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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Dawson, Georgia » National Peanut Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #147573
Title: PEANUT PRODUCTION IN TOPOGRAPHIC FIELDS WITH SURFACE DRIP IRRIGATION

Author
item Zhu, Heping
item Lamb, Marshall
item Butts, Christopher - Chris
item Blankenship, Paul

Submitted to: American Peanut Research and Education Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2003
Publication Date: 12/1/2003
Citation: Zhu, H., Lamb, M.C., Butts, C.L., Blankenship, P.D. 2003. Peanut production in topographic fields with surface drip irrigation. American Peanut Research and Education Society Abstracts.

Interpretive Summary: No interpretive summary necessary for "abstract only"

Technical Abstract: A surface drip irrigation system was developed to irrigate peanuts in two experimental fields, one with very little topographic variation and Greenville fine sandy loam soil, and one with undulating terrain containing 2.4% slope and 282% coefficient of topographic variation and Faceville fine sandy loam soil. Peanut pod yield, kernel size distribution, and total sound mature kernels (TSMK) were evaluated with two peanut varieties, two planting patterns and two drip tape lateral spacings. Test results were compared with the adjacent non-irrigated area planted with the same varieties of peanuts. No significant difference (p<0.05) was observed in yields between 0.91-m and 1.82-m drip tape lateral spacings with surface drip irrigation. Peanut yields with surface drip irrigation were 1.43 times the non-irrigated yield. The net yield gain from surface drip irrigation was 10 kg/ha-mm during the two growing seasons. Yields tended to slightly decrease as the land elevation decreased for both irrigated and non-irrigated zones. However, the land elevation variation did not significantly influence the TSMK for both irrigated and non-irrigated areas. And there was no significant difference in yields either between two peanut varieties (Georgia Green and Virugard) or between two planting patterns (Single-row and Twin-row) in surface drip irrigation areas. Compared to the non-irrigated areas, the surface drip irrigation area produced more large kernels than small kernels. The average TSMK in the undulating topographic area was 64.9% and 73.7% for non-irrigated and drip irrigated treatments, respectively. An average gross revenue of 1253 US dollars per ha was realized with no irrigation and 2093 US dollars per ha with surface drip irrigation.