Gas exchange and growth of peanut crop subjected to saline and water stress

Peanut crops are of great economic interest because their seeds are used as an important source of vegetable protein and edible oil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological indices and growth of peanut crops subjected to saline and water stress. The experiment was conducted in Auroras, Redencao, Ceara, Brazil using a completely randomized split plot statistical design. The plots were composed of irrigation water treatments with varying levels of electrical conductivity - ECw (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 dS m(-1)), while the subplots were formed by the water regimes of 50% and 100% crop evapotranspiration. Plant height, leaf number, shoot dry matter, relative chlorophyll level, transpiration, and leaf temperature were affected by salt stress. The water regime of 100% ETc provided better performance for the variables stem diameter, leaf number, and shoot dry mass of peanuts.