Abstract: To study the effects of different irrigation quota per application on the growth and water use under mulched drip irrigation in Xinjiang and to provide a basis for regional water-saving and high-yield peanut cultivation, four irrigation treatments, W₀, W₁, W₂, and W₃, were established at the experimental field of the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 2022-2023 to systematically analyze the growth indexes, water consumption characteristics and yield response of peanut. The W₂ treatment（70%-80% of field water holding capacity）significantly promoted plant growth compared with W₁: the height of the main stem increased by 3.13%-33.16%; in 2023, the leaf area index of W₂ treatment increased by 9.59%-68.98% compared with W₁ treatment from flowering stage to full fruit stage, and the water consumption in the whole growth period was characterized by ‘high in the middle and low at both ends’. The water consumption in the flower pegging stage and pod-setting stage accounted for 56.16%-72.17%, which was the key period of water demand. Although W₃ treatment increased the main stem height, the leaf area index at pod-setting stage decreased by 1.02% instead of increasing, and the pod yield decreased by 2.1% in 2023 compared with that of W₂. Irrigation quota per application significantly affected yield formation（P<0.01）, with the W₂ treatment increasing yields by 17.13%-27.16% and water use efficiency by 4.92%-11.93% compared with W₁. It is advisable to implement dynamic water regulation during the growth period of peanut under drip irrigation in Xinjiang, focusing on guaranteeing the water supply during the flower pegging stage and pod-setting stage, a seasonal total irrigation quota of 376.70-394.74 mm is recommended to achieve the coordinated improvement of yield of 5 297.35-5 528.28 kg/hm²and efficient water utilization.

Key words: mulched drip irrigation, water regulation, peanut, water consumption pattern, water use efficiency