Peanut Grower June 2022

The

PEANUTGROWER ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

JUNE 2022

THE PEANUT PRODUCER'S MARKETING & PRODUCTION MAGAZINE www.peanutgrower.com

Irrigation: Finding That ‘Just Right’ Amount Sprayer Set Up To Hit The Target Soil Moisture Monitoring Q & A

The Perfectly Sustainable Peanut!

Newly released data reports that 3.2 gallons of water is used to produce one ounce of shelled peanuts.

Visit nationalpeanutboard.org for more details on water usage and sustainability.

The

JUNE 2022

PEANUTGROWER ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

JUNE 2022

THE PEANUT PRODUCER'S MARKETING & PRODUCTION MAGAZINE www.peanutgrower.com

Volume 34 • Number 6 Irrigation: Finding That ‘Just Right’ Amount Sprayer Set Up To Hit The Target Soil Moisture Monitoring Q & A

Departments 4

Editor’s Note A dry start to the season

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News Briefs Peanut-based therapeutic food sent to Ukraine

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Market Watch Half of U.S. crop uncontracted

20 Peanut Pointers Check for active nodulation

14 Features

10 Finding That ‘Just Right’ Amount

An irrigation scheduling method helps producers stay on top of the crop’s needs.

12 Hitting The Target Stay Connected

What sprayer set up offers the best coverage and reach into the canopy?

14 Boom Sprayer Calibration

Read the label and calibrate application equipment to ensure pesticides are applied correctly.

16 Soil Moisture Monitoring Q & A

On-farm trials to show using soil moisture monitoring technology for more efficiency.

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19 Tornado Hits Texas A&M AgriLife Facilities

The Vernon location is home to the new Foundation Seed shelling plant.

Cover photo by Amanda Huber JUNE 2022 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

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EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Copy Editor Cassidy Nemec cnemec@onegrower.com Art Director Ashley Kumpe Digital Content Manager Katie Guthrie

ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Carroll Smith (901) 326-4443 Associate Publisher/Sales Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Audience Services Kate Thomas (847) 559-7514 Production Manager David Boyd dboyd@onegrower.com For subscription changes or change of address, call (847) 559-7578 or email peanutgrower@omeda.com

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Scott Monfort Extension Agronomist University of Georgia Dell Cotton Peanut Growers Cooperative Marketing Assn., Franklin, VA Kris Balkcom Agri-Program Associate Auburn University Dan Anco Extension Peanut Specialist Clemson University

Emi Kimura Extension Agronomist Texas A&M University David Jordan Extension Agronomist North Carolina State University Glen Harris Extension Agronomist University of Georgia Jason Ferrell Extension Weed Specialist University of Florida

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC Mike Lamensdorf PRESIDENT/TREASURER Lia Guthrie PUBLISHER/VICE PRESIDENT The Peanut Grower (ISSN 1042-9379) is an agribusiness magazine for U.S. peanut producers. Published in eight monthly issues, January through July and November. Annual subscriptions are $40.00. Single Copy price is $5.00. Annual overseas subscriptions are $70.00, including Canada/Mexico. Periodicals postage paid at at Memphis, Tennessee, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2022 One Grower Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved except where otherwise noted. The Peanut Grower ® is a registered trademark, which reserves all rights granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in association with the registration. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO OMEDA COMMUNICATIONS, CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, P.O. BOX 1388, NORTHBROOK, IL 60065-1388. All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claim as its own, and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Printed in the USA. One Grower Publishing, LLC, also publishes Cotton Farming, Rice Farming, Soybean South and Corn South.

Editor’sNote Editor’s Note A Dry Start To This Season

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eanuts planted prior to May 10 are at increased risk to thrips injury and Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus. That’s a standard advisory developed with the TSWV index and now with Peanut Rx. Some peanuts had been planted by that time across the peanut belt, but it was also dry and getting drier. Pam Knox, University of Georgia senior public service associate and director of the UGA weather network, said by then that some parts of eastern Georgia and southern South Carolina were in severe drought.

Amanda Huber Tyron Spearman’s “Peanut Farm Editor, The Peanut Grower Market News” on May 8 reported only 28% planted in Georgia and 22% and 35% for Alabama and Florida, respectively. Soil moisture in Georgia was 10% very short. Of course, in Texas, a severe drought has been ongoing and soil moisture was 91% very short, and understandably only 5% planted.

This issue of Peanut Grower has a couple of articles about crop water management, one on page 10, “Finding that ‘Just Right’ Amount.” In this article, UGA associate professor and Extension precision agriculture and irrigation specialist Wes Porter encourages producers to use some type of irrigation scheduling method to make sure they stay on top of the crop’s water requirement throughout the season because it changes as the crop grows and progresses.

However, you need moisture to get the crop going in the first place. In this case, Scott Monfort, UGA Extension peanut specialist, says it is best to irrigate ahead of planting so the ground is moist. Waiting until after planting can “shock” peanut seed causing erratic and slower emergence.

Getting back to thrips, the news here was not encouraging. UGA Extension entomologist Mark Abney put out an advisory in mid-May that thrips populations were high on volunteer peanuts in fields that were being burned down for planting in the Florida Panhandle.

Abney says, “UGA research shows that for every 1% TSWV incidence in Georgia-06G at the end of the season, peanuts lose 20 pounds of yield per acre.”

Those who still had not planted had an opportunity to manage peanuts for thrips and TSWV, but as Abney says, “Most thrips management options and all TSWV management options end when the seed furrow closes.”

Let’s hope we are getting all the bad news out of the way early this season, and that from here on in, it will be smooth sailing.

One Grower Publishing, LLC 875 W. Poplar Ave., Suite 23, Box 305 Collierville, TN 38017

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THE PEANUT GROWER • JUNE 2022

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NewsBriefs News Briefs Mana To Ship PB To Ukraine

Mana Nutrition, with a manufacturing facility in Fitzgerald, Georgia, is shipping humanitarian provisions in partnership with Samaritan’s Purse, a leading Christian charity working in more than 100 countries, who provides food, clean water, shelter and medicine. Mana is sending nearly 1 million packages of its peanut-based nutrition supplement to Ukraine in the initial shipment. The load of 3,000 cases will be shipped by air as opposed to the slower route by cargo ship. Samaritan’s Purse personnel will be the “boots on the ground” doing the actual distribution to people in the war zone who are cut off from normal food supplies.

Mana Nutrition plant manager Allen Galbraith says that the supplemental nutrition packages are not their typical product.

“It has more peanut paste, along with added protein, oil and other vitamins in the mix,” Galbraith says, “It’s about half the size of our regular packs and contains 275 calories. It’s intended to supplement other food staples that are in a very short supply in many parts of the country.”

Mana Nutrition’s 80,000 squarefoot production and warehouse facility produces about 121,000 pounds per day and employs 60 people.

Peanut Weed Scientists Recognized By Their Peers

The Weed Science Societ y of America and its affiliates have recently singled out a dozen of the nation’s most accomplished weed scientists for Fellows Awards — a recognition honoring their outstanding contributions to the field.

