Pod Yield and Mineral Concentration of Four Peanut Cultivars Following Gypsum Application With Subsurface Drip Irrigation

Abstract

Abstract A 2-year study (2004 and 2005) was conducted where gypsum was applied to four peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars and irrigated with subsurface drip to determine pod yield and mineral concentration of peanut plants and kernels. Gypsum rates were none, 560 and 1120 kg/ha. Peanut cultivars were C99R, Georgia Green (GG), NCV-11 (NCV), and GA-O2C (O2C). Irrigation was applied daily with subsurface drip irrigation except when precipitation exceeded the estimated daily water requirement. Average soil Ca and S concentrations increased as gypsum was applied, 5% and 20%, respectively, compared with the non-treated control. The average soil calcium to potassium (Ca∶K) ratio increased to 9.8∶1 compared with 7.6∶1 prior to applying calcium. When averaged across calcium rates, peanut leaves had 3 and 14 times higher calcium and 1.4 times higher S concentrations compared with pegs and pods, respectively. The cultivars GG and NCV had the same pod yield. Cultivars C99R and O2C had the same yield as NCV but were less than GG. Germination rates were higher when gypsum was added compared to the non-treated control and with cultivars C99R and O2C. There was no difference in vigor by gypsum application rate. Kernel Ca concentration was higher with the addition of gypsum compared to the non-treated control. Cold test germination seed vigor increased with C99R and O2C compared with GG and NCV.