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.

In only two weeks since my last peanut maturity advisory, peanut changed from this

‘Bailey’ peanut planted on May 5th, and dug on September 2nd.

to this

‘Bailey’ planted on May 6th and dug on September 17th.

Based on the new picture taken on 9/17/14, it seems that 10 to 14 more days will be sufficient for early May planted peanut to reach maturity in Virginia. This seems to be in agreement with the heat units accumulated from May 1st, 2531 to 2672 °F, in southeastern VA and the number of days from planting (150 days) estimated to suffice for maturity of Bailey and Sugg.

However, peanut planted as late as May 15th seems to have reached similar maturity with the ones planted in the first week of May with far less heat units and days from planting. We conducted this morning a pod blasting in Southampton County, VA, for 27 fields planted from May 4th to May 15th. With the exception of three slower maturing fields, two of which from west Northampton County, NC, all other peanuts seemed to be ready to dig in 7 to 14 days from now. A few fields were ready to dig in the next few days, and actually the farmers growing these fields already started digging a couple days ago. A similar situation was reported by Extension Agent Janet Spencer who conducted a pod blasting in the Isle of Weight County, VA, on 9/17/14.

Have the new peanut cultivars reduced temperature requirements? Or the heat units we have had this year were “good” heat units including a higher frequency of “just right” peanut temperatures and “just right” precipitation amounts and distribution? Or maybe both? Regardless, digging decision is one of the most important decisions in peanut production and basing it on the pod mesocarp color, just like we are showing here, I highly recommend. Tomorrow, Sept 19, another pod blasting clinique will start at 9:00 AM at the Johnson Brothers buying station in Surry, VA. If interested, contact Extension Agent Glenn Slade, 757-294-5215.

In the past two weeks or so, there were discussions among specialists about peanuts showing a “mysterious leaf spot” of non-pathogenic origin (credit to pathologists Barbara Shew and Hillary Mehl); but the spot is similar in appearance to the early leaf spot when it starts and becomes irregular at later stages.

“Mysterious” leaf spot found in Suffolk, VA. At the initial stage, the spot looks like early leaf spot, but it has non-pathogenic origin.

Dr. Jay Chapin with Clemson University thinks it is a physiological leaf spot; he calls it “irregular leaf spot”. He observed it to be more prevalent on runners, in particular GA09B, and resulting in yield reduction under certain circumstances. Dr. David Jordan calls it “peculiar leaf spot”. I also found it in research peanut fields in Suffolk and Southampton, VA; the spotting was under 25% of the total leaf area. To solve the “mystery” and get information on the frequency of this issue in NC, Dr. Jordan recently launched a survey and asked the Extension Agents to assess the presence and severity of the spot in approximately 20 fields in each county (4 to 5 areas in each field) using the table below. Because I also found the spot in several fields and I know of growers growing GA09B this year, I suggest we do the same in Virginia. Please use the table below; under “comments” please include information on the cultural practices used in each field, if possible, so we can better explain the cause of the spotting. This assessment can be used at winter meetings and presented at the APRES next year together with the NC Extension Agents.

Documentation of Leaf Spots in Peanut that is not early or late leaf spot or web blotch