“Those honored join a long line of professionals who have advanced the weed science discipline through innovation, research, teaching, publishing and outreach,” says Anita Dille, WSSA president. “We are proud to call them TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER

our colleagues.”

The awards were presented during the most recent annual meeting of each organization. Two scientists who work in peanuts were recognized from the Southern Weed Science Society: Peter Dotray, Ph.D., is weed science chair and extension weed specialist with Texas Tech University, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service – Lubbock. In addition to teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses, he conducts crop-related weed control research. As an Extension specialist, he supports a 20-county area with 3.5 million acres of cotton crops. He has authored or co-authored numerous journal articles, book chapters, abstracts and proceedings, technical publications and popular articles. He also has delivered hundreds of presentations and seminars for growers and other professionals.

Eric Prostko, Ph.D., is a professor and Extension weed specialist at the University of Georgia. He is responsible for the statewide weed science programs in field corn, peanut, soybean, sunflower, grain sorghum, canola, sesame, pearl millet and winter pea – commodities valued at more than $1.5 billion. He has conducted more than 1,100 field trials and has delivered nearly 1,300 educational presentations at local county crop production meetings, Extension agent trainings and other industry-sponsored events.

Congratulations to these two outstanding weed scientists.

Climate Smart Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new $1 billion Partnerships for ClimateSmart Commodities program will fund pilot agricultural projects that implement climate conservation growing techniques.

The program aims to increase climate-smart agriculture and demand for its products, as well as promote

In Brief • Samaritan’s Purse takes PB supplemental food into Ukraine war zone.

• UGA’s Eric Prostko and TAMU’s Peter Dotray named fellows.

• Ag Expo Field Day highlights the farm’s research.

• Loans offered for private food processing and supply infrastructure.

• Dieticians learn more about early feeding of allergenic foods.

• See the Calendar of Events

inclusion of small or historically underserved producers. Projects considered for funding could be scaled up for wider use by agricultural producers and must verify that they capture methane or reduce carbon emissions.

USDA expects to grant 30 to 50 awards, depending on the number of proposals received, and will use funding from the federally operated Commodity Credit Corporation.

Program applicants must plan to use conservation methods that can be measured for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions or carbon sequestration.

Both for-profit and nonprofit entities — including state, local and tribal governments — can apply for climate-smart commodity grants, but they must have prior experience working with producers and landowners.

Individual farmers, ranchers and forest owners can partner on projects with these entities.

Projects can be between one and five years in duration with expected start dates in summer 2022. They must demonstrate results within one year of implementation. One example is plant grasses or legumes after crop harvests and before next plantings to improve soil quality and reduce compaction JUNE 2022 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

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NewsBriefs News Briefs and erosion. Another example would be keeping soil surface and previous crop residue intact before planting new crops to improve soil structure and reduce erosion. Peanuts may qualify for this program.

Grower’s Conference Planned

The 23rd Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference will be held on July 21-23, 2022, at the Edgewater Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, Florida. This year’s conference offers farmers an opportunity to learn more about legislative issues, peanut promotions and production issues.

The registration fee for peanut growers is $195, which includes all conference events and meals. The registration deadline is June 30. The registration fee increases by $50 on July 1.

The theme for this year’s conference, “Together Towards Tomorrow,” plans to focus on school nutrition, ag labor, carbon credits and more. During the Saturday morning general session, the keynote speaker is U.S. Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Penn., Republican Leader of the House Committee on Agriculture.

Register online at www.southern peanutfarmers.org. All rooms at Edgewater Beach Resort are available on a first come, first serve basis. Call the resort at (800)874-8686.

Peanut Industry Supports USO

The Virginia-Carolina promotions team has been working with United Service Organization centers in airports and bases in the VirginiaCarolina region. Their partnership with more than 15 centers includes the donation of a box of Virginia6/

THE PEANUT GROWER • JUNE 2022

Carolina-grown peanuts each month.

The promotion started with Virginia’s 10 centers and was continued into North Carolina and South Carolina.

The military holds such a large presence in the region and the V-C team says it is important to give back. The snack is a great source of protein and makes for the perfect snack to have while traveling.

Ma r ia n ne C at a l a no, Vi rg i n ia Carolinas Peanut Promotions executive director, says, “We will continue to support our troops and give back to each USO center at major airports in our region and hope they enjoy our snacks as much as our farmers love to grow them.”

Registered Dietician’s Role In Preventing Allergies

New parents are bombarded with information in the first few months of a baby’s life. Among those important messages – vaccinations, sleep and feeding – is that of peanut allergy prevention. This conversation is needed to ensure parents are ready to begin solid foods at four to six months, including potentially allergenic foods, depending on the baby’s individual risk. That’s the message from the National Peanut Board’s Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RDN, L. Collins has teamed with Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN, registered dietitian and infant nutrition expert, to talk about five key things registered dieticians need to know about the critical window of time to help prevent food allergies in early infant feeding.

These tips, when consistently shared with parents and other healthcare professionals, have the potential to make a big difference in reducing peanut allergies in future generations with a simple nutrition intervention.

“As food and nutrition experts, dietitians have an amazing opportunity to help ease parental stress around the process of starting solids. My hope is that as more caregivers feel confi-

Calendar • June 13-16, 2022 – USA Peanut Congress: The American Peanut Council and the American Peanut Shellers Association will host the 26th annual meeting at Charleston Place in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information, visit www.peanut-shellers.org.

• July 12-14, 2022 – American Peanut Research and Education Society Annual Meeting, Omni Las Colinas Hotel, Dallas, Texas. For information, visit www.apresinc. com.

• July 15, 2022 – Deadline to report final crop planted acreage for 2022 to Farm Service Agency.

• July 21, 2022 – Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day, Moultrie, Georgia. For more information, go to sunbeltexpo.com.

• July 21-23, 2022 – 23rd Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference, Edgewater Beach Resort, Panama City Beach, Florida. Hosted by Georgia Peanut Commission and grower associations in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. For information, go to www.southernpeanutfarmers. org.

dent and positive about the what, how and when of offering complementary, top allergenic foods during infancy, the more they’ll feel empowered to feed their babies in such a way that the likelihood of food allergies is reduced,” says Malkani.

For more information, visit www. nationalpeanutboard.org.

Farm Credit Partners With USDA On Guaranteed Loans

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit, ba s e d i n B a i nbr id g e , G e or g i a , announced that it will work with eligible borrowers throughout the food supply chain to provide loans through PEANUTGROWER.COM

NewsBriefs News Briefs

2022 Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day Sunbelt Ag Expo boasts a 100-acre exhibit site; however, what makes it unique to other farm shows in the country is the 600-acre Darrell Williams Research Farm. Each year, a multitude of research plots will be planted to test seed varieties, fertilizers and chemicals, soil moisture levels, irrigation usage and much more.

University of Georgia researchers, as well as company representatives and agronomists, can be found on the farm during this season as these trials are started and as samples are gathered throughout the growing season.

