Can Foliar Application of Nutrients Increase the Productive Potential of Peanuts?

Abstract

Some authors have already evaluated the effects of foliar fertilizer application in peanut crop but but it is not a consolidated practice for this crop, especially with regard to the time of application of leaf fertilizers. This study aimed to verify the influence of foliar application of nutrients (N, P, K, S, B, Cu, and Fe) in two growth stages of the peanut crop. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme, being 4 fertilizer rates (0, 500, 1000 and 2000 g ha(-1)) applied in two crop growth stages (V-6 and R-1). At the stage of grain maturation, plant height, shoot dry weight, number of total grains, number of pods with one and two grains, harvest index and peanut yield were determined. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p < 0.05 probability of error. The analysis of variance did not show a level of significance for the factors. The application of foliar fertilizer linearly increased plant height when applied in V-6 and when applied in R6 there was a quadratic increase where the highest plant height was observed at the dose of 1000 g ha(-1). There was no influence of foliar fertilization on the productive characteristics of peanut.