Effect of Mineral Nutrition on Chemical Composition and Early Reproductive Development of Virginia Type Peanuts ( Arachis hypogaea L.) 1

Two nutrient solution studies, one involving levels of N, P, and S and the other involving levels of Ca, Mg, and K were conducted to determine the effect of mineral nutrition on the chemical composition and early reproductive development of a Virginia type peanut plant. None of the treatments significantly hastened time until flowering. Total flowers per plant were increased by increasing the N and Mg levels. Flowers per day per plant were affected similarly by the N treatments. Total pegs per plant were greatest with the medium P and low Ca treatments. In order to determine whether present fertilization practices have been producing the nutrient concentrations in peanut plants that would result in the maximum rate of early reproductive development, nutrient concentrations in the plants which produced the maximum early flowering and peg development in the greenhouse were compared with those of field‐grown Virginia type peanut plants at a comparable stage of growth. The N and Ca concentrations in the peanut plants that had produced the maximum early reproductive development in the greenhouse were considerably lower than those of the field‐grown peanut plants, while the P and Mg concentrations were higher than those found in the field‐grown peanut plants.