The Sunbelt Ag Expo Field Day, held each July, is a highlight of the year as farmers from the region visit the the USDA’s new Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program. The program, which makes available nearly $1 billion in loan guarantees, will back private investment in processing and food supply infrastructure—all designed to strengthen the food supply chain.

Paxton Poitevint, Southwest Georgia Farm Credit CEO, says, “These guaranteed loans offer the prospect for significant expansion in our area for warehouses, storage, shelling facilities, TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER

farm to learn about the newest technology being tested and how they can anticipate incorporating this technology into their operation.

This year, plan to visit: Agro-Liquid, Americot, BASF, Bayer, Corteva, Forquimica, Helena Agri-Enterprises, Miller Chemical and Fertilizer, NK Syngenta, Nutrien Ag Solutions, R.W. Griffin, University of Georgia and Vivid Life Sciences.

Mark your calendar now to be at this year’s Field Day, July 21, beginning at 8 a.m. More detailed information will be available closer to the field day at sunbeltexpo. com/field-day.

buying points, meat processing plants, as well as transporting, wholesaling or distributing food and more.”

The Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program is a part of USDA’s Build Back Better initiative to strengthen critical supply chains and our food system. This program guarantees loans of up to $40 million for qualified lenders to finance food systems projects, specifically for the start-up or expansion of activities in the middle of the food supply chain. The program’s goal

is to increase capacity and help create a more resilient, diverse and secure U.S. food supply chain.

Benefits of the program include up to $40 million per borrower, an available fixed-interest rate option, up to 40-year loan terms, no USDA initial guarantee or annual renewal fees and refinancing options limited to less than 50% of the total loan amount.

Through this program, USDA will partner with lenders like Southwest Georgia Farm Credit and others.

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MarketWatch Market Watch More Than Half Of The 2022 Crop Remains Uncontracted

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he peanut market remains quiet from both the buyer and seller side. There is availability for current crop in the mid-50 cents per pound, but no sellers for new crop. Buyers are aware that carryforward numbers are high, and there is no urgency to book any additional peanuts.

Shellers cannot contract peanuts from farmers for the new crop, and they don’t want to sell to manufacturers. Shellers are off the market as farmers are unwilling to contract at the offer of $500 per ton for runner peanuts and Virginias at $600 per ton. There is not much downside in the market with higher production costs, but any dry weather or other adverse growing conditions, and we are likely to see prices move higher for new crop peanuts.

Planting Farmers planted without further contracting, and we’ll just have to see if those decisions were right or wrong depending on acres, yields and weather.

What about total acres? Most buying points are reporting that farmers planted about the same as last year.

USDA estimates that growers intend to plant 1.57 million acres in 2022, down 1% from 2021. In Georgia, expected planted area is down 3% from 2021. Increases in planted area are expected in Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.

Average Price A total of 1.57 million acres of planted peanuts with an average yield of 4,100 pounds per acre piles up 3.22 million tons of peanuts. Demand is estimated at 3.09 million tons and carryforward is expected to increase near 1.1 million next season. Even though cotton and

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J. Tyron Spearman Contributing Editor, The Peanut Grower

LEADING MARKETING INDICATORS (May 10, 2022) 2022 Acreage Est. (-1%). .................................................. 1,449,000 acres 2022 Production Est. (if avg. yield ~4,100 lbs/A). ............ 3,218,500 tons 2022 Market Loan (5-3-22). ................................................ 2,568,453 tons 2022 Redeemed/sold (5-3-22). ......................................... 1,352,569 tons 2021-22 Domestic Usage (8 Mo.). .................................................. +0.6 % 2021-22 Exports (Jan-Mar) (2 Mo). ............................................. – 18.25 % NATIONAL POSTED PRICE (per ton) Runners -$424.89; Spanish - $413.95; Valencia and Virginias - $427.70

corn are at record prices, it will take a drought or increase in demand to move the peanut market.

Shellers are caught in the middle.

Farmers are sailing into unknown market territory with few contracts, but the market loan gives them some protection, especially those coupled with the price loss coverage program on base acres and any cooperative support from the previous year.

The average price of peanuts has pushed higher this year and is estimated

by USDA at $484 per ton. Subtract the average price from the reference price of $535 per ton, and that yields a PLC payment of $51 per ton in October for the previous year.

Domestic Use Peanut usage increased 0.6% during the past eight months for raw-shelled peanuts in primary products. Peanut butter is down 1.7% for the eight-month period, with a March 2021 versus March 2022 comparison down 5%. Candy was a winner in March up an amazing 30.4%. Snacks are down 4.3%, along

with in-shells down 3.5% for the year, but a jump in March up 8.7%.

The market is strong, but the end of the pandemic and more eating out rather than at home is showing in peanut butter numbers. Talk of a food shortage could benefit peanut butter if consumers stock up. USDA predicts that domestic food use will rise only 1% for the year.

Exports Peanut exports are predicted to decrease 12% this year. For the first two months, U.S. peanut exports are down 18.25% compared to the same period last year. Major purchases were seen in Mexico (+25%), The Netherlands (+300%) and Germany (+159%).

By category, peanut butter was down 2.9%, in-shells down 57%, with raw kernels up 9.72%. Heavy congestion exists in all European ports, which affects the supply chain. China is back in the market with a 15% market share behind Mexico and Canada. Peanut oil prices are expected to increase after the suspension of sunf lower seed and oil from Ukraine and Russia.

PEANUTGROWER.COM

MarketWatch Market Watch

Peanut exports through December 2021 and by market. Information provided by American Peanut Council.

Argentina is reporting more cold weather slowing the maturity of the peanut kernels. They are also noting a great concern that is developing into a severe situation…a serious lack of fuel for harvesting equipment and restrictions due to roadblocks. The EU continues to

favor Argentine peanuts because of low or no aflatoxin.

Markets may be quiet at planting time; however, an estimated 50% of peanuts have not been contracted with shellers. There is a day coming that shellers and farmers must agree on some

price or divert peanuts to the loan for a longer wait. There are many unknown issues that could influence the market such as inflation, cost of inputs, a labor shortage, a food shortage and the Farm Bill. Stay informed in case this quiet market turns to chaos.

Award-Winning Guide Helps Keep Farms In The Family

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publication by the Clemson Cooperative Extension Service that guides farmers through the process of keeping farms in the family was named a 2021 Notable Document by the South Carolina State Library.

The publication, Business Transfer Guide: Senior Generation, was written by Clemson Extension Agribusiness associate Steven Richards. Richards is part of a team of Clemson Extension agents and specialists who provide information and education on the use of business and economic principles for making decisions involving agriculture, natural resources and communities. The Clemson Extension Agribusiness Team is based out of Clemson’s Sandhill Research and Education Center in Columbia, South Carolina.

“The goal of this workbook is to keep the farm transfer discussion moving forward, as families often put off these sorts of discussions for too long,” Richards says. “This workbook has fill-inthe-blank worksheets, farm transfer examples and thought-provoking questions for the senior generation of farm owners.

