Involvement of Nutrition and Fungi in the Peanut Pod Rot Complex

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Abstract
Several fungi-specific fungicides and the chemicals CaSO4, CaCO3, S, and MgSO4 were evaluated for their influence on development of peanut pod rot in field test plots at Tifton, GA, in 1980-1983. Isolations for Pythium, Rhizoctonia and Fusarium spp. were made from soil and decaying pods and pegs throughout the growing season. Yield and sound mature kernel (SMK) were determined and chemical analyses of mature seed and hulls were made. There were no consistent differences found among treatments for fungal soil populations (1980) or isolations from decaying pods (1980 through 1982). Plots treated with a Ca source were generally higher in yield and SMK and lower in pod rot than other treatments. There was a significant positive relation with most elements in fruits and pod rot except Ca, which had a significant inverse relation to pod rot. Most elements in fruits were related inversely to Ca concentration. Fungi are secondary to the disease complex and nutritional deficiency or imbalance may be the primary cause.