Detailed Explanation of the Latest Key Technical Points for Peanut Cultivation with Plastic Mulch

Peanut is a common crop with high economic value, and more and more farmers are now adopting mulch cultivation for crop planting. Today, the editor brings you an introduction to the key points of the latest peanut cultivation techniques with plastic mulch.

1. Select excellent varieties

The selection of good peanut varieties should be based on local conditions. For a growth period of more than 130 days, mid-to-late maturing varieties should be selected, such as Yaguan No. 1, Luhua No. 10, etc.; for a growth period of 120-130 days, mid-maturing and mid-early maturing varieties should be selected, such as Yamei No. 2, No. 3 and Yamei 406, etc.; for a growth period of less than 120 days, early maturing and extremely early maturing varieties should be selected, such as the Silihong and Baisha series varieties.

2. Reasonable crop rotation

Peanut prefers fresh soil. Continuous cropping and alternating cropping will lead to phenomena such as short peanut plants and susceptibility to pests and diseases. Therefore, a reasonable crop rotation system should be adopted. Suitable rotation crops for peanut are gramineous plants, such as corn, wheat, millet and sorghum, etc. Leguminous crops are prohibited as the preceding crop. The rotation cycle is 3 to 4 years.

3. Land selection and soil preparation

The best choice is neutral sandy soil with good water and fertilizer retention capacity and loose, relatively thick soil. Low-lying land, sandy mound land, land that leaks water and fertilizer, and barren land with excessively strong sandiness are not suitable. For soil preparation, autumn plowing and autumn harrowing are best, with deep plowing of more than 20 cm, then harrowing fine, raking level, and removing roots and stones completely.

4. Increase manure application

In combination with soil preparation, apply the planned fertilizer amount to the field all at once. Fertilization should mainly be farm manure, supplemented by chemical fertilizer, and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium should be applied in combination. Generally, apply 4000-5000 kg of high-quality farm manure per mu, 1.0-1.5 kg of superphosphate, and 7-10 kg of ammonium sulfate.

5. Make beds

Wide beds with double-row planting are mostly used. The bed spacing is 100 cm, the width is 70 cm, the height is 8 to 10 cm, and the spacing is 30 cm, forming a slightly arched shape. After the bed surface is raked level, mulching can be carried out.

6. Mulching

(1) Prepare the film: The plastic film used is 0.005-0.009 mm thick, 1 m wide, and 4-4.5 kg per mu.

(2) Spray pesticide: Before covering with plastic film, use 0.25-0.3 kg of 48% Lasso emulsifiable concentrate per mu, diluted with 50-75 kg of water, and spray evenly on the bed surface.

(3) Mulching: Cover with film immediately after spraying. When covering, spread the film flat and pull it tight so that the film fits closely to the bed surface, press the surroundings firmly with soil, and press a strip of soil on the bed surface every 2 to 3 m to prevent strong winds from lifting the film.

7. Sowing

(1) Seed treatment: Seed treatment before sowing can not only promote seed after-ripening, improve seed germination vigor and germination rate, but also ensure neat emergence and achieve full and strong seedlings. The seed treatment steps are: sunning seeds, grain selection, soaking seeds, sprouting, sowing.

(2) Sowing time: For peanut planting with plastic mulch, sow 10 to 15 days before the last frost, that is, from late April to early May, when the daily average temperature stabilizes above 13°C.

(3) Sowing density: Two rows per bed. For large-seeded varieties, row and hole spacing is 40×17 cm, about 3000 holes per mu; for medium-seeded varieties, row and hole spacing is 40×16 cm, about 8000 holes per mu; for small-seeded varieties, row and hole spacing is 40×15 cm, about 8800 holes per mu. When sowing, sow 2 seeds per hole or alternate 1-2 seeds per hole.

(4) Sowing method: Use a wooden stick with a diameter of about 4 cm to punch holes and remove the film inside the holes, sow with the seed sprout facing down, then seal the sowing holes well with wet soil so that the hole-sealing soil forms a small mound.

8. Field management

(1) Protect the film and preserve moisture: After sowing, frequently check whether the film has any damage or places where air can pass through. If found, promptly press it down and seal it tightly with soil.

(2) Check seedlings and replant: When seedlings emerge, frequently check the emergence situation. If seedlings are found to have difficulty pushing through the soil, scrape away the soil, lead the seedlings out, and then seal the sowing holes tightly again.

(3) Remove weeds: After emergence, promptly remove weeds around the seedling holes. For weeds under the film, use the method of pressing soil. Press whenever weeds are seen, and remove the soil after the weeds die. Weeds in the bed furrows should be removed together with intertillage.

(4) Control excessive growth: After the peanut plants close the rows, if excessive growth occurs, spray 50 ppm paclobutrazol aqueous solution on the leaves, 50 kg per mu, which can inhibit excessive growth.

(5) Prevent and control pests and diseases: ① Leaf rot and leaf spot: In the early stage of disease onset, spray 1:2:200 (copper sulfate: quicklime: water) Bordeaux mixture every 10 to 15 days, or spray 2~3 times with 50% thiophanate-methyl 1000-fold solution. ② White grubs and mole crickets: Use 1.5 to 2 kg of 2.5% trichlorfon powder per mu, mix it into poisonous soil, and apply it into the soil in combination with land preparation and ridging for control. ③ Aphids: When spot-like occurrence begins, spray with 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000-1500-fold dilution or broadcast 1.5~2 kg of 1.5% dimethoate powder per mu.

9. Timely harvest

When the top of the peanut stops growing and the leaves turn yellow or begin to fall off, most of the peanuts have matured. In the north, harvesting can generally be done in mid-to-late September. Harvest as each section matures, and leave small stacks in the field to dry for 2~7 days. When the pods make a sound when shaken, they can be brought back for pod removal. After peanut harvest, promptly and thoroughly recover waste film to prevent soil pollution.

Although peanut cultivation with plastic mulch is more likely to achieve high yield than ordinary cultivation, to achieve better growth of mulched peanuts, more cultivation details still need attention.