Potassium fertilization applied by fertigation and conventionally in peanut crop

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of potassium doses on peanut yield, when applied by drip fertigation or conventionally. The experiment was conducted in the field, in an Alfissol in Fortaleza, Ceara. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks in a factorial arrangement plus one additional treatment [(3 x 2) + 1] and four replications, being studied three K doses (D1 - 25, D2 - 50 and D3 - 100 kg ha(-1)) and two application methods (F1 - Fertigation, F2 - Conventional fertilizer application), plus one additional treatment (control). At 90 days after sowing, harvesting was performed, with 5 plants being taken at random from the central line of each treatment, in each block. These plants were separated by treatment and placed in a screened greenhouse for five days, for the pods to dry. The evaluated variables were: number of fruits per plant, pod weight, yield, 100 seed weight and pod size. The fertigated potassium dose corresponding to the maximum peanut crop yield (1530.68 kg ha(-1)) was estimated at 69.39 kg ha(-1) of K2O. As to the conventionally applied potassium dose that maximized yield was estimated at 65.80 kg ha(-1) of K2O, corresponding to a maximum peanut crop yield of 1092.22 kg ha(-1).