A Non‐Nodulating Peanut1

Nodules that form on the roots of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) when infected with Rhizobium are the site of N‐fixation. F3 plants were identified in a breeding nursery at Marianna, Fla., which showed N starvation symptoms toward maturity and apparently had no nodules on their roots. These plants were derived from a cross between two normal nodulating parents, 487A‐4‐1‐2 ✕ PI 262090. Subsequent evaluations in the F4 to F6 generations confirmed that numerous selections from this cross failed to nodulate in the field at Marianna. Growth chamber inoculation studies with various strains of rhizobia confirmed the field evaluations. Seed of selected plants from field plots classified as non‐nodulated were utilized in these studies. Only five of 400 progeny from non‐nodulating plant selections bore nodules in these tests.