Yield Quality Parameters and Chemical Composition of Peanut as Affected by Potassium and Gypsum Applications under Foliar Spraying with Boron

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at El-Khattara region (Sharkia Governorate, Egypt) during the 2009 season to study the effect of potassium (K) fertilization, gypsum addition rates, and foliar spraying with boron (B) and combinations of them on growth, yield, yield components, oil quality, and uptake of some macro- and micronutrients by peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. cv. Giza 6) grown on a sandy soil. Biological yield (pod + hay) as well as hay and seed yields were increased significantly as a result of K and gypsum application, but there was no significant increase under foliar spraying with B. The greatest values of 7788, 6585, and 954 kg fed−1 for biological, hay, and seed yields corresponded to 20.8 kg K fed−1 + 0.5 ton gypsum fed−1 without foliar spraying with B. For hay, the greatest value of N uptake was obtained with 20.8 kg K fed−1 + 1.0 ton gypsum fed−1, whereas the greatest values for P and K uptake (70.1 and 131 kg fed−1) were obtained when 20.8 kg K fed−1 + 0.5 ton gypsum fed−1 was applied under spraying with B. For seeds, the greatest value of K uptake was obtained when 20.8 kg K fed−1 + 1.0 ton gypsum fed−1 was applied, whereas for N and P uptake the greatest values (60.8 and 15.2 kg fed−1) were obtained when 20.8 kg K fed−1 + 0.5 ton gypsum fed−1 were applied under spraying with B. The oil yield of peanut seeds using the Soxhelt extraction method was found to be in the range of 23.1 to 35.2%. The greatest B uptake in hay was obtained without spraying with B, whereas in seeds it was obtained under spraying with B. In both of them was obtained upon application of 20.8 kg K fed−1 + 0.5 ton gypsum fed−1. Apparent K recovery (AKR) and K-use efficiency (KUE) were markedly decreased with increasing K addition rates.