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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Dawson, Georgia » National Peanut Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #405464
Research Project: Integration of Traditional Methods and Novel Molecular Strategies for Improving Disease Resistance and Input-use Efficiency in Peanut

Location: National Peanut Research Laboratory

Title: Biological nitrogen fixation under drought depends on the capacity of the plant to maintain a good water status

Author
item SANZ-SAEZ, ALVARO - Auburn University
item ZHANG, QIONG - Auburn University
item CHEN, CHARLES - Auburn University
item FENG, YUCHENG - Auburn University
item Dang, Phat
item Lamb, Marshall

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/8/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Abstract Only

Technical Abstract: Drought is one of the most common abiotic stresses in peanuts which reduces around 20% yield. Peanut’s biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is negatively affected by drought. However, there are some cultivars that are able to show high BNF under drought which results in high yields under these conditions. It is not clear if the high BNF under drought is given by a more drought tolerant nitrogen fixation reaction or because the plants that show high BNF posses another concurrent drought tolerant trait that makes them show high BNF. We hypothesize that cultivars that show high BNF under drought show other type of drought tolerant traits that improves their water status and therefore maintains BNF. To accomplish this objective, 36 genotypes (2019) and 18 genotypes (2020) selected for their different mechanisms of drought tolerance and sensitivity were grown under drought in the rainout shelter facility at the National Peanut Research Laboratory in Dawson, Georgia. BNF and water use efficiency (WUE) of the cultivars was estimated using C and N natural abundance methods. Photosynthesis and leaf water content was measured to analyze the water status of the plants. We found that cultivars that were able to maintain good water status by saving water (high WUE) or cultivars that maintain the water status by extracting more water from the soil maintained high BNF. Although more research needs to be done, our study points that there are not cultivars that show high BNF under drought when the water status of the plant is not appropriate. Therefore, selecting for cultivars that are able to maintain good plant water status will allow the development of drought tolerant peanut varieties with good yield.