RESUMO
Peanut seeds are rich in arginine, an amino acid that has several positive effects on human health. Establishing the genetic variability of arginine content in peanut will be useful for breeding programs that have high arginine as one of their goals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation of arginine content, pods/plant, seeds/pod, seed weight, and yield in Valencia peanut germplasm. One hundred and thirty peanut genotypes were grown under field condition for two years. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used for this study. Arginine content was analyzed in peanut seeds at harvest using spectrophotometry. Yield and yield components were recorded for each genotype. Significant differences in arginine content and yield components were found in the tested Valencia peanut germplasm. Arginine content ranged from 8.68-23.35 µg/g seed. Kremena was the best overall genotype of high arginine content, number of pods/plant, 100 seed weight and pod yield.
RESUMO
Five levels of gypsum supplementation (0, 550, 1100, 2200, and 4400 kg ha-1) were applied to peanut fields 35 d after planting. After the growing season, peanuts were harvested, ground, and inoculated with 1 × 107 Aspergillus parasiticus (NRRL 5139) conidia. After 14 d at 25°C, aflatoxin was extracted and quantified by thin-layer chromatography. Fungal growth was assayed using a modified chitin assay. Peanuts from gypsum-supplemented fields at each level of supplementation supported significantly less aflatoxin production when compared to control peanuts (no calcium supplementation). Results from the chitin assay showed a decrease in fungal biomass which correlated with the decreased aflatoxin synthesis.