Effect of Sorbitol Calcium Chelate on Yield and Calcium Nutrient Absorption of Peanut

Sorbitol has the effect of promoting nutrient absorption, so it has the potential to produce excellent fertilizers. In this study, sorbitol calcium chelate was synthesized using sorbitol as the chelating agent. The effects of sorbitol calcium chelate on peanut were investigated, with the goal of promoting peanut yield and improving the utilization of calcium fertilizer. Field experiments were carried out in Jimo, Shandong Province, China. Four sorbitol calcium chelate concentrations (0.4, 0.8, 1.6 and 2.4 g L^-1) and two sorbitol non-chelated calcium concentrations (1.6 and 2.4 g L^-1) were tested. Compared with the corresponding sorbitol non-chelated calcium fertilizer treatments, the yield of peanuts increased by 10.0 and 1.7% under sorbitol chelated calcium concentrations of 1.6 and 2.4 g L^-1, respectively, besides, the calcium and potassium contents of the seed kernel increased by 32.2 and 55.8%, under sorbitol chelated calcium concentrations of 1.60 and 2.40 g L^-1, respectively. Sorbitol calcium chelate improved peanut yield and promoted the transformation of sugars to fat in the seed kernel, the 1.6 g L^-1 concentration produced the best results. Compared with the blank control, the 1.60 g L^-1 sorbitol chelated calcium fertilizer treatment increased peanut yield by 28.6%, fruit number per plant by 46.8%, 100-kernel weight by 20.4%, full fruit number per plant by 55.3%, fat content by 5.0%. In conclusion, sorbitol chelated calcium fertilizer was superior to sorbitol non-chelated calcium fertilizer under the experimental conditions used herein.