My hope is that farm families in South Carolina can use this TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER

workbook to get the farm transfer process started.”

The publication is part of a series of business transition workbooks that takes farmers through the farm transfer process step-by-step at their own pace. It is one of an array of Clemson Extension Agribusiness resources and programs on topics such as starting an agricultural business, creating a joint business agreement, using farm assets for retirement, estate planning for farm families and much more.

“The agribusiness team receives requests each year for information or assistance with how to begin and plan for succession of a family farm,” says Nathan Smith, Clemson Extension Agribusiness Program Team leader. “Some farm transitions are planned, some are not. The workbooks are a great tool to use no matter what stage of farming or agribusiness you are in, starting an agribusiness, partnering through a joint agreement, succession planning or planning for retirement.”

For more information or a copy of this guide and other business resources, go to www.clemson.edu/extension/agribusiness/ sccced/resources.

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Wes Porter, University of Georgia Extension precision agriculture and irrigation specialist, looks at the peanut crop from an irrigation scheduling trial.

Finding That ‘Just Right’ Amount Peanuts’ water requirement changes as the crop grows. An irrigation scheduling method helps producers stay on top of the crop’s needs.

By Amanda Huber

I

n the well-known fairy tale about three bears who are away from their home, a little girl named Goldilocks wanders in and searches for the porridge, chair and, finally, the bed that is “just right” to suit her tastes. In irrigating peanuts, there is an amount that is “just right” for the crop as it grows.

Wes Porter, University of Georgia associate professor and Extension precision agriculture and irrigation specialist, strongly encourages producers to implement some type of irrigation scheduling tool to make sure the crop gets the water it needs, that “just right” amount, at the critical time, which is prior to seeing stress.

“Irrigation management is critical to high-yielding peanuts across the board,” Porter says. “In our trials, we’ve seen mismanagement of irrigation, both on the lower and the upper end, that has the ability to significantly reduce yields.

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“We can overwater peanuts, and if we have a wet year like we have had the past couple of years, you need to be mindful of using one of the irrigation-management tools to make sure we don’t overapply irrigation to the crop.”

Too Much, Too Little Affects Yields Whether it is the most basic, the UGA checkbook method, or one using soil moisture sensors or one of the online scheduling tools that are free, Porter says growers should be mindful of utilizing one of these tools to manage irrigation and in-season climate variability.

Drought in the Southwest is ongoing, but the Southeast fell into a dry pattern in mid-May as well.

Pam Knox, UGA senior public service associate and director of the UGA weather network, says many parts of the Southeast PEANUTGROWER.COM

For Center-Pivot Irrigation Systems: • Before the irrigation season starts, check for clogged or worn nozzles, missing sprinkler heads and/or leaking boots.

• Do not replace nozzles without referring to the pivot sprinkler chart. Verify the nozzle size is correct for the pivot location to ensure the nozzle operates at the specified pressure along the pivot.

Experiments in the southeastern United States have shown that a peanut crop generally requires 18 inches of water, irrigation plus rainfall, for achieving acceptable yield levels. This chart shows the weekly water requirement of the peanut plant.

are in drought conditions with eastern Georgia and southern South Carolina showing severe drought.

“Dry conditions decreased somewhat in Virginia and Florida and expanded slightly in North Carolina and Alabama,” she says.

With less than half an inch of precipitation expected in most of the region other than eastern North Carolina and southern Florida, Knox expects drought to increase.

In terms of peanuts, Porter says 2014 and 2019 have been the only years recently that could be considered dry.

“In 2015 through 2018, and in 2020, we received in excess of 20 inches of rainfall.

However, even the wet years were dynamically different in the average temperatures, rainfall distribution, water requirements and yield,” he says.

An Irrigation Scheduling Method Reduces The Guesswork It’s because weather conditions are so variable that irrigation and water management can be difficult to plan for. Producers have many options to choose from to help with irriga-

tion management. More information on irrigation scheduling methods, including trial data, can be found in the chapter “Water Use and Relationships in Peanut Production” by Porter in the UGA Peanut Production Guide on the website peanuts.caes.uga.edu.

“There are many options available to producers such as the UGA Checkbook, UGA Easypan, online scheduling tools, and soil and/ or crop sensors. Each method has potential for successful adoption, but it is up to the producer to make the decision on which method is the best for their operation. Each method has associated time and financial costs, but with the proper management, the return on investment can be very short,” Porter says.

Overall, farmers must find ways to adapt to changing conditions and manage the crop in these conditions.

“Make sure to stay on top of the crop’s water requirement throughout the season because it’s going to change as the crop grows and progresses,” Porter says. “We want to make sure that we get irrigation to the crop at the critical time and that is prior to seeing stress.” PG

Critical Periods for Crop Water Use by Peanuts Plant Growth Stage

Plant Indicators Susceptibility

Relative Drought

Germination

Planting to Emergence

High

Early Vegetative

Emergence to Flowering/Pegging

Low

Nut Development and Fruiting

Flowering/Pegging to Pod Addition

High

Maturation

Pod Formation to Harvest

Moderate

TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER

• If you operate a variable rate irrigation (VRI) system, check if the solenoid valves are operating properly and electronics have not been damaged during fall or winter months.

• A catch-can test is recommended every year to evaluate the uniformity of water application.

• Make sure the pivot operates at the pressure for the designated sprinkler chart.

• Be aware that the revolution time, or speed, of the pivot is directly related to the amount of irrigation water to be applied.

• Causes of poor uniformity in water application are related to inadequate pump operating pressure and/or flow rate, incorrect nozzle size and placement, worn or clogged nozzles, missing sprinkler heads, leaking boots (flexible unions between span pipes) and incorrect control panel settings.

• Common causes of operating pressure difficulties are wells in which groundwater declines through the growing season; worn pump impellers; water leakage from sprinklers along the irrigation system; elevation of the terrain.

Source: Operation & Maintenance Problems of Center Pivot Irrigation, Alabama Cooperative Extension.

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Hitting The Target What sprayer set-up offers the best coverage and reach into the canopy?

By Amanda Huber

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imely and effective pesticide applications are critical to protect yield and quality from pests throughout the season. Simerjeet Virk, University of Georgia Extension precision ag specialist, says several factors can influence the coverage and efficacy required during spray applications for effective pest control.

Pressure, volume, boom height, droplet size, tractor speed and field conditions are all factors that play a part in good crop coverage, and for peanuts, good penetration into the canopy.

Choose A Multi-Nozzle Assembly The nozzle is one of the least expensive parts on a sprayer that has the most effect, Virk says.

“If you have a worn nozzle or the wrong size or type, the chances of something going wrong are significantly increased.”

Nozzle type affects sprayer output, uniformity, coverage and drift. Consult the manufacturer’s nozzle catalog for selecting the nozzle that provides the desired output (flow rate and droplet size) specific to the application. Nozzle selection will also depend on the ground speed and pressure required to achieve the rate in gallons per acre.

