Peanut Grower, May 2014

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PEANUTGROWER The

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

MAY 2014

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

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MAY 2014

21

PEANUTGROWER The

Volume 26 • Number 5

14 Departments 4 Editor’s Note Signs are all around that acreage may increase.

5 News Briefs Ag Chairman Lucas calls passage of Farm Bill a “miracle.”

6 Market Watch A more moderate acreage increase would help with marketing.

Features

9 Peanut Proud Presentation

On behalf of The Peanut Grower and sponsors of the anniversary issue, a check is presented at the annual festival.

20 New Products Soil-water monitors help pinpoint the crop’s water needs.

10 Unlocking The Genetic Code

21 Peanut Pointers Conditions early may warrant an over-the-top application for thrips.

12 Sustainable Production Practices

In reporting on their success, the International Peanut Genome Initiative has released the first genome sequences.

Employ those disease management strategies that take a longterm view of the farm.

14 Prime Position For Arkansas A new state earns primary status as USDA’s NASS estimates a 29 percent acreage increase over all states.

Cover photo by Amanda Huber

16 Protect Your Yield Be ready for conditions in 2014 that favor the return of foliage feeders.

18 Maintain Propane Equipment Service propane-powered equipment such as irrigation engines, generators and pickup trucks to ensure good performance.

MAY 2014 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

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EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Copy Editor Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com

Signs Of An Acreage Increase

Art Director Carol Watson

ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 767-4020 Editorial Director Tommy Horton (901) 767-4020 thorton@onegrower.com Sales Manager Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Janet Owens (229) 386-8809 Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth (800) 888-9784 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com

For circulation changes or change of address, call (800) 888-9784

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD John Beasley Extension Agronomist Auburn University Dell Cotton Peanut Growers Cooperative Marketing Assn., Franklin, VA Kris Balkcom Agri-Program Associate Auburn University Craig Kvien Coastal Plain Experiment Station,Tifton, GA

Jason Woodward Extension Plant Pathologist 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 Memphis, TN. Copyright © 2014 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 SUNBELT FULFILLMENT SERVICES, 307 SOUTHGATE COURT, Brentwood, TN 37027-7987. 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.

One Grower Publishing, LLC 1010 June Rd., Suite 102, Memphis, Tennessee, 38119 Phone: 901-767-4020

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THE PEANUT GROWER • MAY 2014

Neighborhood Watch programs have nothing on the one in my neighborhood.

By neighborhood, I really just mean my house and that of my parents and the one other road that leads into the farm and goes to my Papa’s old house. During the day, the only “watchers” are my parents, mostly my mother, me and the dog. It’s enough. You’d have to be CIA trained to get on our property without us knowing pretty quickly. So when a huge Komatsu trackhoe parked on the next piece of property, we knew it immediately.

While waiting on my parents to investigate, a call came in to my office. It was a local Farm Credit representative. He needed information on farmer-stock peanut prices for 2006 through 2013 to help with some lending situations.

He said he had been very busy lately, even describing it as “exploding,” making loan information available for peanut production.

While I am putting together numbers for him, my house phone rang. It was my mother. My father had already been to investigate the Komatsu and here was his report: A local young farmer had rented that piece of property, which had been vacant for at least 20 years, and was clearing trees to plant peanuts. Well, I’ll be.

These were the signs I had this spring that peanut acreage would be increasing. Sure enough, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service says acreage will increase 29 percent. I don’t know about that. While I do see areas going into peanut production that haven’t had any crop, I have seen other areas that are going into rotation crops and not peanuts. I hope it does not meet USDA’s estimate, but is a little more moderate so that prices have a chance to rebound. Then again, I won’t begrudge any farmer from trying to make a living with a crop this year.

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Lucas Says Farm Bill Was A Miracle U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, was disappointed that the Agriculture Act of 2014 was not made permanent law. That failure, he said, may give some legitimacy to beliefs that the recently signed law could be the last Farm Bill.

Speaking at the Oklahoma Peanut Expo, Lucas said that the Agriculture Act of 2014 continues to provide a farm safety net and cuts spending, not as much as some would have preferred, but more than some others liked.

“We had to craft a bi-partisan bill,” Lucas said. “The Farm Bill has always been a coalition of the middle.” That middle ground was harder than usual to locate in a process that defied compromise for more than five years. The hard left and the hard right threatened to crush the moderate middle.

“The left doesn’t want to spend money on rural America,” Lucas said.

“The right doesn’t want to spend money on anything on any occasion. But they still have a responsibility to provide for American agriculture.”

Lucas said the process included a very conservative House, a liberal President, a Senate with no control and a $17 trillion debt. Add to that a significant turnover in the House, including changes in the ag committee. “We had about half the House that didn’t understand what we were doing,” he said.

Overall, the final bill offers choices.

“Agriculture is too important not to continue supporting it through Congress,” Lucas said. “I will not be Chairman after this Congress, but I will always be on the House Ag Committee.”

Industry Leaders Support Farm Bill In response to some complaints about the 2014 Farm Bill, three leading peanut groups have expressed united support in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for the 2014 Farm Bill.

The letter states that the bill encourages flexibility for peanut producers and provides a healthy marketplace for the U.S. peanut industry in the foreseeable future.

“Our organizations support the intent of the Conference Committee and its leadership for these new provisions including the Price Loss Coverage and Agricultural Risk Coverage Programs.

The Agricultural Act of 2014 includes new provisions for base acres for covered commodities and generic base acres.

We support the Conference Committee’s intent relative to the implementation of provisions for base acres for covered commodities and generic base acres,” states the letter.

The letter was signed by the presidents of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the National Peanut Buying Points Association and the American Peanut Shellers Association. Support in some organizations was not unanimous, but was supported by the majority.

Loan Assistance Program Ready The USDA Farm Service Agency will begin accepting requests for marketing assistance loans (MALs) and loan deficiency payments (LDPs) for eligible 2014 commodities. MALs and LDPs for the 2014 crop year become available to eligible producers beginning with harvest/shearing season and extending through a specific commodity’s final loan availability date.

MALs and LDPs provide financing and marketing assistance for wheat, feed grains, soybeans, and other oilseeds, pulse crops, rice, peanuts, cotton, wool, mohair and honey. MALs provide producers interim financing after harvest to help them meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are typically low.

Allowing farmers to store their products at harvest facilitates a more orderly marketing of commodities throughout the year. A producer who is eligible to

In Brief: • Failure to make Agriculture Act permanment law may signal the end.

• Industry organizations say Farm Bill provides flexibility in support letter.

• FSA ready for market loan requests, even as cuts to FSA are discussed.

