NC Crop Update 10 September 10 Peanut Notes No. 230 2026  

Dr. David Jordan

North Carolina State University 

Growers across the Virginia-Carolina region continue to protect peanuts from leaf spot disease, southern stem rot, and Sclerotinia blight. Most growers are making their final sprays during the week of September 7. Growers across the region generally make 5 to 7 sprays depending on location in the region and weather conditions. Leaf spot disease is increasing in some fields, and growers will need to consider the impact of vine health and pod maturity when deciding when to dig pods and invert vines. As of the week of September 7, most fields have adequate protection from leaf spot disease to allow the decision to be made based on pod mesocarp color. When farmers delay digging until optimum pod maturity, they often gain a one-percent increase in pod yield for each day.

Across the Virginia-Carolina region, at least 2600 growing degree days (referred to as heat units) were reached by September 7 at most locations for peanuts emerging in the middle of May. Bailey II, the most popular virginia market type variety, requires 2600 growing degree days to reach optimum maturity. However, stress during the season can delay maturation of pods and kernels even though heat units continue to accumulate.

Based on pod blasting results (removal of the exocarp using a pressure washer with a rotating nozzle to expose the mesocarp,) maturity of peanuts in the Virginia-Carolina region is earlier than in previous years. However, the decision on when to dig pods and invert vines needs to be made on a field-by-field basis using pod mesocarp as the indicator of maturity.

Some fields have disease developing, and this can trigger early digging before pods reach optimum maturity. Growers are cautioned that levels of disease that justify early digging are high, and they need to make objective measurements to define the level of disease in each field. NC State Extension recommends that peanuts be dug prior to optimum maturity when 40% of vines are defoliated by leaf spot disease. For southern stem rot and Sclerotinia blight, incidence of disease needs to be at least 50%. For black rot root (CBR,) 40% of plants need to have disease to justify early digging. In the case of tomato spotted wilt, digging prior to optimum maturity is not recommended. With respect to drought and spider mite injury, digging prior to optimum maturity is also not recommended.

Although some areas of the region continue to be dry, rainfall has been adequate across much of the region for predictable growth and development. A weather system over the Labor Day weekend (September 5-7) brought much needed rainfall, especially in northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. Soil moisture from this system will increase maturity of pods and enable farmers with reduced tillage systems to dig pods and invert vines with less pod loss.

Recent rains in the Viriginia-Carolina region have maintained yield potential. Less than 2% of peanut fields have been dug. However, with slightly earlier pod maturity in some areas of the region and recent rains to soften soils and improve digging conditions, it is projected that a significant number of fields will be dug during the week of September 14.

While there are considerable unknowns over the next 3-6 six weeks, yield potential remains 4,200 pounds/acre (4,704 kg/ha).

Dr. David Jordan

North Carolina State University 

Link to Original Article: https://peanut.ces.ncsu.edu/news/nc-crop-update-10-september-10-peanut-notes-no-230-2026/