“Is there one nozzle that can do the best job across different pesticide applications? Probably not.” Virk says.

In this instance, he recommends using a multi-nozzle turret body.

“You can put three, four or five nozzles, depending on the type of turret body, which will work best for each type of application – herbicide, fungicide or insecticide – as you go through the season. You don’t have to take it on and off. All you do is change the turret to the type of nozzle you need.”

Read And Follow The Pesticide Label The correct nozzle recommendation, along with pressure, volume and other parameters for effective application, can be found on the pesticide label. Producers should always start pesticide application by reading the label.

Virk and other researchers continue to look at combinations that offer the best coverage and efficacy as well. With assistance from Bob Kemerait, UGA Extension plant pathologist, Virk says a current study is looking at spray volume and droplet size to determine the combination that gives the best coverage and penetration.

“We are looking at three different spray volumes: 10, 15 and

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THE PEANUT GROWER • JUNE 2022

20 gallons per acre, and three different droplet sizes: a medium droplet, one of the most commonly used, a very coarse droplet and an ultra-coarse droplet.

“The reason we are looking at some of these larger droplets is because we have growers who are also cotton growers and one of the questions from them is, ‘Can I use these Dicamba nozzles, which produce large droplets to reduce drift, to spray peanuts throughout the season?’ So, we’re investigating that,” Virk says.

Options For Better Coverage Virk says they have conducted application-type trials looking at coverage from the top of the canopy, the middle and the bottom of the peanut canopy.

“When spraying peanut fungicides, we need to make sure that the product is reaching the crown of the plant,” he says.

“Two outcomes that we have found in our studies is that increased volumes provide better coverage and canopy penetration, as does smaller droplet size. With larger droplets, as much as 50% of that volume can be lost from the pesticide by not reaching down into the crown of the plant.

For most applications, the recommended spray pressure should be between 30 to 50 pounds per square inch, which results in medium to coarse droplets to reduce drift while still providing adequate spray coverage. Virk says producers should be cautious about smaller droplets.

“When you use standard XR flat-fan nozzles with a high pressure, it creates a lot of fine droplets. A little bit of wind and all those fine droplets are drifting.”

Virk says they have found that producers may be losing up to 30% of the volume under these conditions.

“If you do the math, if you are spraying 10 gallons, technically, you are only putting out 7 gallons; 30% is lost to the wind.”

Ground speed also plays an important role in achieving the desired application rate. Faster speeds will cause excessive boom bounce, sending finer droplets higher into the air and increasing the potential for drift. Boom height, too, influences spray pattern and drift. Reduce tractor speed to less than 10 miles per hour and set boom height at 20 to 30 inches from the target for consistent, more uniform coverage and less drift.

Attention to details and time spent on sprayer maintenance, set up and calibration will go a long way to helping ensure effective spray coverage and pest protection. PG PEANUTGROWER.COM

Maximize Spray Performance • Check pesticide labels for the recommended rate and droplet size requirements to select the best nozzle that meets those application parameters.

• Medium to coarse droplets are more effective for herbicide applications, whereas fungicide applications generally require finer droplets for increased coverage and efficacy.

• Maintain consistent ground speed and spray pressure during application to achieve the desired droplet size for optimum coverage and canopy penetration.

• Select nozzles for the application rate and droplet size at operating pressures of 30 to 50 pounds per square inch.

• Calibrate a sprayer properly to verify the actual application rate in gallons per acre. Spray output should be checked at multiple locations across the boom/spray width.

• Increase carrier volume/application rate for improved coverage.

Do not lower spray volume below the minimum recommended rate specified on the pesticide label.

• Spray at ground speeds of less than 10 mph to obtain consistent and more uniform coverage across the field.

• Lower boom height to 20-24 inches above the soil or crop canopy to maintain adequate spray overlap and application uniformity across the boom.

• Consider wind speed and direction during spray applications. Avoid spraying when wind speeds are more than 10 mph to reduce off-target movement of pesticides.

• Avoid spraying when the conditions for temperature inversions are favorable.

• Use a rate controller for flow rate adjustments with changes in ground speed to maintain target application rate throughout the field during spraying.

Showing participants at the UGA cotton/peanut research field day a multi-nozzle turret body, Simer Virk, University of Georgia Extension precision ag specialist, says producers could use that technology to keep the three to five mostused nozzles on the sprayer at the same time.

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• Advanced technologies such as pulse width modulation (PWM) and auto-boom height can also be utilized to minimize variations in application rate and coverage across the field.

Source: UGA Peanut Production Agronomic Quick Reference Guide

JUNE 2022 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

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Boom Sprayer Calibration Read the label, perform maintenance and calibrate application equipment to be sure pesticides are applied correctly.

S

prayer calibration is an important step when applying pesticides and should not be overlooked. Lots of different sprayers can be used in agriculture including some common types such as boomless applicators, air blast applicators and handgun applicators. This article will be discussing the process of calibrating a boom sprayer.

Determining Pesticides Per Acre Boom sprayers are used to make broadcast applications of pesticides to large areas such as fields. Read the label before applying pesticides. Extension professionals recommend reading the label before purchasing pesticides. The pesticide label is the law, and the applicator should follow label directions.

The pesticide label will tell you how much of the pesticide

to apply per acre. The label will also tell the gallons of water needed per acre as recommended by the manufacturer. It is common for a pesticide label to recommend a range of 10 to 40 gallons of water per acre.

For boom sprayers, operating pressure, nozzle size and spacing, as well as operating speed determine the volume of water applied per acre. How much pesticide do you put in a tank? First, determine how many gallons of water you are applying per acre, then calculate how much pesticide to add to the tank.

For this example, I will use the 1/128 acre method, but other methods could be used. Even though we calibrate a sprayer with only water in the tank, personal protective equipment should be worn.

Sprayer Maintenance: • Check and clean the tips, filter and hoses.

• Replace worn out, leaking or nonfunctioning parts.

• Test pump to ensure proper functioning.

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THE PEANUT GROWER • JUNE 2022

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Perform Sprayer Maintenance First, check and clean the tips, filter, hoses and pump, and make sure the sprayer is functioning properly. Put only water in the tank and check the output volume at all the nozzles.

This can be accomplished by collecting the volume from each nozzle for the same period of time. The volume may not be exact, but it should be within 10% of one another. Over time, tips can wear and may need to be replaced.

Determine Length And Timing The next step is to determine the length of the calibration course. For the 1/128 acre method, I start by determining how many feet it takes for one spray nozzle to cover 340 square feet, so we need to measure the distance between nozzles on the boom. For example, nozzles spaced 12 inches apart will require the calibration course to be 340 feet long. An 18-inch nozzle spacing will require a calibration course 227 feet long. A 20-inch nozzle spacing needs a course 204 feet long. To determine the length of the calibration course, divide 340 by the spacing expressed in feet. For nozzles spaced 19 inches apart, or 1.58 feet (19/12=1.58), divide 340 by 1.58 to get the calibration course length of 215 feet.