• Grocery store chain dumps good Sunland peanut butter instead of giving it to a food bank.

• Hardy Farms Peanut Rub wins UGA Flavor of Georgia award.

• Cheminova releases new peanut fungicide for use on key diseases such as white mold.

• See the Calendar of Events

obtain a loan, but agrees to forgo the loan, may obtain an LDP if such a payment is available. Marketing loan provisions and LDPs are not available for sugar and extra-long staple cotton, which have new programs.

The 2014 Farm Bill also establishes payment limitations per individual or entity not to exceed $125,000 annually on certain commodities for the following program benefits: price loss coverage payments, agriculture risk coverage payments, marketing loan gains (MLGs) and LDPs. These payment limitations do not apply to MAL loan disbursements. Consult FSA for details.

Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) provisions were modified by the 2014 Farm Bill, which states that a producer whose total applicable three-year average AGI exceeds $900,000 is not eligible to receive an MLG or LDP. The 2014 crop loan rate is $355 per ton for peanuts. Differentials for peanuts have not been announced.

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Hope for a more modest increase than USDA’s acreage estimate ncertainty in the peanut market created by the Farm Bill and the lack of profitable alternatives has peanut farmers worried about the future and where the industry is headed.

USDA further doomed market potential by estimating that U.S. peanut acreage would rebound by 29 percent this year, up 309,000 acres, to nearly 1.4 million acres. Most states held acreage to a nominal increase, but Georgia showed a 53 percent increase. Most buying points reported that level was over-estimated.

Last year, U.S. peanut acreage fell by 37 percent, which led to a considerably smaller crop. One buying point manager said Georgia was just getting back to normal. Since then, a burdensome level of peanut stocks has been gradually reduced, and prices have stabilized.

Even USDA admitted that some of the rise in peanut acreage may also be attributed to recently enacted farm legislation, which revised risk management policies. Producers can now enroll in either the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) or the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) programs.

U

The Cotton Changer For cotton, the new law created a separate program and converted the base acres formerly credited to cotton into “generic base.” Producers may now plant these generic base acres to any covered commodity and receive PLC coverage for that commodity. Producers may also reallocate bases for covered commodities, such as peanuts, based on their 20082012 planting histories to better align their crop bases with the actual planted acreage of recent years.

Formerly, landowners could receive

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PEANUT GROWER • MAY 2014

Leading Market Indicators (April 11, 2014) •2014 - Acreage estimate - up 29% - 1,376,000 acres •2013 - Production - dn 38% 2,087,090 tons •2013 - Harvest Acres - dn 35% 1,042,000 acres •2013 Average Yield - 4,006 bs/A •2013 Market Loan - 1,117,193 tons •2013 - Loan Redemptions 435,030 tons •2013-14 Usage (7 mo.) - up 2.9% •2013-14 Exports (6 mo.) - dn 2.9% •National Posted Price (per ton): Runners $424.74, Spanish $404.93, Virginia/Valencia $428.38.

direct payments on base acres without having to plant a crop. Under the new program, the generic base must be planted and for peanuts a payment would be made on 85 percent of the farm base figured as the difference between the reference price, which is $535 per ton, and the national average price received by farmers.

Officials are afraid that farmers heard the $535 per-ton number and plan to plant peanuts that average that amount; however, contracts were not close to that number and have dropped to about $400 per ton or are not available at all.

Secure Your Storage If the threat to increase peanut acreage comes true, peanut farmers are advised to secure a promise of approved peanut storage before harvest. A farmer that cannot secure USDA-approved storage cannot secure a $355 per-ton Market Loan, and that would be disastrous for

J. Tyron Spearman

Contributing Editor, The Peanut Grower

any farmer. Remember, farmers have 27 different handlers of peanuts available with more than 300 approved warehouses with a capacity of 3.348 million tons. But, that storage may not be available near your farm and a buying point could reject your peanuts.

Not A Good Peanut Start Winter has been unmerciful down on the farm. Even into April, early planting time, frost has been reported. Winter rains have been good-to-excellent, but fields are too wet and soils are too cold to plant.

The failure to plant corn acreage is certain to weigh heavily on more peanut and cotton acreage in the Southeast. The Southwest continues in drought, and spring rains are needed to get a good start.

Extension specialists are even warning farmers not to plant too early and to wait for three consecutive days of 68 degrees Fahrenheit before planting. A poor stand means poor performance at harvest. There are reports of poor seed germination in cold temperatures.

Supply/Demand Too many peanuts continue to depress market prices. USDA predicts peanut ending stocks about 1 million tons. Total demand is estimated at 2,568,000 tons and that includes about 500,000 tons of exports. If farmers plant 29 percent more in 2014 off 1,376,000 acres and average 4,000 pounds per acre, that’s a potential peanut production of 2,752,000 tons.

A big increase in acreage spells doom for next year’s market. A more modest 15 percent increase in acreage, or 1,225,000 acres, would yield about 2,450,000 tons...just about the total de-

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drought stress early in the season. Officials believe Argentina may have 10 percent more in production and will battle the U.S. for the European markets.

mand. Peanut prices would not continue to decline.

Domestic And Export Markets Peanut Stocks and Processing reports peanut usage up 2.9 percent in the seventh month with peanut candy and peanut snacks up almost 10 percent and peanut butter down 1.8 percent. Inshells are about even with last year.

USDA’s most recent estimate is a 4.8 percent annual increase in food use of peanuts. The National Peanut Board’s new campaign plus major advertising campaigns are certain to increase that

estimate.

Export markets appear promising again with U.S. peanuts, mostly sold as export edible, the lowest price in the market at $1,250 per shelled metric ton meeting European Union specifications.

India is priced lower, but mostly restricted for oil use. With big crops in India and China last season, U.S. sales may not develop. Estimates of near 500,000 tons in exports are certainly possible, and the U.S. industry has plentiful stocks.

Argentina’s crop is progressing after about 20 percent of the crop was under

Peanut Program And The Future Peanut farmers should not plan for a government payment 18 months from now. The Farm Bill was passed as a safety net, not a government handout, which no farmer wants. Until the final regulations are completed, it is speculation as to how to capitalize on peanut base.

Farmers should get with a buyer and grow for the market in a consistent, quality product.

Next year, peanut farmers will have a new revenue-based insurance program to add to the mix. The market for peanuts will ultimately drive the industry as we individually learn how to make the many options work on each farm, buying point and shelling plant. It’s frustrating today not knowing all the rules of the peanut game, but stay involved.

Together, I believe we can survive and prosper. PG

RENEW your subscription online!

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It only takes a few minutes to renew your subscription online (or to sign up to receive it as a new subscriber).

Simply go to:

www.peanutgrower.com Click on the “Subscribe” tab and fill in the form.

Submit your form when you’re finished!

The Web site has current information from our editors, market news information, archives of past issues and useful links. Sign on today to update your record and see the latest in peanut news!

MAY 2014 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

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FSA Offices May Take Cuts Just when farmers need more help with the new Farm Bill, the President is proposing to reduce the farmer assistance at Farm Service Agencies. The President’s Budget proposed consolidating 250 field offices. FSA is proposing to reduce non-federal staff by 815 FTE’s saving $61.6 million and realigning 300 state office oversight to the county offices, saving $6.8 million.

The new MIDAS modernization computer system is designed to promote increased efficiency when implemented.

Sub-committee Chairman Roberts Aderholt (R-Ala) says fewer offices is contingent on successful implementation of new technologies, including MIDAS.

Perfectly Good Peanut Butter Dumped An outbreak of Salmonella caused the Sunland Peanut Plant in Portales, N.M., to close two years ago and owners remodeled and upgraded the factory. After Sunland resumed operations in 2013 with $20 million in new financing, it was hoped that the company would be okay. However, that was not to be when the company closed and filed for bankruptcy in October 2013.

Reports show the bankruptcy judge reconsidered bids after getting a bid of $26 million from Golden Boy Foods of Canada.

According to Associated Press reports, Costco Wholesalers refused to take shipment of $2.8 million worth of Sunland Valencia peanut butter, 58 truckloads, and is paying $60,000 to haul the 950,000 jars to the land fill. The peanut butter had been stored in the warehouse since Sunland had declared bankruptcy.

However, the court judge said “all parties agreed there’s nothing wrong with the peanut butter from a health and safety issue,” but court records show that in a conference call Costco said it would not agree to any disposition other than destruction.

Melinda Joy Pattison, executive director of the Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico, called the dumping of the

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THE PEANUT GROWER • MAY 2014

peanut butter “horrendous.” She said as long as there was nothing wrong with the peanut butter, her operation would have found a way to store it, remove the labels and distribute it to the people who depend on the food bank.

Hardy Farms Peanuts Wins Hardy Farms Peanuts, of Hawkinsville, Ga., took home first prize in the miscellaneous category at the University of Georgia’s 2014 Flavor of Georgia contest.

Gov. Nathan Deal and Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black were on hand to congratulate Robert Fisher and Brad Hardy, of Hardy Peanut Farms, and other Flavor of Georgia winners as part of Georgia Agriculture Awareness Day at the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta.

Hardy Farms Peanut Rub was chosen out of more than 125 Georgia products to compete as one of 35 finalists in the 2014 Flavor of Georgia contest.

Food industry experts, including chefs, grocery buyers, food service personnel and agricultural marketing executives, rated all of the participating products based on qualities like innovation, use of Georgia theme, market potential and flavor, said James Daniels, a UGA food business development specialist.

The contest is sponsored by the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in partnership with the Center of Innovation for Agribusiness, Office of Governor Nathan Deal, Walton EMC, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the Georgia Agribusiness Council and the UGA department of food science and technology.

For more information about the contest and these products, see www.flavorofgeorgia.caes.uga.edu.

Cheminova Launches Peanut Fungicide Cheminova, Inc. recently announced the introduction of Cercobin fungicide, a broad spectrum curative and preven-

Calendar: • June 19-22, 2014 – Peanut Congress, Omni Nashville Hotel, Nashville, Tenn. More than 300 industry participants are expected. Go to www.peanut-shellers.org/PeanutCongress for information.

• July 8-10, 2014 – American Peanut Research and Education Society Annual Meeting, Menger Hotel, San Antonio, Texas. More than 100 research presentations are expected.

Go to www.apresinc.com for registration information.

• July 24-26, 2014 – 16th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference, Edgewater Beach Resort, Panama City Beach, Fla. For more information, visit www.southernpeanutfarmers.org. Registration opens April 1.

tative systemic fungicide with both soil and foliar activity. The active ingredient in Cercobin is thiophanate-methyl.

As a FRAC Group 1 fungicide, growers may use it alone, or as a tankmix or rotational partner, as part of a fungicide resistance management program in conjunction with strobilurin and azole fungicides.

Cercobin is labeled for use on soybeans, peanuts, fall wheat and many other crops. Included among some of the key diseases it controls are white mold, Cercospora blight, frogeye leaf spot, Cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew. Cercobin is packaged in 2 x 2.5 gallon containers and is on sale now.

“Adding Cercobin to the broadening fungicide portfolio of Cheminova gives growers another option to help manage diseases,” said Deneen Sebastian, Director of Marketing, Cheminova, Inc. “Cercobin is the first of three new fungicide offerings planned this year.”

For more information, visit their website at www.cheminova.com. PG

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Peanut Proud Presentation On behalf of The Peanut Grower and sponsors of the anniversary issue, a check is presented at the annual festival.

o commemorate the 25th Anniversary of The Peanut Grower magazine in November 2013, One Grower Publishing chose to donate a percentage of all of the congratulatory ad revenue to Peanut Proud, the peanut industry’s non-profit humanitarian organization that provides aid to victims of natural disasters, domestic hunger relief and scholarships to students studying food safety.

At the Peanut Proud Peanut Festival on March 22, 2014, in the town square in Blakely, Ga., Editor Amanda Huber presented a check for $2,360 to Peanut Proud’s President, Gregg Grimsley.

Just prior to this, Grimsley spoke about the many accomplishments of Peanut Proud in 2013, including delivering peanut butter to food banks in many states and providing disaster relief efforts to tornado-stricken areas in Oklahoma.

“It is so very important to have industry wide support for Peanut Proud and this donation given through the ad campaign demonstrates the commitment from the industry.

“One of the founding principles for Peanut Proud is to unite the peanut in-

T

The Peanut Grower Editor Amanda Huber presents a check for $2,360 to Peanut Proud’s President, Gregg Grimsley, at the annual festival in Blakely, Ga.

dustry toward humanitarian efforts,” Grimsley says. “And, it will be through

Thank You For Helping Support Peanut Proud: • Amadas Industries

• Golden Peanut Company

• 83 Farms

• Kelley Manufacturing Co.

• National Peanut Buying Points Association

• American Peanut Council

• Birdsong Peanuts • National Peanut Board • Novozymes

• Southern Peanut Farmer’s Federation • Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina Peanut Growers Associations

this broad-based support that Peanut Proud will be successful.”

One More ‘Thank You’ “Once again, on behalf of The Peanut Grower, I would like to personally thank those who purchased a congratulatory ad in the anniversary issue to support Peanut Proud,” says Lia Guthrie, One Grower vice president and publisher. “We are honored to be a part of this industry and appreciate your support in helping us provide profitable production strategies throughout the years.” PG

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Unlocking The Genetic Code In reporting on their success, the International Peanut Genome Initiative has released the first peanut genome sequences.

he International Peanut Genome Initiative (IPGI) – a multinational group of crop geneticists working in cooperation for several years – has successfully sequenced the genome of the peanut.

The new peanut genome sequence will be available to researchers and plant breeders across the globe to aid in the breeding of more productive, more resilient peanut varieties.

Nearly ten years ago, The Peanut Foundation embarked on an industry-supported effort to organize and coordinate peanut genomic research with the goal of reducing the costs of production and improving yield and quality.

T

Project Start Genomics is the identification and study of gene sequences in the DNA of organisms, and this was determined as the best way to improve the competitiveness of peanut by enhancing varieties for disease resistance and yield potential.

After researching different approaches, the Peanut Foundation selected Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) as the best means to deliver new varieties. Market Assisted Selection is a breeding method that relies on the use of DNA-markers found in plants to identify hybrids from a cross that have a desired trait before the hybrids are grown in the field, which gives breeders a time advantage in variety development.

The selection of the that approach was in 2010, and at the time peanut breeders had only about 6,000 DNA-markers identified and few of those were associated 10 /

THE PEANUT GROWER • MAY 2014

with selectable or measurable traits. For comparison, soybean and corn scientists had more than 100,000 useful DNAmarkers and the reason those researchers had so many markers is because DNAmarkers were easier to discover after the DNA sequence of the soybean and corn genome was known.

To find the useful DNA-markers in peanuts to be able to move forward with MAS breeding, it would be necessary to sequence the peanut genome, which is where the project is today.

Both Simple And Complex The effort to sequence the genome of the peanut has been underway for several years. According to plant geneticist, Peggy Ozias-Akins, University of Georgia, while peanuts have been successfully bred for intensive cultivation, relatively little was known about the legume’s genetic structure because of its complexity. Two

A team of researchers looks for wild species of peanut in Brazil to use for genetic testing. Today’s peanut comes from a cross of two wild species.

markers or traits peanut breeders have had for a several years are nematode resistance and high oleic oil chemistry.

“Those are two relatively simple traits, but other traits, particularly disease resistance, are much more complex,” says Ozias-Akins. “Knowing the sequence of the peanut genome will allow for the comparison of a lot of different genotypes of peanut from the germplasm collection to modern cultivars and really hone in on what variation is there and it will allow us to develop more molecular markers.”

Good For All Scott Jackson, director of the University of Georgia (UGA) Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics at the

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College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, serves as chair of the International Peanut Genome Initiative.

“The peanut crop is important in the United States, but it’s very important for developing nations as well,” Jackson said.

“In many areas, it is a primary calorie source for families and a cash crop for farmers.”

According to plant geneticist Rajeev Varshney of India, “Improving peanut varieties to be more drought, insect and disease resistant, using the genome sequence, can help farmers in developed nations produce more peanuts with fewer pesticides and other chemicals and help farmers in developing nations feed their families and build more-secure livelihoods.”

Plant geneticists David and Soraya Bertioli of Brazil expressed their enthusiasm for the new possibilities offered by the genome sequence, “Until now, we've bred peanuts relatively blindly compared to other crops. These new advances are allowing us to understand breeding in ways

that could only be dreamt of before.”

Looking To Peanut Ancestors The peanut grown in fields today is the result of a natural cross between two wild species, Arachis duranensis and Arachis ipaensis that occurred in the north of Argentina between 4,000 and 6,000 years ago. Because its ancestors were two different species, today’s peanut is a tetraploid, meaning the species carries two separate genomes which are designated A and B sub-genomes.

To map the peanut’s genome structure, IPGI researchers sequenced the two ancestral parents, because together they represent the cultivated peanut. The sequences provide researchers access to 96 percent of all peanut genes in their genomic context, providing the molecular map needed to more quickly breed drought-resistant, disease-resistant, lowerinput and higher-yielding varieties.

The two ancestor wild species were collected from nature decades ago. One of

Pictured at left is a wild peanut species, and below, wild species to be used in testing are grown in pots.

Peanuts grown today are the result of a natural cross between two wild species, To find the genetic sequence of today’s peanut, researchers had to sequence the two parent plants.

the ancestral species, A. duranensis, is widespread but the other, A. ipaensis, has only ever been collected from one location, and indeed may now be extinct in the wild.

When grappling with the thorny problem of how to understand peanut’s complex genome, it was clear that the genomes of the two ancestor species would provide excellent models for the genome of the cultivated peanut: A. duranenis serving as a model for the A subgenome of the cultivated peanut and A. ipaensis serving as a model for the B subgenome. Fortunately because of the longsighted efforts of germplasm collection and conservation, both species were available for study and use by the IPGI. Progress Made Toward Goal Knowing the genome sequences of the two parent species will allow researchers to recognize the cultivated peanut’s genomic structure by differentiating between the two subgenomes present in this crop. Being able to see the two separate structural elements will also aid future gene marker development: the determination of links between a gene’s presence and a physical characteristic of the plant.

Understanding the structure of the peanut’s genome will lay the groundwork for new varieties with traits like added disease resistance and drought tolerance.

The International Peanut Genome Initiative brings together scientists from the United States, China, Brazil, India and Israel to delineate peanut genome sequences, characterize the genetic and phenotypic variation in cultivated and wild peanuts and develop genomic tools for peanut breeding. The initial sequencing was carried out by the BGI, Shenzen, China. Assembly was done at BGI, USDA-ARS, Ames, Iowa, and UC Davis, Davis, Calif.

The project was made possible by funding provided by the peanut industry through the Peanut Foundation, by MARS Inc., and three Chinese Academies (Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences). A complete list of the institutions involved with the project and the other funding sources is available at www.peanutbioscience.com. PG

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Sustainable Production Practices Employ those strategies that take a long-term view of the farm.

By Amanda Huber

ustainability means different things to different people. It can also be different depending on what aspect of production agriculture you are talking about. At the last Southern Peanut Growers Conference, following their theme of sustainability, Bob Kemerait, University of Georgia Extension plant pathologist, gave a presentation on sustainable disease management.

“Why should we care about sustainable disease control? Disease management is critical for sustainable agriculture,” says Kemerait. “Sustainable does not mean organic. Organic production can be sustainable, but you can be sustainable in conventional agriculture.”

On a broader scale, one definition of sustainability finds that producers are meeting the needs of the present, while maintaining the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It means thinking long term about things.

