Source-sink characteristics and classification of peanut major cultivars in North China

Authors:
Open Access
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
To explore whether and how source-sink theory was involved in mediating peanut high yield formation, a field experiment was conducted using 13 major peanut cultivars in North China. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used to evaluate natural indicators for the characterization and classification of source-sink types such as leaf area (LA) per plant, number of flowers, and pod rate. The results showed that LA per plant, number of flowers, pod rate, and pod plumpness at the pod-setting and pod-filling stages could be the major characteristics to evaluate source-sink relationship. Based on the source-sink indicators and yield components, these peanut cultivars could be classified into four categories, including source-sink coordination type, large source-few sink type, sufficient source-few sink type, and sufficient source-large sink type. The source-sink coordination type varieties could achieve high yield mainly due to the higher net assimilation rate at the pod-setting stage, the moderate florescence and number of flowers, and the higher economic pods ratio and pod fullness. Large source-few sink type cultivars had higher LA, but lower net assimilation rate and smaller contribution of the leaf area to the yield formation, thus decreased the pod yield. Sufficient source-large sink type cultivars had longer florescence and more flowers compared to others types, leading to reduce the pod rate and pod plumpness, which was the main limiting factor to increase the pod yield. On the contrary, both florescence and the number of flowers per plant of sufficient source-few sink type cultivars were less than others types. In summary, to prevent the redundancy of leaf source, more flowers but less pegs, and more pods but less kernels and to promote the effective proportions and pod fullness resulting in higher pod yield in peanut production, corresponding measures should be taken to control leaf area and amount of flowering according to different source-sink types peanut cultivars.

This publication has 7 references indexed in Scilit: