Product  Dosage  Time of Application  Cultar or  0.3 – 0.5 ml/lit of water  1st spray: 40 – 50 DAS  2nd spray: 65 – 70 DAS  Taboli  0.2 ml/lit of water  At Flower Initiation/pre-flowering stage