S

When possible, make decisions that maximize effectiveness. For example, spraying soilborne disease fungicides early in the morning before dawn has been shown to improve white mold control by reaching down into the crown of the plant, which makes the practice and that fungicide application more sustainable.

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THE PEANUT GROWER • MAY 2014

Look At All Choices The foundation of disease management is certainly a sustainable practice: crop rotation.

“We would like for you to be out of peanut for two years, three years is better and four years is even better than that,” Kemerait says.

“But it is not just being out of peanut.

It’s what you plant in place of peanuts. If your choice is between soybeans and corn, what is the better choice? Corn is because soybeans share some of the same pathogens and nematode problems.

“Crop rotation is the cornerstone in terms of sustainable disease management.”

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Create Sustainable Soils For Kip Balkcom, with USDA/ARS at Auburn University, sustainability means improving the soil quality in production agriculture.

“The soils in the Southeast are characterized mostly by low fertility and erodability,” he says. “Our climate works against us with high humidity, high temperatures, and it burns up organic matter.”

A sustainable goal is to increase soil carbon as much as possible. “Trying to increase soil carbon in the top couple of inches of soil makes a big difference in productivity,” Balkcom says. “Doing this will enhance all other soil-related properties.”

How Do You Do That?

1. Minimize surface tillage by using a strip-tillage implement and maintaining what residue you can on the soil surface.

2. Have continuous cover with cover crops. Use a crop with the main purpose of improving the soil, not one to be harvested for feed or sale. A cover crop with high residue is an investment in the soil.

3. Rotate crops to break pest cycles and give more opportunity to build organic carbon matter in the soil.

While peanut digging does disturb the top layer of soil, Balkcom says it is not as detrimental to soil carbon as one might think.

“Through these three practices, you can manage to not lose carbon as rapidly as you would otherwise. Increasing the biomass of the cover crop helps, and the residue will help increase water infiltration and reduce erosion.

“To conclude: minimize surface tillage, utilize cover crops and maximize rotations to promote sustainability.” PG

where effective,” he says.

Additional decisions made in fungicide application can increase sustainability and efficacy.

“Spraying the soilborne disease fungicides early in the morning before dawn has been shown to be more effective than spraying the same products during the day. That makes the practice and that fungicide application more sustainable by conducting it at the time that makes it more effective. Better management is more sustainable,” Kemerait says.

“To embrace sustainability in disease management, producers should use best management practices, be as timely as possible, calibrate equipment and pay particular attention to accurate rates by reading and following product labels, dispose of the containers properly and, finally, use innovative application strategies. PG

10 points for sustainable disease management: • Crop rotation is the foundation of peanut production • Use of disease /nematode resistant varieties • Consider impact of tillage systems • Use of Peanut Rx and pre scription fungicide programs

Heavy residue cover crops have been studied for improve soil carbon matter and improved control of Palmer amaranth. Overall, conservation systems absorb rainfall, cools soil temperatures, lowers evaporation losses, creates greater soil-water infiltration and increases the plant-available water.

Know Your Risk Level Varietal resistances are some of the greatest advances in the last 40 years, says Kemerait. Leaf spot resistance, white mold resistance, nematode resistance are all possible in variety choices and this really provides greater opportunity for different fungicide options.

“Sustainability means taking the time to determine your risk and taking the measures to reduce your risk then reducing fungicides because you are able to live with that amount of risk,” Kemerait says.

The use of Peanut Rx can help you determine risk.

Cheap Can Lead To Overuse We’ve never had a better arsenal of fungicides, Kemerait says, and these, too, need to be used sustainably.

“Overuse of a relatively inexpensive fungicide may make economic sense in the short term, but that’s not what sustainability is about and it leads to resistance more quickly. Sustainability says to rotate chemistries and tankmix partners

• Carefully select fungicides and nematicides • Practice fungicide resistance management • Use best management practices for fungicides and nematicides • Consider impact of planting date on disease development • Manage irrigation • Aim for good plant health

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Prime Position For Arkansas New state earns primary status, while NASS’ Prospective Plantings Report says area planted to increase 29 percent over last year.

he United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) added the state of Arkansas as a primary peanut-producing state under the Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order. The Order is administered by the National Peanut Board.

The buzz about peanuts in Arkansas began in 2012 with producers wanting to know more about adding this potential crop to their mix. Rice had been too volatile, and producers were looking for something to go on their more marginal land.

Arkansas Sticking With It What started with just a few hundred acres more than five years ago, has turned into an average of more than 10,000 acres for three consecutive years, says USDAAMS, which qualifies Arkansas for primary-peanut producing state status. According to University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, average yields for the state have ranged from 4,250 pounds per acre to 4,500 pounds per acre for the past few years. Peanut production thus far has been 100 percent irrigated with either furrow irrigation or centerpivot irrigation.

Having reached the level of primary producer, Arkansas is now eligible for a seat on the National Peanut Board. This action was recommended by the NPB and ensures the board’s representation reflects changes in the geographical distribution of the production of peanuts.

Bigger Producer Board The NPB is composed of 11 producermembers and alternates: One member 14 / THE

PEANUT GROWER • MAY 2014

PHOTO BY KERRY RODTNICK, UA DIVISION OF AG

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and alternate from each primary producing state and one at-large member and alternate collectively from the minor peanut-producing states. This rule classifies the state of Arkansas as a primary peanut-producing state and specifies the Board will be composed of 12 peanut producer-members and their alternates rather than 11. The members and alternates are nominated by state producers or producer groups.

The Arkansas Peanut Growers Association will hold a nominations election to select two nominees each for member and alternate to the National Peanut Board.

The nominations election meeting will be held May 6, 2014, at 6:00 p.m. at Walnut Ridge Country Club, 249 Lawrence Road 408; Walnut Ridge, Ark.

Help Select A Representative All eligible peanut producers are encouraged to participate. Eligible producers are those who are engaged in the production and sale of peanuts and who own or share the ownership and risk of loss of the crop.

Additionally, eligible candidates must be current on their assessment payments to the NPB and, if nominated, be willing to undergo a Federal background check.

National Peanut Board member and alternate positions are unpaid.

USDA requires two nominees from each state for each position of member and alternate. The National Peanut Board will submit Arkansas’s slate of nominees to the U. S. Secretary of Agriculture, who makes the appointments. PG

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NASS Reports Acreage Estimate The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Prospective Plantings Report, released March 31, 2014, says that based on producer interviews, peanut growers intend to plant 1.38 million acres in 2014, up 29 percent from the previous year.

