Section ECONOMICS AND TOURISM

ASPECTS CONCERNING PEANUTS CROPS ON SANDY

SOILS IN SOUTHERN OLTENIA
Dr. Milica Dima1
Dr. Aurelia Diaconu1
1
Dr. Reta
1

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Matei Gheorghe2

1
Research & Development Station for Plant Culture on Sands Dabuleni,
Romania
2
University of Craiova. Faculty of Agriculture, 19 Libertatii Street, 200583,
Craiova, Romania

ABSTRACT
For the capitalization of the climate and soil conditions for the sandy soil region
in Southern Oltenia by cultivating peanuts it is necessary to use varieties with large
production abilities and a proper technology for the crops.
In view of its cultivation on south Oltenia sandy soils, there were carried out in
the period 2004-2006, at the Plants Crops Research and Development Station on
Sandy Soils Dabuleni, experiments have been set regarding aspects such as: the
optimal seeding period, the recommendation varieties with high yield potential and
balanced composition.
The research was conducted under irrigation conditions, in a three year rotation
of wheat, peanut, maize.
Along with erect growth type varieties, know for their short vegetation period,
rising and creeping growth type varieties can also be used; these varieties have a
great production potential in our country conditions.
Establishing the proper time for seeding is espe since sandy soils are heating
quickly but are also cooling quickly, the best seeding time is between the end of
April- the beginning of May, depending on the date when the seeding depth has a
steady temperature, minimal required for the seed to germinate.
Keywords: genotype, sowing time, climate, productivity

INTRODUCTION
Peanuts contribute to the superior valorisation of sandy soils in our country, due
to reduced requirements for soil fertility, low fertilizer and water consumption, soil
enrichment in symbiotic fixed nitrogen. [9].
Peanut seeds have a high protein and fat content [1], [6], [11] and can be used
in food and in the food industry.
The limiting factor of peanut production is heat, which restricts the area of
spreading culture in the temperate continental climate in certain areas, where the

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temperature conditions are improved either due to the sandy soil or due to local
climatic influences of the mediterranean type. [9].
In the area of sandy soils in southern Oltenia, peanuts find favorable
ecopedological conditions for growth and fructification, conditions that allow for
the good cultivation of this species [7], occupying, within agricultural crops on
sandy soils, the place of improving legumes.
In this paper are presented the results obtained at the Plants Crops Research and
Development Station on Sandy Soils Dabuleni in experiences regarding:
recommendations for soils with high production potential and balanced
composition, the optimal sowing age.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
The experiments were arranged in field by randomized blocks method on a
sandy soil with a humus content of between 0.2-0.4%.
The research was conducted under irrigation conditions, in a three year rotation
of wheat, peanut, maize.
In the time of the experience was respected the technology of growing peanuts
on sandy soils.
The interpretation of research results was performed by variance analysis.
RESULTS OBTAINED
[8] have highlighted both the role of variety and cultivation technology in
peanut production in the US, concluding that for the production of high yields it is
necessary to use productive varieties under the conditions of applying an
appropriate cultivation technology.
The International Board for Plant Genetic Resources classifies peanut varieties
after plant habitus into three main groups: erect, decumbent, procumbent.[3],[4].
Characteristic of these three groups is the correlation between the type of growth
and the length of the vegetation period that grows from erect to deciduous and
procumbent [1], [2].
That is why the first varieties that have been tested under the conditions of our
country belonged to the group with erect port, starting from the reason that they,
having a shorter vegetation period, are best able to achieve at the northern limit of
the peanut cultivation area, satisfactory yields due to the maturity of a larger number
of pods. The results obtained with these varieties were not satisfactory [5], [9]
which led to the necessity of the creation of native varieties, materialized by the

adaptability of peanuts, including in areas with less favorable climatic conditions,

as well as the fact that the varieties in the dwelling and the procumbent groups are
more productive, those in the procumbent group, with no positive correlation
between the number of mature pastures and production [10], within varieties of
varieties studied at the Plants Crops Research and Development Station on Sandy
Soils Dabuleni were also included varieties belonging to these two groups (table 1).

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Table 1 The influence of the type of growth on the production of some peanut
varieties
Group Genotype Average The Semnification Average
production difference
kg/ha
(kg/ha) (kg/ha)
Witness Dabuleni 2434 Mt. 2434
Erect Viorica 3220 +786 * 3112
Sadovo 3005 +571
Decumbent Shulamith 3326 +892 *
Province 3400 +966 ** 3363
China I
Procumbent Province 4123 +1689 ***
Turcia
3565
B28 3008 +574 *
LSD 5%= 545 kg/ha
LSD 1%= 915 kg/ha
LSD 0.1%= 1005 kg/ha
The yields obtained, compared to the Dabuleni witness variety, in two varieties
of each gup, show that even under the conditions of our country varieties with a
type of growth and a procumbent growth show a higher production potential than
those with erect growth type. The production increase was significant in the
Shulamith variety and distinctly significant in the Province China I variety of the
dominant group and very significant, respectively significant in the Province Turcia
and B28 varieties from the procumbent group.
Analyzing the main elements of productivity (table 2) it is observed that the
number of mature plants on the plant decreases to the dominant and procumbent
types of the erect type, the production increase in the varieties of these groups based
on the size of the pods, the weight of 1000 pods growing distinctly significantly to
the witness. For varieties with a procumbent growth type, the number of grains in
the pod was distinctly significantly smaller than the witness, but the much larger
beans, the weight of 1000 grains growing significantly distinct from the control. For
varieties in the erect group and in the procumbent group, the yield on peeling was
significantly lower than the witness, in the first group due to smaller grains, to the
other due to the achievement of a smaller number of grains in the pod.

