To cultivate peanuts successfully and achieve higher yields, it is essential to understand the four key environmental requirements for their growth and development.

Planting peanuts isn’t as simple as just sowing them in the field. At first glance, it may seem like anyone can do it, but whether you can do it well is another matter. It depends on the local environmental conditions.

What variety have you chosen? Is it well-suited to local growing conditions? What kind of soil are you using for planting? And how do you manage water and fertilizer scientifically throughout the growing process? These are all crucial factors—only by thoroughly understanding them can you lay a solid foundation for high peanut yields. Below, we’ll examine the four key ecological requirements for peanut cultivation and see whether you’ve taken them into account.

I. Temperature

Peanuts are native to tropical regions and are a warm‑climate crop that has high requirements for heat; throughout their entire growth and development, they demand consistently high temperatures.

1. Seed germination

Peanut seeds that have passed through dormancy can only germinate under specific temperature conditions. Different cultivar types exhibit varying minimum germination temperature requirements: 12°C for pearl‑bean and multi‑seeded types, and 15°C for common‑type and Longsheng‑type varieties. High‑oleic peanuts require a threshold at least 3°C higher than that of common peanuts; below this temperature, germination does not occur. Experimental data indicate that the optimal temperature range for germination is 25–37°C, within which germination is fastest and the germination rate is highest. However, when temperatures exceed 37°C, the germination rate declines, and at 46°C, some cultivars may fail to germinate altogether.

2. Flowering and needle formation

The pattern of peanut flowering follows a trend of increasing first and then decreasing, but it is clearly influenced by temperature. Peanut flowering has relatively high temperature requirements; the optimal daily average temperature for flowering is 23–28°C. Within this range, flower production is positively correlated with temperature. When the daily average falls below 21°C, the number of flowers declines markedly; below 19°C, the fertilization process is impaired. Conversely, when temperatures exceed 30°C, flower production also decreases, with fertilization being severely affected and the pod‑setting rate dropping significantly.

3. Pod Development

The duration of peanut pod development and the quality of pod formation are closely linked to temperature. The optimal temperature for pod development is 25–33°C, with a minimum of 15–17°C and a maximum of 37–39°C. Experimental measurements show that when the ambient temperature is maintained at 30.6°C, pod development proceeds most rapidly and pod weight reaches its highest level. However, if the temperature rises to 38.6°C, pod development slows down, and below 15°C, pod development ceases entirely.

II. Moisture

Peanuts are relatively drought-tolerant, but throughout all stages of their growth cycle, they require an adequate supply of water to meet their developmental needs. Overall, water requirements follow a pattern of lower demand during the seedling stage, increased demand during flowering, pegging, and pod formation, and reduced demand again in the later stages as pods mature—resulting in a “low at both ends, high in the middle” water‑use profile.

1. Germination and emergence of seedlings

When seeds germinate and seedlings emerge, they require adequate moisture; insufficient water will prevent germination. At this stage, soil moisture should be maintained at 60%–70% of field capacity. If it falls below 40%, the seeds may dry out, leading to poor stand establishment; if it exceeds 80%, soil aeration decreases, also reducing germination and emergence rates, and excessive moisture can even cause seed rot. After emergence and before flowering is the seedling stage, during which root growth is rapid while aboveground vegetative growth remains limited and water demand is relatively low. Soil moisture is best kept at 50%–60% of field capacity. Below 40%, root development is inhibited, resulting in slow seedling growth and impaired flower bud differentiation; above 70%, root systems may develop poorly, aboveground growth becomes weak, internodes elongate, and both flowering and fruit set are adversely affected.

2. Flowering and needle formation

During the flowering and peg‑formation stage, peanut plants experience rapid vegetative growth while simultaneously undergoing abundant flowering, pegging, and young pod development—characterized by vigorous reproductive growth. This is the period of highest water demand throughout the peanut’s life cycle. Soil moisture should ideally be maintained at 60%–70% of field capacity; if it falls below 50%, flower production declines markedly, and excessively low soil moisture may even halt flowering altogether. Conversely, excessive soil moisture combined with poor drainage and reduced soil aeration can impair root and pod development and may lead to excessive vegetative growth and lodging.

3. Pod Development

During the period from pod set to maturity, the growth of the aboveground vegetative parts of the peanut plant gradually slows down and eventually ceases, leading to a corresponding reduction in water requirements. Pod development requires an adequate supply of moisture; soil moisture levels should ideally be maintained at 50%–60% of field capacity. If soil moisture falls below 40%, pod fullness will be compromised, while exceeding 70% can hinder pod development and even result in pod rot and yield losses. According to experimental analyses, throughout the entire peanut growing season, approximately 450 kg of water is consumed for every kilogram of dry matter produced. For pearl‑bean type peanut varieties grown under intercropping or direct‑seeded in summer—characterized by shorter growth periods and abundant rainfall and high humidity—their total water consumption is generally lower than that of spring‑planted large‑bean peanuts.

III. Light Exposure

Peanuts are a short-day crop, but in general, they are not particularly demanding in terms of light intensity. According to experimental studies by Fu Jiarui and colleagues at Sun Yat-sen University, the length of daylight has a measurable effect on the flowering process: short-day treatment can advance the peak flowering period, though it tends to slightly reduce the total number of flowers. This is because short-day conditions promote earlier flowering while exerting some inhibition on vegetative growth, thereby decreasing the overall flower count. Furthermore, experiments have shown that different peanut cultivars exhibit varying degrees of sensitivity to photoperiod.

IV. Soil

Peanuts are a crop that flowers above ground and bears fruit underground, and they thrive best in sandy loam soils with a loose, well‑worked plow layer and a deep, fertile topsoil. According to research conducted by the Shandong Provincial Peanut Research Institute, high‑yielding fields typically exhibit a soil profile in which the total soil depth exceeds 50 cm, with a cultivated plow layer of about 30 cm and a pod‑forming layer composed of loose sandy loam. The soil texture varies as follows: from silty loam to gravelly sandy loam in the upper 0–10 cm; from silty loam to sandy clay loam from 10–30 cm; and from silty clay loam to sandy clay loam from 30–50 cm. This soil structure features capillary pores that are smaller at the top and larger at the bottom, while non‑capillary pores are wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. As a result, the upper soil layers exhibit excellent aeration and water permeability, with large diurnal temperature fluctuations, while the lower layers possess strong water‑holding and nutrient‑retention capacities and high thermal inertia. Such conditions ensure a harmonious balance among soil water, nutrients, air, and heat, thereby promoting robust peanut growth and optimal pod development.