The expected increase in planted area is mainly due to lower corn and soybean prices. Last year, growers decreased peanut acres in all states because of the oversupply in 2012 and strong grain prices.

In Georgia, the largest peanut-producing state, expected planted area is up 53 percent from 2013.

All states are expected to increase acreage over 2013, except New Mexico and Oklahoma.

Corn Corn planted area for all purposes in 2014 is estimated at 91.7 million acres, down four percent from last year. If realized, this will represent the lowest planted acreage in the United States since 2010; however, it would be the fifth largest corn acreage in the United States since 1944.

Expected returns for corn are anticipated to be lower in 2014 compared with recent years.

Soybeans Soybean planted area for 2014 is estimated at a record high 81.5 million acres, up six percent from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage intentions are up or unchanged across all states with the exception of Missouri and Oklahoma.

The biggest increase in soybean acreage is expected in North Dakota.

Peanuts: Area Planted by State and U.S. USDA Estimate of Area Planted - March 31, 2014* State

2012

2013

2014

--------------(1,000 acres)-------------

2014/2013 percent

Alabama

220.0

140.0

165.0

118

Florida

210.0

140.0

150.0

107

Georgia

735.0

430.0

660.0

153

Mississippi

52.0

34.0

45.0

132

N. Mexico

10.0

7.0

5.0

71

N. Carolina

107.0

82.0

83.0

101

Oklahoma

24.0

17.0

15.0

88

S. Carolina

110.0

81.0

95.0

117

Texas

150.0

120.0

140.0

117

Virginia

20.0

16.0

18.0

113

US Total

1,638.0

1,067.0

1376.0

129

*USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service estimate of intended plantings in 2014 as indicated by reports from farmers.

Wheat All wheat planted area for 2014 is estimated at 55.8 million acres, down one percent from 2013. The 2014 winter wheat planted area, at 42.0 million acres, is down three percent from last year but up slightly from the previous estimate.

Of this total, about 30.2 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 8.43 million acres are Soft Red Winter and 3.35 million acres are White Winter.

Area planted to other spring wheat for 2014 is expected to total 12 million acres, up four percent from 2013. Of this total, about 11.3 million acres are Hard Red Spring wheat. The intended Durum

planted area for 2014 is estimated at 1.8 million acres, up 22 percent from the previous year.

Cotton All cotton planted area for 2014 is expected to total 11.1 million acres, seven percent above last year. Upland area is expected to total 10.9 million acres, up seven percent from 2013. American Pima area is expected to total 158,000 acres, down 21 percent from 2013.

In late March, cotton planting in Texas was three percent complete, the same as this time last year but one percentage point behind the five-year average. PG

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MAY 2014 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

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Protect Your Yield Be ready as conditions in 2014 may favor the return of foliage feeders.

s the saying goes, the only certainties in life are death and taxes. However, you can probably add to that at least some level of pressure from worms in your peanut field at some point during the season. Will the hungry Lepidopterans, armyworms, bollworms/earworms, budworms, cutworms and others, build up enough to reach an economic threshold is always a consideration, but when they do, yield can be quickly eaten up. To avoid losses, be prepared to control worm pests before the buildup happens.

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Watch The Weather Insect pests are driven by weather patterns, and conditions in 2013 did not favor an outbreak of caterpillar pests, which thrive under hot temperatures and dry soil conditions. If 2014 turns off dry at some point in late-June and July, look for these pests to rebound in fields, especially lesser cornstalk borer (LCB).

The LCB’s prime activity period generally begins in June and continues through the summer months. It will feed above and below the soil line and can kill newly emerged seedlings, destroy pegs and developing pods, damage plant crowns and weaken plants that survive.

Wilting is one of the earliest signs of LCB infestation. Withered buds, stunting and plant deformities are also common.

Watch Your Fields Field scouting, along with proper timing of treatment applications, such as Belt insecticide, is key to managing LCB and all insect pests. When applied at early stages of pest infections, Belt insecticide provides long-lasting worm control of all worm pests, even resistant populations and late-stage larvae.

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/ THE PEANUT GROWER • MAY 2014

If weather conditions turn hot and dry, look for foliage feeders to return to more normal patterns in fields.

Scouting for both soil insects and foliage feeders and knowing what to look for given the weather pattern is the best way to find insect pests. Once found, prevent these pests from reaching a potentially devastating level by using an inseciticde

that is rainfast and provides residual control while not flaring spider mites or being harmful for beneficials. PG Information in this article was contributed by Rhea + Kaiser.

Be Ready For Insect Pressure: • Scout fields regularly, and talk with your consultant or Extension agent for advice on spray timing and tankmix options.

• Consider a product that poses minimal risk to beneficial arthropods including parasitoids, syrphid flies, lacewings, predatory bugs and predatory mites.

• If an economic threshold is reached, use an insecticide product that is rainfast at drying and provides some residual control.

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Maintain Propane Equipment Service propane-powered equipment such as irrigation engines, generators and pickup trucks to ensure good performance.

s farmers gear up for planting season, now is the best time to ready equipment following a harsh winter. Maintenance early in the season lowers overall upkeep costs and keeps systems operating smoothly and efficiently.

More than 865,000 farms in the United States use propane to run pumps and engines, heat buildings and dry and process crops. Spring equipment maintenance is similar to systems powered by other fuels, but there are key advantages of propane-powered equipment. Together with leading irrigation engine, generator and work truck manufacturers, the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) compiled a list of spring preparation tips.

A

Irrigation Engines After a long winter, rodents, debris and exposure to the elements are the most common source of engine issues, says Pete Stout, product manager for Origin Engines. Stout encourages farmers to refer to their product manuals for maintenance needs specific to engine models and offers these tips for preparing irrigation engines for spring planting: • Disconnect the engine battery and check battery voltage.

• Clear away any dirt and debris that have collected on and around the engine.

Pay special attention to clutch bellhousings, radiator shrouds and wire harnesses.

• Inspect wire harnesses for cracked or exposed wires and make repairs as needed.

• Check front drive belts for proper tension and wear.

“I also urge farmers to place engines inside of structures, such as a simple carport style shelter, for the summer grow18

/ THE PEANUT GROWER • MAY 2014

ing season,” Stout says. “UV sunlight and general exposure to extreme weather can be tough on engine power units.”

Generators Propane-powered standby and portable generators can keep homes and farming operations protected when the grid goes down. Propane is often easier to access during outages and doesn’t degrade over time, in the same way as diesel, gasoline or ethanol-based fuels.

Art Aiello, public relations manager for Generac Power Systems, recommends the following tips to ready a propane generator for spring: • Perform regular maintenance tasks, such as oil changes, on both standby and portable generators to ensure long-term reliability.

