94 THE PEANUT— THE UNPREDICTABLE LEGUME 



Courtesy Florida Agricultural Experiment Station 



Figure 3. — Dixie Runner peanut plant which received a complete nutrient solution 

 in the rooting zone and distilled water in the fruiting zone. 



The peanut fruit may have one, two or more seed. It has been stated 

 (4) that with fruit of those varieties which normally produce two seeds 

 7 percent of the ovules fail to be pollinated and that an additional 10 per- 

 cent of the ovules abort during the early growth period, resulting in about 

 17 percent of the fruit being one-seeded. 



The majority of mature fruit are located usually on the basal portion 

 of the lowest branches, and results of Middleton and Harvey (55) in- 

 dicate that there is a tendency for immature fruit and "pops" (fruits with 

 aborted embryoes) to occur farther out on the branches. 



Roots 



The peanut plant has a well-developed tap-root system, similar to 

 that of beans or peas, with numerous lateral branches extending a con- 

 siderable distance in the soil. Several workers (17, 58, 63, 68, 88,) have 

 made a careful study of the root system. The soft, fleshy, fragile roots col- 

 lapse and dry quickly when removed from the soil. This tends to give the 

 impression that the root system of the peanut is relatively small. 



