Plant Nutrient Management for Increasing Peanut Production Efficiency

Abstract

Plant nutrient managements to sustain peanut production, grown on acid infertility soils through chemical and organic fertilizer applications had been carried out in rainy season during 2000-2002. Chemical fertilizer (3-9-6 kg/rai of N-P₂O₅-K₂O) with or without organic fertilizers namely green manuring crop (Jack bean, Carnavalia sp.) and peanut stover were applied. Peanut cv. Khon Kaen 60-1 seeds inoculated with rhizobium were planted on Hup Krapong soil series (Typic Haplustalfs) acid sandy loam soils of Phetchaburi province. Green manuring crop were planted in early rainy season, harvested at maximum flowering stage and mulched before peanut planting while peanut stover were mulched on top soils annually after harvester. First year results revealed that the chemical fertilizer applied alone produced peanut yield by 46-52% higher than the check and had residual effect on yield increasing by 24-27% in the following consecutive years. Green manuring crop apparently increased the uptake of N P K Mg and Zn nutrients in peanut leaves at 50 days after planting. However, significant yield increased by green manuring crop was not observed. The peanut stover applied annually after harvest improved remarkedly both soil quality and peanut pod yield in the following years as compared to the stover removed. Yields increased in the following consecutive years were considerably related well with the increasing of organic matter, the availability of K, Ca and Mg nutrients and the decreasing of soil acidity (increasing soil pH) in top soils. These results led to conclude that peanut longterm yield improvement should begin with uses of green manuring crop followed by the uses of chemical fertilizer recommended by the result of soil analysis. Appropriate chemical fertilizers may be used only in the first year as a starter. The combination practices of green manuring crop with the appropriate usesage of chemical fertilizer together with the return of peanut stover at harvest should be recommended for sustainable peanut production.