In Virginia peanut digging started this year two weeks earlier than in most years, on Sep 15 in most counties. This is because of the combination of genetics, early maturing cultivars, and weather. One may say this summer was dry. Indeed, it was and some fields were more affected by drought than others. But it was a certain type of drought: cool and wet alternating with warm and dry long periods of time. For example, May was warm and dry, and suitable for early flowering; June and half of July were cooler and moist; perfect for peg and pod growth. And that was it: one huge, uniform crop set early on in the season and not two crops like we usually see in dry years. Altogether, by mid Sep the 2600 accumulated heat units were sufficient for Bailey and Sugg, the mostly grown cultivars in Virginia this year, to mature.

 Over 85% of the peanuts in Virginia have been dug and in most part picked by now. Yields of those picked before Joaquin and dug after the storm are in 4,000 lb/ac yield and grades are good. Peanuts dug right prior to Joaquin are in good shape, but a lot of pod shedding occurred and this will reduce yield. The peanuts dug a week ahead of storm are in poor shape and some segregation 2 peanuts with a high content of damaged kernels was sold. No segregation 3 was yet reported. A lot of sprouting was also observed.

Peanut sprouted not just after falling off the vines, but also on the vines

Excessive moisture was the cause of pod drop and sprouting

I have recently seen several peanut fields or spots in the fields around the Tidewater AREC with yellow plants resembling nitrogen deficiency. Colleagues in North Carolina are also getting concerned with peanuts needing late season nitrogen applications. Similarly, in one of my research fields we noticed a part of the field with yellow plants resembling nitrogen deficiency next to dark green plants for the rest of the area. Indeed, early this summer Kelvin Wells, Extension Agent in Sussex county VA, brought in some samples of yellow peanut plants. Right away I identified nitrogen deficiency because there were no nodules on the roots and plants were starting blooming; also the farmer did not inoculate at planting. It was easy. But with the plants from my own field trial it is not so easy! Yellow and smaller plants had larger nodules than the bigger and greener plants and in a similar number on July 17 when I checked. Nodules from both plants, green and yellow, were dark red when cut, indicating active nitrogen fixation (pictures are attached here Unusual peanut color). The green plants were planted on May 10 and the yellow ones on May 22. I really do not have any other explanation than probable negative effect of high temperatures and dry conditions experienced by late planted peanuts in Virginia this year. This could have affected root growth and nodulation for young seedlings and carried nutritional imbalances over to later stages.

Variety selection. For Virginia and Carolinas (VC) the preferred Virginia market-type cultivar was Bailey followed by Sugg, in 2013 and 2014. Both have good disease package, Bailey more than Sugg, but none has the high oleic trait. This may not be a major concern for farmers (even though I hear that shellers pay premiums for the high oleic cultivars) but is increasingly so for shellers, processors and, most importantly, consumers. High oleic oil profile alternatives with very good disease resistance are Sullivan and Wynne, 2013 releases. Sullivan is similar in seed size with Bailey and yielded better than Bailey in variety trials across the VC region in 2014. It was more resistant to diseases than Bailey, too (credit to Dr. Mehl). Wynne is a larger seeded cultivar, larger than Sugg, with excellent yields in 2013. Seed of Sullivan and Wynne may not yet be abundantly available to farmers but, if you can get some, I encourage you to try these two new cultivars this year.

Potash. This note was inspired by some of Dr. Jordan’s notes to the Extension Agents in North Carolina. For some growers, soil test results recommended application this year of potash for peanut and they did not know what to do. Usually, potassium is not a common application for peanut but, due to excessive soil moisture we have had in 2014 and up to now, potassium may have been leached through the soil profile. I have a similar situation in my own backyard. If the soil tests recommend potash application, do so. Of course, make sure after this to apply the required rate of gypsum at the optimum recommended time by the VA Peanut Production Guide. VA Peanut Guide

Inoculant. Here we are again! Remember last year when we recommended applying inoculant regardless the number of years of peanut rotation? It was because too much water standing in the field and we speculated that this could have killed the bacteria. Do the same this year. Trials conducted by Dr. Jordan in North Carolina from 1999 through 2014 showed 1,565 lbs/acre yield increase in new peanut land and almost 200 lbs/acre in regular peanut fields by applying in-furrow liquid or granular inoculant. For best results however, the inoculant needs to be delivered right on top of the seed and not on the soil aside. We use Optimize Lift brand mixed with Admire-Pro and Proline for several years, just like Dr. Herbert’s group. Ammonium sulfate did not increase yield relative to the no-inoculant and no-ammonium sulfate treated controls in half of the tests conducted by Jordan in North Carolina.

Created in 1968, the Peanut Variety and Quality Evaluation (PVQE) program is a multi-state data support program for the Virginia-type cultivar development. Led by the TAREC researchers and staff, the PVQE is a NIFA multi-state joint effort with major universities in NC and SC. Among current priorities, development of Virginia-type cultivars with the high oleic fatty acid trait was identified as the most important for the VC region. The 2014 results from tests in VA, NC, and SC are here: AREC-125-pdf

The 2015 VA Peanut Production Guide is also available at http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/AREC/AREC-117/AREC-117.html.