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Comparison of Calcium and Boron Deficiencies of the Peanut II. Seed Quality in Relation to Histology and Viability 1
Author(s) -
Harris Henry C.,
Brolmann John B.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1966.00021962005800060008x
Subject(s) - germination , lime , calcium , boron , agronomy , greenhouse , arachis hypogaea , soil water , fertilizer , chemistry , horticulture , biology , paleontology , ecology , organic chemistry
The objective of these experiments was to compare internal differences in seed of the ‘Florigiant’ peanut plant ( Arachis hypogaea L.) when grown under calcium or boron deficient conditions. Plants were grown in pots filled with soils which were low in available calcium and boron. Lime plus fertilizer, including boron, were applied to the soils to form a series of corrective treatments. The experiments were conducted three years in the greenhouse and a fourth year outside. Boron corrected “hollow‐heart defect” and calcium corrected “dark plumule” the three years the experiments were in the greenhouse. Results for the fourth year were similar, but control was not perfect probably due to leaching by excessive rain during the latter part of the season. Microscopic and histological studies of the seed showed that boron deficiency affected the inside of the cotyledons and sometimes caused the tips of the plumules to be small and pointed. In contrast, calcium deficiency affected the vascular system at the base of the plumules. Sufficient greenhouse‐grown seed were not available for reliable viability versus germination evaluations. Studies of seed grown in the field with and without lime, showed that about 23% of seed with dark plumule germinated, but none were viable by the tetrazolium test.