Stress response in peanuts

Scientifically and reasonably managing scarce water resources is an increasingly important environmental, social and economic issue. An understanding of the pattern and behavior of water use in an agricultural system can enhance and augment the effectiveness of water resource management. Water stress can cause abnormal peanut plant respiration. Nocturnal CO2 fluxes measured with the eddy-covariance technique in a peanut field gives the nocturnal Net Ecosystem CO2 Exchange (NEE), composed of the respirations from both plants and soil. UGA crop and soil scientists conducted measurements of net ecosystem carbon exchange and respiration from plants and soil in peanut fields. Results show that NEE and respiration from plants and soil are affected by solar radiation, soil temperature, soil water content, and nocturnal low level jets.