Abstract
The range in macronutrient concentrations in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seeds has been fairly well established over the years, but a considerable range in the micronutrient concentrations has been reported in the literature. A study was conducted to determine the elemental concentration in seeds of four peanut cultivars grown at six locations across the southern U.S. Two of the cultivars account for >85% of the current U. S. production. ‘Early Bunch’, ‘Florigiant’, ‘Florunner’, and ‘Tifrun’ were grown with and without irrigation at Tifton and Plains, GA, with irrigation at College Station, TX, and without irrigation at Suffolk, VA. These seeds were analyzed for 10 nutrients: P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, and B. Significant differences were found in the levels of nine nutrients among locations and eight nutrients among cultivars, but these levels did not vary greatly among locations or cultivars. The only positive correlations found for locations were between seed Ca and total precipitation and between seed Mg and soil Mg. The nutrient levels found corroborate the work of others and point out an apparent 10-fold error in the upper limit of the Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, and B ranges previously reported in the literature.
Author notes
1Cooperative investigations of the University of Georgia College of Agriculture Exp. Stations and the Agricultural Research, Science and Education Administration, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Coastal Plain Sta., Tifton, GA 31793.
2Mention of a trademark, proprietary product, or vendor does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other products or vendors that may also be suitable.