EFFECT OF MAIZE／PEANUT INTERCROPPING ON IRON NUTRITION OF PEANUT

An investigation was carried out to test the effect of maize/peanut intercropping on iron nutrition of peanut. There were three treatments: peanut monocrop. maize monocrop and maize/peanut intercropping. The plants were grown in sandy soil in pots with two compartments separated by 30 m nylon nets, a central one for root growth and outer ones for soil. The results showed that intercropping improved iron nutrition of peanut. When peanut was intercropped with maize, the peanut had no iron deficiency, but peanut of monocrop treatment showed severe iron chlorosis on young leaves. In monocropping, the active iron content of peanut in young leaves was only 47.47% of that of intercroppng, and chlorophyll content was equal to 25. 28% of that of intercropping. Intercropping increased photosynthetic rate of peanut leaves. For different parts of peanut. the iron content of shoot. root and total plant was more than that of monocropping treatment. The reasons for this may be that maize root exudates released insoluble iron from soil and supplied enough iron to peanut, and some activity of maize root could also affect reducing capacity of peanut, which needs to be studied further.