• Follow the specific instructions outlined in your owner’s manual for maintenance specific to your generator.

• For new generator installations, choose a qualified, experienced propane installer in your area.

“Propane is a safe, environmentally friendly and convenient fuel that many farmers are already using,” Aiello said. “A propane generator can be protection

against spring weather-related outages.”

Pickup Trucks Propane-autogas-powered trucks require similar maintenance procedures as gas-powered trucks, and spring is the perfect time to assess needs for oil and filter changes, said Todd Mouw, vice president of sales and marketing at Roush CleanTech, a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier.

Mouw recommends the following tips for prepping trucks for spring: • Check all air filter and fluid levels, including oil, antifreeze and washer fluid.

Make certain the air conditioner and both windshield wipers are in good condition.

• Examine tires for tread wear and proper inflation. Remove snow tires and install all-season radials or summer tires.

Additionally, farmers already using propane equipment on the farm or in the home can increase overall energy efficiency with the addition of a propane autogas truck, Mouw said.

“Producers will be using propane year round, rather than just during peak use seasons, and can leverage better prices from their propane dealer,” he explains.

“The total lifecycle costs of fuel and equipment use are in favor of using propane.”

Propane Farm Incentive Program Purchase incentives of up to $5,000 are available to farmers who upgrade to eligible propane-powered farm equipment, including irrigation engines, grain dryers, generators and other eligible equipment through the PERC Propane Farm Incentive program.

Find out about PERC’s incentive programs by visiting agpropane.com and buildwithpropane.com. PG

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Disaster Assistance Programs Restored By Farm Bill USDA announces sign-up period at FSA offices. griculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that eligible farmers and ranchers can sign up for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster assistance programs restored by passage of the 2014 Farm Bill.

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Years Of Waiting “We implemented these programs in record time and kept our commitment to begin sign-up today,” said Agriculture Secretary Vilsack. “To ensure enrollment goes as smoothly as possible, dedicated staff in over 2,000 Farm Service Agency offices across the country are doing everything necessary to help producers that have suffered through two and a half difficult years with no assistance because these programs were awaiting Congressional action.”

Depending on the size and type of farm or ranch operation, eligible producers can enroll in one of four programs administered by the Farm Service Agency.

The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) will provide payments to eligible producers for livestock deaths and grazing losses that have occurred since the expiration of the livestock disaster assistance programs in 2011, and including calendar years 2012, 2013 and 2014.

The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides emergency assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish that have suffered losses because of disease, severe weather, blizzards and wildfires.

Producers signing up for these programs are encouraged to contact their local FSA office for information on the types of records needed and to schedule

an appointment. Taking these steps in advance will help producers ensure their application moves through the process as quickly as possible.

Don’t Forget The Documentation Supporting documents may include livestock birth records, purchase and

transportation receipts, photos and ownership records showing the number and type of livestock lost, documents listing the gallons of water transported to livestock during drought, and more. Crop records may include purchase receipts for eligible trees, bushes or vines, seed and fertilizer purchases, planting and production records, and documentation of labor and equipment used to plant or remove eligible trees, bushes or vines.

Producers have three to nine months to apply depending on the program and year of the loss. Details are available from any local FSA office.

For more information, producers may review the 2014 Farm Bill Fact Sheet, and the LIP, LFP, ELAP and TAP fact sheets online, or visit any local FSA office or USDA Service Center. PG

Gypsum Nutri-Source Pete Collins, Jr.

(386)364-8762

petecollinsjr@gmail.com Dealers are welcome • Licensed in Georgia & Florida

MAY 2014 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

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Soil Moisture Monitoring From Valley Valley Irrigation’s SoilPro 1200, powered by AquaSpy, delivers the most detailed soil moisture data in an easy-tounderstand format. With just a few clicks, growers can see the depth of their crop root zone, soil moisture levels by depth, soil electrical conductivity, temperature and water penetration from rainfall and irrigation. This real-time data give growers information needed to make smarter decisions and irrigate more efficiently.

SoilPro 1200 has 12 sensors at 4-inch increments that communicate with crop roots and collect in-depth data from the soil about how much water the crop needs and how much it has used.

The information gathered by the sensors is analyzed and converted into simple, straight-forward reports and recommendations delivered to growers via computer, tablet or cell phone. The interface is extremely user-friendly and easy to navigate.

SoilPro 1200 allows growers to become more efficient in their watering practices, and that efficiency allows them to save money and grow a more productive crop.

For more information, please visit www.ValleyIrrigation.com.

Cheminova With Statement Herbicide Cheminova, Inc. announced the launch of Statement herbicide, a new choice for growers looking for control of glyphosateand ALS-resistant weeds in both soybeans and cotton. A premix with two active ingredients, metolachlor and fomesafen, Statement may be used preplant and preemergence for control of annual grass and broadleaf weeds on soybeans, while also 20/

THE PEANUT GROWER • MAY 2014

providing residual control and reducing early weed competition.

Statement may also be applied postemergence on cotton to control grasses, broadleaf weeds and sedges.

It may be tankmixed with other labeled post-directed herbicides to broaden the weed control spectrum in cotton.

Statement will be packaged in 2 by 2.5 gallon containers. For information, visit www.cheminova-us.com.

Reinke Announces ReinSense Reinke Manufacturing Company, Inc. introduces ReinSense, a new soil moisture monitoring product in partnership with Irrometer Company, Inc. and iDUS Controls, LTD. ReinSense is an in-field sensing device designed to monitor and collect underground soil moisture data through a smart

radio network. Solar-powered nodes work to collect the site-specific data that is then transferred and housed on a server, supplying the grower with real-time access to their soil moisture data through registered online or text alerts.

Typical soil moisture monitoring products are cellular modems at each site with separate subscription fees per site. The use of a smart radio network with ReinSense allows growers to monitor up to 12 different soil moisture sites for only one subscription fee.

ReinSense is easily installed, and growers will able to readily register and activate their account online. For more information, visit www.reinke.com/irrigationproducts/soil-moisture.

H.J. Baker Responds To Demand For Tiger-Sul Products With Plant Upgade Agricultural firm H.J. Baker recently announced an upgrade to its Atmore, Ala., fertilizer plant, which will enable the facility to significantly increase production of its Tiger-Sul products to meet customer demand. The new customized production belt is part of H.J Baker’s ongoing capital improvement plan.

H.J. Baker’s Atmore facility manufactures Tiger-Sul’s sulphur bentonite fertilizer products, including boron, iron, zinc and magnesium. These are specifically formulated for row crops in the Southeast United States, including corn, cotton, soybeans and peanuts. In addition, this facility also manufactures fertilizer for specialty crops such as citrus, vegetables, sugar cane, blueberries and forage and turf grass.

