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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Dawson, Georgia » National Peanut Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #137855
Title: IMPACT OF AVERAGE PLANT SPACING AND PLANT PATTERN ON YIELD AND CANPOY COVERAGE FOR NON-IRRIGATED PEANUTS

Author
item Sternitzke, Donald
item Davidson, James
item Lamb, Marshall

Submitted to: American Peanut Research and Education Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2001
Publication Date: 3/1/2002
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Field experiments were conducted in Terrell County, GA from 1997 to 1999 to determine the effect of average plant spacing on pod mass per plant and yield for single row peanuts grown under nonirrigated conditions. Plants within treatments were thinned at random until average plant spacings of 23, 30 38, 48, and 61 cm were attained. This was done to mimic the effects of reduced emergence. Checks were not thinned and averaged 7.9 cm/plant. Pod mass per plant increased with spacing because competition for water, nutrients, and light decreased. In contrast, yield decreased with spacing because lower population losses exceeded gains stemming from a reduction in competition. Results from this study prompted a second experiment in 2000 to study the impact of plant spacing (as governed by planting pattern) for a fixed population on yield and canopy coverage. Equal populations of Georgia Green peanut were planted at 20 seed/m in single, twin, and diamond patterns on 1.8 m beds. Nearest adjacent seed distances were 4.8, 10, and 18 cm, respectively. Georgia's driest year on record delayed planting until 28 June. Canopy closure in diamond plots was observed 69 days after planting. Neither single nor twin row patterns ever experienced closure. An extremely late planting date coupled with the relatively large distance between adjacent plants created an ideal environment for TSWV to spread within diamond pattern plots. In spite of these conditions yields from four of six diamond pattern replicates exceeded yields from single and twin row pattern treatments.