The
PEANUTGROWER ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC
NOVEMBER 2021
THE PEANUT PRODUCER'S DUCER'S MARKETING & PRODUCTION MAGAZINE www.peanutgrower.com
Texas Sheller Will Preserve Quality, Identity
Navigating A Rainy Season New Platform For AU Variety Data
2021 Season Headliners Rain, Armyworms And Leaf Spot
Grow it Yourself! Join the #GrowPeanuts campaign, share your progress and stay tuned for more GIY themed activations to engage millennials and Gen Z on NationalPeanutBoard.org
The
NOVEMBER 2021
PEANUTGROWER ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC
NOVEMBER 2021
THE PEANUT PRODUCER'S DUCER'S MARKETING & PRODUCTION MAGAZINE www.peanutgrower.com
Navigating A Rainy Season
Texas Sheller Will Preserve Quality, Identity
New Platform For AU Variety Data
Volume 33 • Number 8
2021 Season Headliners Rain, Armyworms And Leaf Spot
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Departments 4
Editor’s Note Clarity needed on chlorpyrifos ruling
5
News Briefs Industry seeks help with trade barrier
8
Market Watch Shipping crisis affecting export market
Features
7
New Consumption Record For Second Consecutive Year Besting the old mark by 3%, Americans consumed 7.9 pounds in 2021.
10 The Scoop On This Season
Above-average rainfall and eye-popping armyworm infestations are part of the story in 2021.
14 Navigating A Rainy Season
South Georgia farmer Ryne Powers turns good decisions and good fortune into top yields.
Supplement
16 New Sheller Will Preserve Quality, Identity
Corn Hybrid Preview
CornSou CornSouth o uuth ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC
Southern Production & Marketing Strategies
November 2021
Texas A&M AgriLife and the states’ producer board unveil new $1 million shelling plant.
18 Start 2022 Variety Selection Now
New platform for Auburn University variety testing data.
20 Doing The Math On Fertigation A Supplement to Cotton Farming and The Peanut Grower Magazines
Look for the Corn South supplement following page 4 in the Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi versions of The Peanut Grower.
New calculator helps producers figure liquid fertilizer flow rate, injection pump settings and a schedule for center-pivot fertigation.
22 The Tri-State Disease Tour
Rotation, Peanut Rx and fungicides are a good way to start planning for disease in 2022. Cover photo by Amanda Huber
TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER
NOVEMBER 2021 • THE PEANUT GROWER /
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EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Copy Editor Vicky Boyd vlboyd@onegrower.com Art Director Ashley Kumpe
ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 326-4443 Sales Manager 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 © 2021 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 Another Tool Lost
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n August, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revoked the insecticide chlorpyrifos’ tolerances for all commodities. It was not a surprise. University of Georgia Extension entomologist Mark Abney and others Extension personnel had been warning producers about this possibility. In a news release, the EPA said it will stop the use of chlorpyrifos on all food to better protect human health, particularly that of children and farmworkers. The revocation of the tolerances for all comAmanda Huber modities would be effective six months Editor, The Peanut Grower after publication of the final rule in the Federal Register. The EPA’s announcement left growers and Extension with many questions. North Carolina State University Extension agronomist David Jordan says growers have been asking him what to do with the Lorsban they did not use this year. “In some cases when a product is discontinued, there is a grace period for product that is in the hands of farmers, which can be used in the future until it is depleted. That is not the case with Lorsban.” Jordan says as he sees it, if you have any remaining Lorsban on your farm, it should be taken back to the distributor. You will not be able to use those stocks on the 2022 peanut crop and market them. Seeking clarity on the rule, the U.S. Peanut Federation joined other agricultural groups and members of Congress in a letter to the EPA. The letter reads, “EPA’s action has put growers, agricultural stakeholders and supply chains in an unfair and impossible position through no fault of their own. This is compounded by the fact that the Agency has not offered sufficient guidance to stakeholders on how they should expect to comply with this action — guidance which should have been ready at the time it was announced. We urge you to expeditiously provide stakeholders and the public much-needed clarity regarding the continued use and existence of chlorpyrifos in supply chains.” Some clarification may come but, ultimately, growers will be left trying to figure out an alternative to Lorsban, a product that has been around for a long time.
