The Influence of Temperature and Water Deficits on the Partitioning of Dry Matter in Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

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Abstract
The partitioning of dry matter to stems, leaves and pods of groundnut was examined as a function of mean air temperature and water stress. Different levels of stress were imposed by growing plants on stored moisture at five different mean temperatures between 19 °C and 31 °C and at four levels of saturation vapour pressure deficit. Stands of plants were grown in controlled environment glasshouses. The ratio of pod to shoot weight (PWR) was greatest at 22 °C and decreased from 0.28 to 0.04 as temperature increased to 31 °C. PWR was closely related to the number of pods longer than 5.0 mm but negatively correlated with stem weight ratio. In general, water stress had a minor influence on PWR although peg and pod production were stimulated in five of the nine treatments. Mild water stress promoted peg and pod production because reproductive growth was less affected than the growth of leaves and stems, the major sinks early in the reproductive phase. In one treatment, mild water stress increased PWR by a factor of 2.2 indicating that when adequate water is supplied to relieve a mild stress, PWR can be greatly increased.

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