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Table 2 The influence of the type of growth on the productivity elements of some
peanut varieties
Group Number of Weight a Number of Weight a Yield on
mature 1000 grains in 1000 peeling
pods on the pods(g) the pod grains(g) (%)
plan
Witness 26 1658 2.3 552 75
Erect 31.5*** 1871 2.5 513 67 o
Decumbent 29.3* 2044** 2.3 660 70
Procumbent 28.5* 2111** 1.8 oo 761 ** 65 o
LSD 5%= 2.5 251 0.38 121 6.8
LSD 1%= 3.4 352 0.5 168 11.6
LSD 0.1%= 5.2 497 0.72 241 18.2
The chemical composition of peanut beans is characterized by various authors
[1], [6], [11] with a content of 20-30% protein and 45-60% fat. Among the analyzed
varieties (table 3), those in the procumbent group are characterized by a high protein
content (26.2%), and those in the decumbent group with a higher fat content
(47.9%).
Table 3 The influence of the type of growth on the chemical composition of the
grain in some peanut varieties
Group Protein Fats Cellulose Ash
(%) (%) (%) (%)
Witness 23.6 45.1 2.8 3.5
Erect 22.5 46.0 2.71 3.32
Decumbent 22.9 47.9 2.85 3.45
Procumbent 26.2 45.9 2.75 3.3
Under our country's conditions, the optimum sowing time is determined by
achieving a minimum seed germination temperature of 12 0C [9] in the soil at the
sowing depth. Setting the sowing moment is important because the sandy soils heat
up and cool down quickly, with the risk of going through periods when soil
temperature falls below the minimum germination, affecting plant emergence and
growth. The yields obtained at different epoch of sowing (table 4) highlight that
sowing should be placed about 3 weeks after the soil temperature at 12 0C is recorded
in the soil, production increase in this case being very significant . The sowing time
for peanuts must be set according to the climatic conditions of each year, beginning
with the date when the minimum germination temperature of seeds is stabilized in
the soil at the seed depth and the growing tendency to grow it (the end of April -
beginning of May).

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Table 4 The influence of sowing epoch on the production of peanuts
The sowing Production Difference Semnification
epoch
(kg/ha) (kg/ha)
120C 1320 Mt.
120C + 7 days 1280 -40
120C + 14 days 1575 +255 *
120C + 21 days 2237 +917 ***
120C + days 1645 +325 **
LSD 5%= 185
LSD 1%= 273
LSD 0.1%= 405

CONCLUSIONS
1. Climate and soil conditions in the sandy soils area of southern Oltenia are
favourable to peanut culture.
2. The peanuts varieties with a type of decumbent and a procumbent growth
show also in our country a higher production potential than those with erect growth,
those in the decumbent group also being noted for higher fat content, and those in
the procumbent group with a higher protein content.
3. The sowing epoch is determined by achieving a stable temperature of 12 0C in
the soil at the sowing depth, with a certain growth trend (end of April - beginning
of May).

REFERENCES
[1] Bârnaure, V. , Phytotechnie tropicale, U.NA.ZA., Kisangani-Yangambi,
1976.
[2] Delikostadinov,

central-
[3] International Board for Plant Genetic Resources, Descriptors for Groundnut,
IBPGR Secretariat, Roma, Italy, 1985.
[4] International Board for Plant Genetic Resources, Descriptors for Groundnut,
IBPGR/ICRISAT, Roma, Italy, 1992.
arahide

Fundulea, Romania, 1982.

[6] Minchevici,I.A., Borcovschi,V.,E., Cultura plantelor oleaginoase, Editura

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teza de doctorat, ASAS B

[8] Mozingo, R.W., Coffelt, T.A., Wynne, J.C., Characteristics of Virginia type
Peanut Varieties Released from 1944-1985, în ,,Southern Cooperative Series

[9] Pop, L. and colab.,

Romania, 1986.
[10] Radwal, S., Harbons, Singh, Effect of growth habit on correlations and

vol.33,no.1, India, 1973.

[11] Rehm,S., Espig,G., Die Kulturpflanzen der Tropen und Subtropen, Verlag
Eugen Elmer, Stuttgart, Germany, 1976

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