Benefit of foliar spray phosphorus on peanuts in relation to gypsum and phosphorus application to soil

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Stratford Research Station, Stratford, Oklahoma to evalute the effect of foliar opray phosphorus on Spanish peanut yield (Arachis hypogea) with regard to the rates of gypsum and phosporus application to soil. Three levels of P (0, 45, and 90 kg/ha) and four levels of gypsum (0, 336, 672, and 1009 kg/ha) which consisted of 12 treatment combinations was applied. Potassium monobasic phosphate (KH₂PO₄) solution with the P concentration of 0.35% was used as a foliar spray. Results from two years data indicated that foliar spray P increased yield, total kernel content (TKC), and percent sound mature kernel (%SMK) of Spanish peanuts significantly regardless of gypsum and P application rate to the soil. Gypsum application significantly increased the yield, TKC, and %SMK up to 672 kg/ha. Increasing the gypsum rate to 1009 kg/ha decreased the yield and TKC. Foliar spray P in combination with 676 kg/ha gypsum produced the highest yield. Phosphorus application to the soil did not change the yield of Spanish peanuts significantly. However, P in combination with low rates of gypsum increased the yield.

Key words:

• Foliar spray
• Peanuts
• Gypsum
• Phosphorus.

Notes

Present address: P. O. Box 1208, Departement of plant and soil science, Alabama A&M University, Normal AL, 35762.

Present address: Departement of Agronomy, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater OK, 74074.