Features

The interior color of a Rhizobia-formed nodule may provide an early warning of drought and other crop stresses. • By David Hensley and Diane Rowland, UF/IFAS Agronomy Department •  One of the primary benefits of growing legumes like peanut is their ability to convert nitrogen in the atmosphere to a form that is available for use throughout the plant. They do ... Read More »

Wasted water is money down the drain; ensure that applied water is being used by the crop. • By Amanda Huber • With top-soil moisture registering as very short in six peanut states in mid-May, producers are hoping the drought trend breaks in favor of timely rains. Rarely though is irrigation not needed at some point during the production season. “Weather ... Read More »

Society meetings continue to foster collaborative efforts and creative solutions to industry challenges. • By Amanda Huber, Editor • The American Peanut Research Education Society celebrates 50 years of work, study, research, learning and accomplishments around one of the most important and beloved crops: the peanut. To mark the Golden Anniversary, a program highlighting the past accomplishments in the industry and ... Read More »

This aggressive weed forms dense stands over large areas and can eliminate native plants. • By Amanda Huber •  South Carolina peanut farms are on the front lines for the advancing march of cogongrass, and producers are asked to stay vigilant for this invasive species. “Cogongrass is one of the most serious invasive species in the southeast,” says Justin Ballew, Clemson ... Read More »

Root-knot nematode is one pest affected by rotation out of peanut. Farmers may have more success growing peanuts if they don’t continuously plant peanuts in the same field, according to Scott Tubbs, University of Georgia Tifton campus’s research cropping system agronomist for peanuts. Tubbs has studied the impact of peanut rotation since 2008. Instead of growing peanuts in a field ... Read More »

Make decisions on an individual field basis, weighing the cost against potential benefits. • By Amanda Huber • Plant growth regulators are used more extensively in other crops, such as cotton. But what about using a plant growth regulator in peanuts? Are there conditions in which a plant growth regulator could be used? What would be the effect? Read More »

Plus Zidua offers a residual postemergence herbicide with the benefit of a reduced rate. • By Amanda Huber • When it comes to weed control in peanuts, producers have a few options. In the past couple of years, Steve Li, Alabama Cooperative Extension weed specialist, has conducted weed Read More »

According to USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service, U.S. peanut growers intend to plant 1.54 million acres in 2018, down 18 percent from 2017. USDA reported that the expectation of higher prices for competing commodities is contributing to the expected decrease in peanut acres compared with last year. Read More »

Insects and mites can cause severe economic loss, but not every field will be infested with damaging populations every year. Pest species also vary from year to year and field to field within a year. Understanding the risk factors that contribute to pest outbreaks and weekly scouting are the foundations of successful insect management. Read More »

Foliar disease has shifted from early to late leaf spot, and fungicide shortages will mean a change in management plans.  • By Amanda Huber  • Climate conditions, coupled with continued shorter rotations, put peanuts square in the cross hairs significant for leaf spot disease in 2017. Read More »