Effect of Solution pH and Calcium Concentration on Germination and Early Growth of Groundnut

Abstract Most investigations on the effect of acid soil on legumes have focused on growth, nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and mineral nutrient uptake. Very little attention has been given to the effects of H+ toxicity per se and calcium (Ca) deficiency per se on germination and seedling survival of legumes, particularly groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). This paper reports the effects of solution pH and external Ca on seed germination, seedling survival, and growth of groundnut cv. Falcon in sand culture. The treatments consisted of solution pH values ranging from 3.0 to 6.0 in Experiments 1 and 2, and a factorial combination of pH (3.5, 4.5, and 5.5) and Ca (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mM) in Experiments 3 and 4. The percentage of groundnut kernels that germinated was little affected by solution pH, and ranged from 86% at pH 3.0 to 92% at pH 6.0. By contrast, seedling survival was more sensitive to pH, with only 51% surviving at pH 3.0 compared with 85% and 92% at pH 5.0 and 6.0, respectively. Increasing the...