The calibration course should be measured in the field where spraying will be done. Place a marker of some kind on each end of the calibration course. Then determine the amount of time required to drive the tractor the length of the calibration course. You may drive the course several times in order to calculate an average speed. Keep note of the gear and revolutions per minute at which you are operating while driving the cali-

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bration course. You should always use the same tractor with the same sprayer. If you change tractors or sprayers, you will need to recalibrate.

Measure Output And Make Adjustments While the sprayer is stationary, collect water from one nozzle for the length of time that it took to drive the calibration course. The tractor should be operating at the same RPM as it was while driving the calibration course. Measure the volume of water caught in ounces. The number of ounces equals the gallons of water that will be applied per acre.

An applicator can change either the speed, nozzle size or pressure to achieve the desired volume per acre. If an applicator is applying 18 gallons of water per acre and you would like to apply 20 gallons, the simplest thing to change is usually the pressure. Once the pressure is adjusted, the person doing the calibration can collect water from a nozzle for the amount of time it took to drive the calibration course. It may take a few adjustments to get to the desired volume of 20 gallons per acre.

If a person has a 100-gallon tank and is applying 20 gallons of water per acre, then the applicator can apply pesticides to five acres with every tank full. If the label recommends one pint of pesticide per acre, then the applicator will add five pints of pesticide with every full tank. Remember to read the label before purchasing pesticides and give the local Extension office a call to help answer any questions.

Article by Chip East, Alabama Cooperative Extension regional agent.

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JUNE 2022 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

15

Soil Moisture Monitoring Q & A On-farm trials show farmers how using soil moisture monitoring technology can help them irrigate more efficiently.

Q

What are the benefits of monitoring soil moisture?

A. The evapotranspiration rate of the crop, the rainfall pattern and the soil type combined determine the timing and amount of irrigation that needs to be applied to avoid crop stress and produce high yields. Since weather conditions are unpredictable, measuring soil moisture is one of the ways to properly determine irrigation timing and amount.

Measuring soil moisture can help save water, reduce energy costs, increase yields and protect the environment.

Excess irrigation will increase the cost of production and can have negative environmental effects such as runoff, waterlogging and leaching of soil nutrients and other chemicals that can eventually contaminate water sources and reduce yield. Insufficient irrigation can result in crop stress and reduced yields.

Although it is common for farmers to estimate soil moisture by looking at the crop for visible stress or feeling for soil moisture by hand, it can be measured or monitored more effectively and accurately using a variety of commercially available monitoring systems, some of which provide continuous data collection.

components: (1) the soil moisture sensing probe, (2) the power supply, (3) the data collection device, (4) the data transmitter, (5) the base station.

Q. What is a soil moisture monitoring system?

A. A soil moisture monitoring system is a combination of devices that can perform one or more of the following functions: sense soil moisture, read/ store data, transmit data to a computer, which helps organize, visualize and interpret the soil moisture data.

A soil moisture monitoring system can be divided into the following five

Q. What is the soil moisture sensing probe?

A. The soil moisture sensing probe or soil moisture sensor is a device that measures or estimates how much water the soil contains at a given depth and time. The soil moisture probe/sensor does not measure soil moisture directly but usually derives soil moisture by measuring other soil properties that depend on soil moisture, such as soil

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THE PEANUT GROWER • JUNE 2022

Allendale County farmer Joe Oswald helps Clemson researcher Dana Bodiford Turner install watermark soil moisture sensors for on-farm trials to show farmers how using soil moisture monitoring technology can help them irrigate more efficiently.

water tension or the ability of soil to conduct or store electricity. There is a variety of soil moisture probes/sensors on the market ranging from single soil moisture sensors that are buried in the ground at the required depth, to soil moisture probes with multiple sensors at different depths, which are installed via an access tube. Probe selection depends on the crop, cost, preference, availability and ease of installation.

Q. What is the power supply?

A. Since most current soil moisture monitoring systems rely on electronics, a reliable source of electricity is PEANUTGROWER.COM

Soil Moisture Sensors Increase Average Net Income Clemson University Edisto Research and Education Center irrigation specialist José Payero is conducting on-farm trials to show farmers how using soil moisture monitoring technology can help them irrigate more efficiently. Soil moisture sensors were installed in six fields with different soil types in Allendale, Barnwell, Hampton, Lexington and Orangeburg Counties. Each field was planted with either peanut, cotton or soybean.

“Soil moisture sensors were installed in each field, while no sensors were installed in the companion fields,” Payero says. “Based on agronomic and economic data collected in 2020, we found the increased net income ranged from $87.30 per acre to $641.19 per acre, or 7.6% to 63.5%. The average increased net income for all the six farms was $202.28 per acre, or 19.42%.”

The sensor fields were irrigated using center-pivot systems. Farmers followed their standard irrigation practices to irrigate companion fields.

The farmers were trained to irrigate the sensor fields based on the collected soil moisture data using a few simple guidelines. They also were guided through installing and using the app to monitor soil moisture levels on their cell phones.

The technology researchers are using is called the Clemson Water Management System. It was developed by Payero and uses sensors to collect and transfer data over a wireless network.

During the trials, soil moisture sensors were installed at four depths – 6, 12, 18 and 24 inches. Data was collected hourly automatically through a custom-made Internet-of-things (IoT) system, transmitting data to a Cloud server using a cellular network.

Help For Applying At Optimum Rates Payero and his team will complete the third year of trials in 2022.

“This easy-to-use, affordable soil moisture monitoring system will help growers enhance water-use efficiency and increase profits while

Increased net income by irrigating using soil moisure sensors obtained in six farms in South Carolina in 2020.

Increased net income with sensors

Farm

Crop

Farm 1

Cotton

141.76

13.7

Farm 2

Peanut

173.14

14.7

Farm 3

Soybean

641.19

63.5

Farm 4

Peanut

169.60

16.9

Farm 5

Peanut

87.30

7.6

Farm 6

Cotton

0.74

0.1

$202.28

19.42%

Average

($/acre)

(%)

substantially reducing water and energy use, erosion and leaching of chemicals such as pesticides and soil nutrients,” Payero says. “It also will help growers apply water at optimum rates where needed.”

Joe Oswald is a fourth-generation farmer at JCO Farms in Allendale County. His family farm is participating in the study. They grow peanuts, corn, soybeans, cotton, oats, rye and sorghum, as well as run 150 head of Angus cattle. Because this is a study, farmers and researchers are learning as the research progresses.

Oswald says in 2021, they were fortunate in that they didn’t have to run irrigation much on peanuts, cotton or soybeans.

“Because corn requires more water, we had to water it earlier in the summer when conditions were dry. As for watering based on sensors we have in our soybeans, we irrigated when the moisture got to the threshold of -40 kPa.” Oswald is learning how to adjust his system to adapt to crop irrigation requirements. PG For more information on Clemson University Water Resources, go to https://www.clemson.edu/extension/water/index.html

directly. Therefore, some kind of data collection device is needed to obtain the electrical output from the sensor(s) and convert it to soil moisture or some other unit that is meaningful to the user. Data from the sensor can be collected manually or automatically. For manual data collection, the user must go to the field and connect the portable readout device to the soil moisture probe installed in the field.

