Nitrogen uptake and utilization of small-seed peanut cultivars with different plant architecture
In the production of small-seed peanut cultivars in South China,landraces with high plants and bred cultivars with dwarf plants were both planted.Thus a differential fertilization strategy had to be figured out ac-cording to their nitrogen requirements.In this study,the main landrace with high plants Anhua Xiaozi and improved dwarf cultivar Xianghei Xiaoguo were used as materials.Four compound fertilization rates were set including 0,450,600,and 750 kg/hm2,representing soil background(CK),low(F30),medium(F40),and high(F50)fertiliz-er levels.Nitrogen content,accumulation,and distribution were recorded at 4 growth stages.Results showed that,in high landrace Anhua Xiaozi,N content were in the order of pod>leaf>root>stem,while those of dwarf cultivar Xianghei Xiaoguo were in leaf>pod>root>stem.N content in leaves and roots of Anhua Xiaozi was less than dwarf cultivar Xianghei Xiaoguo.The opposite trend was found in stems and pods.The influence degree of increasing fer-tilizer on N content was in the order of stem>leaf>root>pod,which was beneficial to N assimilation and absorption in vegetative organs.N accumulation in different organs of the 2 materials was leaf>pod>stem>root.Except the seedling stage,N accumulations of the whole plant,leaf and stem in other stages were larger in Anhua Xiaozi stem.N accumulations were both higher in Anhua Xiaozi pods and roots,but only in roots during seedling and podding stages.Fertilization was beneficial to N accumulation in early stages.N distribution rate of both varieties was the highest in leaves,and then in pods and stems.N distribution rate in higher variety were larger in aboveground parts,while the underground parts was the opposite.It indicated that N absorbed by dwarf variety was more conducive to transport to pods.N production efficiency was higher in dwarf Xianghei Xiaoguo.N production efficiency and N par-tial factor productivity of F40 and F30 treatments were both high,indicated that excessive fertilization decreased N use efficiency.In conclusion,lower response of N accumulation to fertilizer increase was found in dwarf cultivar Xianghei Xiaoguo,with less total accumulation but more distribution in pods.Therefore,in barren and acidic red soil regions in South China,peanut plant architecture should be considered during fertilizer determination.