Abstract:
Studies on the effects of harvesting time on seed quality and acceptability of roasted boiled peanut were conducted in three peanut cultivars: Kasetsart 50, Kaset 1, and Tainan 9. Peanuts were planted at National Corn and Sorghum Research Center, Nakhon Ratchasima Province in dry and rainy season and harvested at 60, 67 and 74 days after 50 percent flowering (DAF). Yield, yield components and seed qualities were determined. Fresh peanut pods were also used for roasted boiled peanuts, and the preferences of the consumers were tested. Results showed that early harvests obtained higher fresh pod yield than delayed harvests in both seasons, but harvesting time did not affect dry pod yields. In dry season, harvesting at 67 and 74 DAF gave higher seed yields than those harvesting at 60 DAF, while no affect were found in rainy season. Tainan 9 has the highest seed yield in dry season, but in rainy season Tainan 9 gave higher fresh and dry pod yield than Kasetsart 50 and Kaset 1. However, no different in seed yield were found among cultivars in the rainy season. In dry season, number of pod per plant and 100 seed weight were not different among harvesting times and cultivars, whereas in rainy season, Kasetsart 50 was the highest in 100 seed weight followed by Kaset 1 and Tainan 9, respectively. Fresh seeds of Kasetsart 50 and Kaset 1 were very low in germination because of seed dormancy. In case of dry seeds, in the dry season, harvesting at 60 and 67 DAF gave higher seed germination and vigor than those harvested at 74 DM. But in the rainy season, harvesting dates did not affected seed germination and vigor. Tainan 9 was higher in seed quality than the others two varieties. Acceptability test on roasted boiled peanut indicated that harvesting times did not affect overall liking, color, hardness and salt ness of roasted boiled peanut. Quality of roasted boiled peanut from Kasetsart 50, Kaset 1 and Tainan 9 and that of the commercial one, Twin Pagoda, were similar.