For applications requiring frequent data collection or for convenience, data collection can be automated using an electronic datalogger. A datalogger is a type of computer connected to the sensors that can be programmed to collect, store and/or transmit data at regular time intervals ranging from seconds to days. Usually, the logger stores the date and time required. Most systems have been designed to operate in remote locations where electricity is not available. Therefore, they usually operate with power supplied by batteries. Some systems can operate for months using small AA batteries, but others need more power and rely on larger batteries that are recharged with solar panels.

Q. What is the data collection device?

A. Although some sensors, like tensiometers, have a manual readout to directly read the soil moisture (tension), most probes produce an electronic signal, such as resistance or voltage, that changes with soil moisture and cannot be seen TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER

JUNE 2022 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

17

For satellite and cell phone data transmission, the user normally would need to subscribe to a monthly data plan, which represents an on-going cost in addition to the initial investment cost of purchasing the system.

Q. What is the base station?

A. The base station is usually a computer equipped with a data receiver of some type, such as a modem, radio or satellite receiver. The computer is also equipped with software needed to communicate with the datalogger to download the data. Some systems also send the data to an external website.

Companies selling soil moisture monitoring systems usually have their own software. The software helps the user download, organize, view and interpret data and create reports, among other functions.

corresponding to the soil moisture reading from each sensor.

Some dataloggers have a screen for viewing the data on-site and others do not.

Q. What is the data transmitter?

A. Once the datalogger collects and stores the soil moisture data, the next step is to send the data to a computer where it can be further processed. If the data is not needed to make decisions at the same time as it is collected (in real time), an option is to store the data in the datalogger, and periodically, such as weekly, the user can connect a computer to the datalogger and download the data to the computer.

If the data is needed in real time, it can be transferred to a computer using either wired or wireless communication. Wired communication is just linking the logger and the computer with a wire connection, which could be adequate for short distances. In most cases, wireless communication is more practical.

Wireless communication can be done either via satellite, radio or cell phone. Each of these types of communication options would require special equipment, such as a radio transmitter, a satellite transmitter or a cell phone modem. One or several repeater antennas are also required to transmit the signal, depending on whether there is line of sight between the datalogger and the computer, as well as the distance involved.

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THE PEANUT GROWER • JUNE 2022

Soil moisture for different depths plotted by computer software

Q. What is the investment cost?

A. The cost of a soil moisture monitoring system can vary significantly depending on the company, the number of sensor depths required, the data transmission option and other options.

Comparative cost of two soil moisture monitoring systems ($US in 2013, measuring 3 soil depths).

Options

Watermark

Decagon

Installation tool

$139

---

Manual measurement

$303

$804

Data logged automatically

$570

$1,074

Data transmitted via radio

$1,790

$1,845

Data transmitted via satellite

$2,395

$1,682

$279/year

$200/year

Cost of transmitting data

Q. What are the barriers to adoption?

A. Adoption of soil moisture monitoring systems by farmers is limited by a lack of information and training, difficulties in installing and calibrating the sensors in the field and difficulties involved in downloading and interpreting the data. Cost can also be an issue for some of the systems, although there are some very affordable systems available. Another problem has been that sensors installed in the field can interfere with farming operations. PG Article by José Payero, Ahmad Khalilian and Rebecca Davis, Clemson University. For information, visit Agroclimate.org.

PEANUTGROWER.COM

Tornado Hits Texas A&M AgriLife Facilities The Vernon location is home to the new $1 million Foundation Seed shelling plant.

O

Cold Storage Facility A Special Concern Another immediate concern in the cleanup at the Foundation Seed facilities was the research material in cold storage, Vierling said. All the materials had to be moved to a warehouse to get them out of the elements.

Foundation Seed produces and markets genetically pure seeds of new plant cultivars developed by AgriLife Research scientists. It also distributes vegetatively propagated plant materials and provides production and seed conditioning services to public and private breeding programs.

The cold storage room housed 2,000 breeder samples and early generation material of nearly 20 species of different crops, including small grains such as wheat, oats, rye and barley, as well as peanuts, cotton, native flowering forbs, grasses, millet, TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER

The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon was damaged by an EF-3 tornado May 4.

TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE PHOTO

New Sheller OK, Wagons Destroyed Preliminary assessments reported damage to infrastructure and buildings, including but not limited to greenhouses, metal buildings and vehicles. After initial inspections, much of the equipment appeared to be intact.

“Every building at Foundation Seed is impacted, except for the office,” Vierling said. “The larger equipment appears to be undamaged. Our new $1 million peanut sheller appears to be okay, along with the wheat seed cleaner.” A more thorough assessment would take some time.

He said they were lucky their large equipment — a combine, cotton stripper, tractor and sprayer — appear to be undamaged or only have minimal damage. Some small equipment was damaged, and 10 of 21 peanut wagons were destroyed.

TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE PHOTO

n May 4, an EF-3 tornado hit the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center and the nearby Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed facility in Vernon. What followed was an outpouring of comfort and support from the communities of Vernon to Wichita Falls and from the entire Texas A&M AgriLife statewide network.

All employees accounted for and safe, most of them were back on the premises the night of May 4, helping secure as much of the property as possible, said Rick Vierling, center director.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed offices were spared but all other buildings were damaged.

guar and sorghum. While there are other locations around the state, Vierling said the Foundation Seed location was their largest cold storage facility.

Employees have worked at the facilities, if possible, or from home, but work continues all the same. One event that did have to be postponed – the 50th anniversary celebration of the Texas A&M AgriLife center in Vernon scheduled for June 21.

“We are postponing it for now, but we will celebrate our anniversary sometime this year,” Vierling said. PG Article provided by Texas A&M AgriLife.

JUNE 2022 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

19

PeanutPointers Peanut Pointers Most of the Southwest peanuts have been planted. Early June is a good time to check for successful nodulation, which is not always a guarantee in Texas due to the hot and dry weather. Rhizobium spp. is a living organism that can be killed if the surrounding temperature is too hot.

Therefore, it is recommended EMI KIMURA to store the inoculants at room Texas A&M AgriLife Extension temperature and out of heat/ State Extension Peanut sunlight. If soil temperature is Specialist too hot, it can also reduce the Rhizobium population in the soil, which then reduces available nitrogen for peanuts.

In West Texas, 20 active nodules per plant five to six weeks after planting is considered excellent. Active nodules should be pink to dark red in color inside the nodule, while inactive nodules are white inside the nodule. Nodule numbers of 10 or less can benefit from additional nitrogen if soil-available nitrogen is less than 20 pounds per acre.

TAMU AGRILIFE EXTENSION

Scout For Active Nodules

Nodules that are pink to dark red inside indicate that the nodule is actively fixing atmospheric nitrogen.

