The Effect of Certain Mineral Elements on Peanut Fruit Filling¹

The Influence of Mineral Deficiency on Vegetative Growth, Flower and Fruit Production, and Mineral Composition of the Peanut Plant

“…(4), from studies initiated concurrent with and since the present investigation, reported a significant increase in fruit filling when a single calcium salt was added to the fruiting medium. Subsequent work by HARRIS (10) showed fructification to be negligible when a minus calcium nutrient solution was applied to the fruiting medium.…”

“…These results also show that the nutrient deficient solutions had a greater effect on the potassium content of fruiting organs than that of other elements determined. Results by BURKHART and COLLINS (6) and BRADY, et al, (4) indicate that the known antagonism between potassium and calcium may come into play when the fruiting medium has a low available calcium supply. It is probable that an excessive potassium absorption by the roots of the plant or by the developing fruit may influence the transport of calcium from the vegetative organs to the fruit or the direct intake of calcium by the fruit.…”

“…The omission of the miero-nutrienits (Cu, AMn, Zn, B anid AMo) from the roots of the plants after 80 days resulted in a highly sigfnificant decrease in all characters used as criteria for vegetative vigor and fruitfulniess, figure 4. Flowers were pale yellow in color and a high percentage failed to produce gynophores.…”

“…The extreme retarded growth of previously vigorously growing plants in such a short period after all nutrients were withdrawn from the roots and the limited anmounit of growth thereafter when there were many gynophores and some fruits developing in the mediumn supplied FIGe. 4 grown on the complete solutioni were from stems which extended over the sides of the culture boxes. The yields reported for the control plants indicate that the rooting and fruiting media of the cultures had a favorable supplying power for nutrients.…”

“…The importance of an available calcium supply in the fruiting medium for favorable fructification has been emphasized by a number of investigators (4,6,10,14). BLEDSOE, et al, (3) recently reported that when radioactive calcium was administered to the fruiting medium there was a very active absorption of Ca45 by gynophores, shells and seed of fruit as compared with the small amount of absorption by those organs when Ca45 was supplied to the root of the plant.…”