Effect of defoliation on reproductive development of the peanut

Abstract

The effect of defoliation at various growth stages on the pattern of reproduction of the peanut plant (cv. Virginia Bunch), grown in pots, was examined. In all treatments, only the small proportion of the flowers which formed early in the flowering phase contributed to pod yield at maturity. In those treatments where defoliation caused a reduction in pod yield (i.e. cutting after pod formation) final pod number was reduced by inhibition of further fruit formation and degeneration of pods already formed. The data indicate that a minimum leaf area of c. 50 cm2 is required to retain a pod on this variety. This places a lower bound on the relationship between plant size and pod number, which is qualitatively established in the literature.