Although peanuts are legumes, young peanut seedlings need soil-available nitrogen before peanuts can start fixing atmospheric nitrogen. If soil test results indicate 20 pounds per acre of nitrogen, it can support healthy and vigorous seedling development. However, an excess amount of nitrogen can increase chances of pod rot infestation; therefore, soil sampling and testing are highly recommended to determine the amount of fertilizer required for the optimum growth and development of peanuts.

DAVID JORDAN, N.C. STATE EXTENSION

This photo shows nitrogen deficiency symptoms in peanut.

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THE PEANUT GROWER • JUNE 2022

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PeanutPointers Peanut Pointers Soil pH And Gypsum Interaction In June, in the VirginiaCarolina region, there is a lot going on in peanut fields.

The performance of preplant incorporated, preemergence and even early postemergence herbicide programs will be apparent. Residual herbicides included with contact herbicides (Gramoxone, Storm, DAVID JORDAN U lt ra Bla z er, C obra a nd North Carolina State Basagran) and systemic herUniversity bicides (Cadre, 2,4-DB and Extension Agronomist clethodim-containing products) can help protect peanuts from weed interference well into the middle of the season.

There are no major issues in terms of compatibility, such as greater peanut injury, less weed control or settling in the tank, when residual herbicides like Dual Magnum, Outlook, Zidua, Warrant and Anthem Flex are applied with herbicides that control the weeds that are up.

Some fields will have thrips injury at levels that can reduce yield. The key is to scout early and control thrips before the terminals are blackened and the plants are stunted. Timing will depend on the product used in the seed furrow, and every year we have fields that need a follow up acephate spray, regardless of the systemic insecticide used in the seed furrow.

In previous years, I would mention that growers need to look at the southern corn rootworm index and decide if chlorpyrifos (Lorsban) is needed in moderate to high-risk fields. However, Lorsban is no longer a legal option, and we have no chemistry that can legally be used for this pest.

Entomologists around the V-C region and southeast are looking at alternatives to Lorsban. Some of the trials include multiple applications of foliar sprays to control the adults. The entomology community is skeptical that this approach will be effective, and there are downsides to making multiple foliar sprays. Depending on the product, we can definitely open the door for spider mites to come in, like we often did with Lorsban.

Gypsum will start going out in early June in some fields, and this process will likely take the month of June to complete. I encourage producers to make sure there is adequate peanut growth across the top of the bed to make sure the top of the row doesn’t wash too badly and move a lot of the gypsum to the furrows.

At our meetings this past year, I discussed interactions of soil pH and gypsum. With elevated production costs and supply chain issues, we are likely going to produce TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER

Entomologists are looking at alternatives to Lorsban, including possible foliar sprays to control adult caterpillars, such as southern corn rootworm. The downside to foliar sprays is flaring spider mites, as pictured.

peanuts in some fields with marginal pH values. We need the entire field at pH 5.8 or greater to optimize yield. In research from a few years back, we noted a clear increase in yield from gypsum when soil pH was 6.0. The increase was about 11%. Unfortunately, when the pH was around 5.6, there was an 11% drop in yield compared with the no-gypsum control. This turned out to be a 26% difference when you compared soil pH 5.6 with gypsum to soil pH 6.0 with gypsum. My suggestion is that if your soil pH is in the mid-five range, only put out half the rate of gypsum. If you are at 6.0, then the full rate is in order.

It will not be long until we will start our fungicide spray programs for leaf spot and stem rot control. In North Carolina, we suggest starting at the R-3 stage of peanuts or no later than July 10. More on that with the next issue.

JUNE 2022 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

21

PeanutPointers Peanut Pointers Calcium In Dryland Production Hopefully, we will have more rain the rest of the growing season than we have had in May. May is typically a dry month; however, we have endured some high temperatures early this season thus far.

At this time of the season, I am thinking about the weather and calcium.

You all know how important KRIS BALKCOM Auburn University calcium is for peanuts and how Extension Specialist important gypsum is for seed peanuts. We also know all seed peanuts are irrigated and have gypsum applied at pegging.

One interesting fact we found researching gypsum application was how important it was in a dryland situation. Now, for general production peanuts, we try and monitor our calcium levels and pH with high-cal lime. We also know that around 80% to 85% of our peanuts in Alabama are dryland.

This was where our research findings were very important for future recommendations.

Gypsum is very water soluble so that it goes in the soil solution and becomes plant available faster than any other calcium source available. Therefore, in an irrigated commercial production field of peanuts, calcium continues to break down during the growing season from the irrigation applications and rainfall. Timing of calcium availability is not as crucial because moisture is always present. However, in a dryland situation, moisture and calcium availability is more critical. Our research findings showed us that gypsum could be even more important in a dryland situation than an irri-

Irrigation and gypsum are critical to provide seed peanuts with the calcium needed for healthy embryos. The picture shows a healthy seed embryo (top) compared to a calcium-deficient one.

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THE PEANUT GROWER • JUNE 2022

gated scenario because the limited moisture from scattered and infrequent rainfall could cause issues with calcium availability. Hopefully, the frequency of summer showers will not be an issue for anyone; but, if it is, pay close attention to your calcium levels in the soil.

Use Researched Products And Practices Growers are faced with a lot of uncertainty this year.

Commodity prices, higher input costs and the tight supply of some inputs have caused growers to rethink their game plan for the 2022 season. As a result, many growers have reduced peanut acres and/ or put more peanut acres on non-irrigated land. Altering SCOTT MONFORT University of Georgia planting intentions to ensure Extension Agronomist profits makes sense. However, altering production practices to save money for peanut may cost you in the long term as it can lead to more issues with diseases, insects, etc. which, in turn, can reduce yield potential.

Yield potential is always the name of the game for growers.

University Extension specialists and researchers constantly seek out and test new product chemistries and fine tune recommendations. This is in an effort to promote the best products and/or production practices to furLoss of yield ther the yield potenpotential to save tial for our growers.

While there are many a few dollars or a new products on the few hours is simply market, only a select not worth the risk. few have increased yields significantly. If I were to put myself in the position of our growers, I would stay the course using university Extension-recommended products and practices. Loss of yield potential to save a few dollars or a few hours is simply not worth the risk.

A grower will have a higher yield, which means more money, by supplying the crop with the right fertility, managing weeds from the beginning, using the most effective fungicide program and using insecticides and irrigation, if available, when needed. Lastly, it is always a good strategy to have your peanut acres examined for issues on a weekly basis by a crop scout, consultant or county agent. Please call your local county agent if you have any questions or comments.

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Southern Peanut Growers Conference

july 21-23, 2022 Edgewater beach & Golf resort • panama city beach, florida

!

There is no longer a block of rooms available at Edgewater Beach Resort for the conference. All rooms are available on a first come, first serve basis. It is very important to reserve your room as soon as possible before the resort books up.

For detailed hotel room, conference and registration information, visit www.southernpeanutfarmers.org.

Brought to you by the family farmers of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation

www.southernpeanutfarmers.org

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