A Field Survey of Boron Deficiency in Peanut Grown in Chiangmai Valley

Abstract

A field survey of peanut-growing area in teh Chiangmai Valley and nearby uplands was conducted in the dry season 1984 to determine the incidence and severityof boron dificency in farmers' fields. Samples of peanut pods from 88 sites were inspected for hollow heart in kernels, a disorder which is specific to boron dificiency. Hollow heart was found in peanut kernels from 50% of the sites and rated as moderate to severe (>5% of kernels affected) in 32 of the sites surveyed. A high incidnece of hollow heart was found in doi Saket (67%) and Hangdong (81%) district, and a lower incidence (31%) in Dan Kamphaeng. Upland sites, mostly in Hangdong, had higher boron content of peanut kernels. there was no hollow heart in kernels with boron concentration greater than 13 ug/g. Below this level the percentage of kernels with hollow heart increased sharly with decreasing level of boron in kernel.