The effect of root damage caused by simulated white grub attack on the growth,yield and water-use of groundnut plants |
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Authors: | J A Wightman H B Brier G C Wright |
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Institution: | (1) International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, 502324, Andhra Pradesh, India;(2) Queensland Department of Primary Industries, PO Box 23, 4610 Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia |
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Abstract: | White grubs (larval scarabaeids) are now recognized as being important pests of groundnut (peanut) in many parts of the world
because of their ability to damage roots. A method of simulating white grub damage to groundnut plants was developed to obtain
an indication of how the feeding activity of these insects influences plant growth. The effect of root cutting and drought
stress on water uptake and biomass production was evaluated, with roots being cut at three depths in the late vegetative and
early podfilling stages. As groundnut plants are often grown under conditions of drought stress, the effects of which would
be accentuated by root damage, this factor was introduced into the experiment. Plant water-use measurements indicated that
the root systems of plants cut 30 days after emergence (DAE) and watered twice a week became fully functional again after
40 days. Pod and total biomass production were however significantly less than those of the uncut control plants, with drought
stress reducing yields below the well-watered controls, particularly when cut at 10 cm below the soil surface. The root systems
of plants cut 51 DAE did not regrow to any appreciable extent, and rates of plant water-use remained less than half of the
uncut control plants. Over all treatments, there was a strong positive correlation between total (and pod) biomass and plant
water-use. It was concluded that the phenological stage of the plant at which root damage occurred had a profound influence
on the subsequent recovery in root growth and function, and ultimately on pod yield. |
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Keywords: | Arachis drought groundnut peanut physiology root damage water uptake white grubs yield components |
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