Peanut Response to Uniform and Non‐uniform Soil Salinity¹

Abstract

Abstract The yield of peanuts ( Arachis hypogaea ) grown in artificially salinized plots was reduced to 50% at EC e of 4.7 mmhos/cm and by 20% at EC e of 3.8 mmhos/cm. Yield reduction was the same for equal mean soil salinities regardless of the shape of the soil salinity profile. Reduction in water uptake as a result of increased soil salinities was probably the consequence rather than the cause of the reduced growth. The salt tolerance during germination was much higher than during subsequent growth. A 50% reduction in germination was obtained at EC e of 13 mhos/cm and in seedling development at EC e , of 7.2 mmhos/cm.