Abstract: In order to solve the problem of unfruitful peanut pods and to explore the effect of calcium application and film mulching on the dry matter production, maturity performance, yield and quality of peanut under Ca deficiency in red soil of Southern China, large seed variety Xianghua 2008 and the typical red soil under calcium deficiency were used as material for the soil column experiment. Three calcium fertilizer gradients and two kinds of cultivation methods (open field and plastic film cultivation)were used in this experiment including no calcium (Ca0), medium calcium fertilizer (Ca375)and high calcium fertilizer (Ca750). The net photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content, maturity performance, dry matter, yield composition and quality of peanut were studied. The results showed that film mulching cultivation increased the dry matter of vegetative organs and genitals. While calcium application promoted genital growth better and increased harvest index, but reduced the ratio of root to shoot. Compared to Ca0-OF, the genital dry matter of Ca750-OF and Ca750-PF increased 74.0%, 94.3%, respectively. The net photosynthetic rate of the leaves was increased gradually at seedling phase and flowering and pedicel forming phase, but it decreased in the late growth period by calcium fertilizer application. The SPAD of open field (OF)at seedling phase was Ca750 > Ca375 > Ca0. The SPAD of calcium treatment higher than that of the no calcium application treatment (Ca0)under the plastic film cultivation in the whole growth period except pod setting phase. The yield per plant of peanut at maturity presented a quadratic equation curve relation with SPAD value (y=-0.020x²+1.034x-1.930, R²=0.308^**), and was significantly correlated. The maturity performance of no calcium application treatment was greedy late, and the plant could not be into normal senescence. With the calcium application increased, maturity performance of peanut became obvious, and leaf color turned green to yellow, so the peanut was normal senescence, mature and had higher yield. The number of total pods and full pods per plant, the kernel rate to pods, plumpness, fat content and the ratio of oleic acid to linoleic acid increased, and the number of rotten, empty pods and pods per kilogram reduced, thus pod yields increased and quality was improved by calcium application and film mulching cultivation.

Key words: Peanut, Calcium, Plastic film mulching, Dry matter, Maturity performance, Chlorophyll content, Yield

CLC Number: 

• S565.01