Another upgrade to the plant was the addition of a 1,500-ton molten sulphur storage tank. This, plus the new production belt will give the facility an overall 50 percent increase in production capacity.

For more information on H.J. Baker & Bro., Inc., visit hjbaker.com. PG

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Jason Woodward 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 JASON WOODWARD most favorable conditions.

Texas Agri-Life Extension Plant Pathologist 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.

Market types requiring more time to mature, as is the case with most runner and Virginia varieties, should be planted by the middle of May. Spanish and Valencia varieties, which mature earlier, can be planted as late as June 1 in the High Plains or later in Central and South Texas; however, late planting dates may increase the risk of losses due to tomato spotted wilt. Properly preparing beds can help in stand establishment. If soils are extremely dry, preplant irrigation should be applied as opposed to dry-planting followed by irrigation, as this may impact the viability of rhizobia found in inoculants and subsequent nodulation.

David Jordan Weed management is one of the most important tasks during the month of May. In conventional tillage systems, incorporating a dinitroaniline herbicide, and in some cases a chloroacetamide herbicide, is recommended.

In reduced tillage, the DNA herbicides will have limited DAVID JORDAN North Carolina State University effectiveness if placed on the soil surface. Metolachlor, of Extension Agronomist which there are several formulations, dimethenamid (Outlook) and acetochlor (Warrant) applied preemergence with flumioxazin (several formulations) are available and recommended. Depending on rainfall, these herbicide combinations may provide excellent control well into the season, or they may be only partially effective.

Applying paraquat within the first three weeks after peanuts emerge will help clean up escapes and take pressure off of herbicides such as Storm, Ultra Blazer, Cobra, Cadre and 2,4-DB. With paraquat, always include at least 0.5 pints per acre of Basagran. In weedy fields, including additional chloroacetamide herbicides can be very helpful.

Chloroacetamide can also be applied with Storm, Ultra Blazer, Cobra, Cadre and 2,4-DB to “shore up” weed control as you move later in the season.

During the first month of the season, there may be a need to apply acephate (several formulations) to control thrips, and most folks are going to want to apply this insecticide along with herbicides. Certainly the timing works out in most cases for tankmixtures to be effective. However, if you see thrips damage, but don’t think it is time for postemergence herbicides, you should apply the acephate as soon as needed and then come back with herbicides. Eliminating thrips feeding and injury to peanut needs to be done as soon as possible, especially in the V-C region where crop development is essential for optimum yields. We can’t afford delays in crop development.

Keys in May and June are getting adequate stands established, minimizing thrips injury and keeping fields weedfree. If you are able to achieve an adequate number of plants, at least four to five per row foot, that are growing vigorously, you’ve given the peanut crop an excellent chance to yield well in the fall. There is a lot of time left in the season, but this is a great start.

MAY 2014 • THE PEANUT GROWER /

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Glen Harris The application rate and timing recommendation for calcium in peanut have not changed, despite the use of larger-seeded varieties. One thousand pounds of gypsum still works on the large-seeded varieties, and for timing, it’s still lime at planting and gypsum at bloom time.

GLENDON HARRIS, JR. What has changed is the University of Georgia number of sources for calcium.

Extension Agronomist Lime is still a mined product that is either dolomitic or calcitic, and either product is usable. It does not have to be high-calcium or calcitic lime to provide calcium in peanuts.

However, it does have to be applied at planting to provide enough time to leach down into the pegging zone to become available to developing pods.

Calcium sulfate, or gypsum, is now available from many different sources. It may be mined or it may be a by-product of phosphorous fertilizer mining in Florida. It can also be a product scrubbed from smoke stacks or created from citric acid production. All these products work just fine as sources of calcium for peanut applied at bloomtime. The calcium in gypsum is more soluble than that in lime and will move quickly through the soil profile. Applied any earlier, gypsum may move beyond the pegging zone and out of the reach of developing pods.

Another emerging source of calcium is applied through the pivot. Calcium chloride, which goes by the trade name “Hi-Cal,” and calcium thiosulfate, which is known as “cats” or “Thiocal,” is the most soluble form of gypsum available. A product applied through the pivot is put out with so much water and force that it is considered “soil-applied.”

Products applied to the leaves, or foliar-appled calcium, are not recommended because they do not provide near enough calcium and the material does not translocate through the peanut plant.

Whatever product you use, remember that calcium, with the right rate and timing, is a critical component of peanut production.

22 /

THE PEANUT GROWER • MAY 2014

Kris Balkcom Since we are still in the first of May and the beginning of planting for some, I would like to point out a few things during planting season. You have all heard and know the recommendations about soil temperature for planting peanuts, along with seeding KRIS BALKCOM rates. If conditions are favorAuburn University able for planting, I would recAgri-Program Associate ommend planting as early as possible this year. This is due to the fact that we are predicted to be in an El Niño weather pattern, which means a cooler, wetter fall and winter.

Therefore, we need the crop planted early so that we have plenty of time to allow it to mature where it can be harvested before the rainy weather sets in.

If El Niño comes to fruition, we don’t need to be planting way out in late May and early June. Last year, we also experienced some cooler weather during planting season.

This delayed thrips flights, which put a lot of pressure on the crop. Our weather has been very similar this year so be on the lookout in case you need to make a late foliar application for thrips over the top.

Also, I saw more tropical spiderwort in Alabama last year.

If you had this troublesome weed and that land is going to peanuts, I encourage you to be proactive and use Strongarm and/or Dual in your herbicide program to battle against this prolific weed.

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Out here, many successful peanut growers rely on high-quality Loveland Products from Crop Production Services for the performance and value they demand. When you want crop protection, plant nutrition, adjuvants and seed treatments that really work, trust your land to Loveland.

Featuring RADIATE® a unique formulation of IBA & Kinetin designed to provide essential plant hormones in the correct ratios to drive maximum root growth and yield potential.

“Radiate® works! We had more nodules on our peanuts and they weathered the drought exceptionally well. We will use Radiate on all of our peanuts and cotton next year. We are trying Radiate on our Wheat this year also.”

Steven Godwin, Jay Florida

To find your local Crop Production Services store, go to www.lovelandproducts.com. © 2012 Loveland Products, Inc. Always read and follow label directions. Radiate is a registered trademark of Loveland Products, Inc. All trademarks are assigned to their respected owners.

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“I think Radiate is a great product. It gave me a BIG yield increase in peanuts and also cotton.”

Roy Ward – Jay, Florida