Irrigation is the key to profitable peanut production in the Southwestern United States. The growing season consists of different phases with water demands varying for each developmental stage. Adequate soil moisture is needed for germination and stand establishment after planting, but water use is at its peak during the reproductive periods of bloom and pod fill. Water consumption starts to ... Read More »
Apply Inoculants In-furrow JASON WOODWARD Texas Agri-Life Extension Plant Pathologist It appears there will be an increase in peanut acres throughout the Southwest, including areas with a limited history of production. Several factors must be considered when preparing fields that have not recently been planted to peanuts. Following proper land preparation and weed management, planting should begin when there is ... Read More »
JASON WOODWARD Texas Agri-Life Extension Plant Pathologist Foundation For Weed Control Since first being identified in 2011, the incidence of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth or pigweed in the High Plains of Texas has steadily increased. Weed management in peanut affords producers the opportunity to use additional herbicide modes of action to manage herbicide-resistant weeds. In general, dinotroaniline or “yellow” herbicides, such ... Read More »
by Jason Woodward, Texas Agri-Life Extension Plant Pathologist While the Southwest has not completely broken the grip of drought, soil moisture going into the 2015 growing season is much better than the past few years. This is a result of rainfall received late last season and precipitation that has fallen during the winter months. This and other factors appear to ... Read More »
As the 2014 season unfolds, final decisions need to be made as it relates to the placement of varieties and, more importantly, market types. When it comes to planting early, peanuts are a little more forgiving than other crops, such as cotton. However, efforts should be made to plant under the most favorable conditions. It is always important to use high-quality seed and check for splits and immature kernels. Planting should occur when soil conditions are favorable for rapid germination of the seed and development of the plant. Recent studies have shown that planting densities can be substantially reduced for all market types, but differences in seed size and seed count may need to be addressed when calibrating vacuum planters. Adjustments in planting depth should be made based on soil type, planting date and moisture conditions. Overall, late planting dates generally lead to reduced yields and lower grades, as well as increasing the risk from freeze damage and late-season drought. Read More »
Jason Woodward, Texas Agri-Life Extension Plant Pathologist With the 2014 growing season upon us, peanut producers in the Southwest remain optimistic even though the continuing drought conditions experienced throughout much of the winter is enough to test anyone. By now, decisions on which peanut market types and cultivars to plant have been made; however, there are a few considerations when ... Read More »
JASON WOODWARD Texas Agri-Life Extension Plant Pathologist Final planted area for the Southwest in 2013 was approximately 136,000 acres, down about 40,000 acres from the previous year. This region is unique in that all four market types – runner, Spanish, Valencia and Virginia – are grown. Historically, runners have been the predominant market type grown in Texas, but it comprised ... Read More »
JOHN P. BEASLEY, JR. University of Georgia Extension Peanut Agronomist The Southeast peanut crop was planted later than we wanted because of cold and wet conditions early on. As a result, we have seen and will see several production practices altered the remainder of the season. First, thrips pressure was excessively high on fields planted in middle-to-late May. This is ... Read More »
JOHN P. BEASLEY, JR. University of Georgia Extension Peanut Agronomist One thing we learned in 2011 is how resilient our current cultivars are under severely adverse conditions. Acreage planted in 2011 for seed production for 2012 was approximately 75 percent Georgia-06G, so we know which cultivar will dominate acreage next year, but we saw some excellent results from other cultivars. ... Read More »
JOHN P. BEASLEY, JR. University of Georgia Extension Peanut Agronomist The major disease issue on peanut in 2010 in the Southeast was white mold (southern stem rot, southern blight). What made white mold so devastating was how early it became a serious problem, brought on by intense heat. We always expect to have some white mold each year, and the ... Read More »
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