The present test was carried out with peanut plants grown in Mitscherlich pots filled with the "terra-roxa-misturada" type of soil. Its objective was to determine the influence of the three major elements, viz. nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium on the yield. A 3 x 4 x 3 factorial design was employed, each treatment being replicated 3 times. Both the aerial parts of the plants and the fruit were harvested separately and used for statistical analysis. Fruit yield and weight of aerial parts showed similar responses to the treatments. Phosphorus increased the yield the most, followed by nitrogen; potash had no influence on yield. According to the results obtained the best formula was N1P3, corresponding to 30 and 240 kg of N and P2O5 per hectare, respectively.