Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the agronomics, physiological and biochemical characteristics of different peanut seeds and plant genotypes. The procedures have been performed during the secondary crop in the agricultural year 2013 to 2014, after the peanut harvest in Barbalha, Ceará – Brazil. The experiment was laid out in split-plot in randomized complete block design with  four replicates, constituting scheme 4×5 factorial analysis, providing four levels of replacement of ET0 (40, 70, 100 and 130%) and five genotypes of peanut (BRS Perola Branca, L7 Beje, Runner, BRS Havana, BR 1), which were measured: number of leaves, total phytomass, and total chlorophyll content was performed, as well as hundred-seeds weight, pods weight per plant, number of pods per plant and seed yield per plant oil yield and fatty acid composition. It is shown herein that the interaction between peanut genotypes and water restriction levels promote a decrease in plant growth, physiological factors, and biochemical production of oil, possibly due to a decrease in the photosynthetic metabolism, whereas the plants exposed to water stress conditions modulated all ecophysiological responses in favor of a better performance in the harsh environment. The significant differences exhibited by different cultivars in this study for oil content, some productive characteristics and fatty acids compositions could be attributed to the genetic make-up of a particular cultivar (BR 1), its place of the environmental to reach high oil quality. Knowing better combination effects of climatic fluctuations and botanical types on fatty acid composition would be useful in designing management practices to obtain a specific oil quality and improving predictions of crop models in northeastern Brazil.

Key words: Arachis hypogaea L., water deficiency, adaptability, tolerance.