The performance of iron absorption effeicient peanut cultivars on calcareous soils in the Lakhish and Beisan valley region in Israel

Abstract

During the 1982 growing season (April to September, 1982) peanut cultivar trials of relatively Iron‐absorption efficient cultivars and the presently grown standard variety “Shulamit”; were conducted. The field trials were managed under commonly used agronomic and irrigation practices at the Lakhish Regional Research Station ‐ 21% lime, pH 7.2 and the Beisan Valley Regional Research Station 50% lime, pH 8.2. At the Lakhish Regional Station the pod yield of the relatively Iron absorption efficient cultivar 71–234without Iron chelate treatment, yielded 5830 kg/ha pods, which was equal to the Iron chelate treated (10 kg/ha Sequestrene Fe 138) yield of the standard peanut variety “Shulamit”;. At the Beisan Valley Regional Research Station cultivars 71–234 and 71–238 outyielded the “Shulamit”; variety by 16 and 43 per cent, respectively (5540 kg/ha and 5680 kg/ha pods). The cumulative wilting recorded (damping‐off) of plants, due to soil‐borne root‐rots, was up to 5 to 6 per cent at the “Shulamit”; variety, compared to nil or 0.5 per cent of the 71–231 and 71–238 cultivars. This phenomenon was obvious at both localities and also observed in previous field trials.

Key words:

• Lime‐induced iron chlorosis
• iron absorption
• efficient genotypes
• disease resistance