RESPONSE OF EXOTIC GROUNDNUT GENOTYPES TO ENVIRONMENTALDIVERSITIES AT HIGHER ALTITUDE OF NORTHERN PAKISTAN

Five high y ielding gro undnut ge notypes were evaluated at eight different locat ions varying in altitude andheterogeneous soil at Northern NWFP. Pakistan during 2003 . Significant differences were recorded for pod y ield kg ha ,maturity period. matu re kern el percentage, pods plant: and kerne l pod, among the locations , genotypes and loca tion xgenotype interactio n. The highest po d yi eld hat was obtained at Agr icultural Research Station (North) Mingora, Swa t (ARSNM)and Wartheir. Among genotypes, ICGS-7326 and ICG r -88N 8 produc ed maximum pod yie ld of5000 kg ha and -1 722 kg ha t,respect ively. The crop was matured earli er at Thana, Palai, Shekolai and Timargara than the rest of the loca tions . GenotypesICG1/-88448 and PG-480 were f ound early mat uring with 156 days . Mature kern el percen t was high at ARSNM and Darga i.Among genotypes, PG-4S0 show ed maximum matu re kern el percentage of 88.5%. In cas e of locat ion x genotype interaction,ICGI/-88448 at Dargai and PG-480 at ARSNM had maximum mature kern el value. Pods plantlwas high est at ARSNM. Amonggeno types. SP-2002, ICGS-7326 and 1 0 -480 had maximum pods plant , Location x ge notype interac tion , genotype 51 -2002(55) at ARSNM and ICGS- 7326 (53.5) at Warthe ir obtained the high est pods density. Kernel podwas high est at Dureshkhelaand ARSNM. Ce llOlYINS, ICGS, 7326, SP-2002, PG-480 and ICG I -88N S had the highest kernel pod: , Location x genotypeinteraction , genotype I G- /80 at ARSNM, Dure shkh ela and Swa t Phalli-96 at Dureshkhela recorded the high est kerne l pod: ,