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THE PEANUT GROWER • NOVEMBER 2021
PEANUTGROWER.COM
NewsBriefs News Briefs Letter Asks For Help With EU
In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, the U.S. Peanut Federation together with Reps. David Scott, D-Ga., and Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., requested help in restoring trade with the European Union. The letter read in part, “As House agricultural leaders and representatives of the nation’s top peanut-growing state, Georgia, we must bring an important trade issue concerning a non-tariff trade barrier related to peanuts to your attention. As you may already be aware, the European Union has imposed extraneous aflatoxin testing in peanuts, which has been affecting American peanut farmers. “We are strong supporters of science and believe that science and regard for the public health should guide our regulatory principles when it comes to food safety. Through their rigorous testing and grading processes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and American peanut farmers demonstrate that they follow those same principles and are committed to producing high-quality peanuts that can be consumed safely.” The EU enforces an extra level of testing at ports and maintains thresholds for aflatoxin that ranges from 2 to 15 parts per billion. Once a top export market, the U.S. peanut industry estimates it has lost approximately $170 million in sales to the EU, a trend that will continue unless a resolution is found. “Your recent success resolving the aircraft tariff dispute was commendable, and the resolution of that dispute was a welcome sign to America’s farmers. We encourage you to build on that good faith by working with your European counterparts to resolve this issue and help our peanut farmers.”
PLC Payment
Price Loss Coverage payments are made when the market year average is below the reference price. The market TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER
year average price last year, August 2020 to July 2021, was 21 cents per pound or $420 per ton. The effective reference price for peanut is 26.75 cents per pound or $535 per ton. The market average price of $420 per ton is deducted from the reference price of $535 per ton for a PLC payment of $115 per ton. This payment, which is applied to 85% of the farm base, was scheduled to be made in October.
High Oleic Grows In Popularity
J. Leek Associates International director of technical services Jack Davis told buying point managers at a pre-harvest meeting that peanuts are about 50% oil. While extremely heart healthy, this rich oil content limits ways in which the product can be used. “High-oleic peanuts have a modified composition that promotes exceptional resistance to oxidation after roasting. About 25% of the U.S. peanut acreage is high-oleic varieties in 2020, and the primary emphasis for all major breeding programs is the high-oleic trait.” Who’s driving this move toward high-oleic peanuts? “It is mainly confectioners, makers of snack bars and in-shell sellers where products are delivered in a single or multi-kernel format pushing the idea. In these products, a few bad peanuts can spoil the whole bunch,” Davis said. Since high-oleic peanuts receive a premium in the shelled-goods market, manufacturers purchasing these shelled goods are mandating purity requirements before purchase. Mixing conventional and high-oleic peanuts negates the value. “The overall system must be designed to eliminate contamination. Rapid testing during harvest is not the answer; however, a check-point in a robust system is the answer,” he said.
Premium Peanut Expands Into S.C.
Premium Peanut, an innovative,
In Brief • Industry leaders, Congressmen ask for help with European Union trade barriers. • Processing purity needed for continued growth in high-oleic peanut popularity. • Premium Peanut expands eastward bringing cooperative model to South Carolina producers. • Make plans to attend the Georgia Peanut Farm Show, Jan. 1920. • Study points to peanut polyphenols to improve memory, reduce stress.
grower-owned peanut shelling company, plans to establish operations in Orangeburg County, South Carolina. The $64.3 million investment will create 130 new jobs. Founded in 2014, Premium Peanut operates one of the newest and largest peanut shelling facilities in the world. The company began shelling peanuts in January 2016, with about 140,000 tons in shelling capacity. Through investments, efficiencies and growth, the company now has a plant capacity of 300,000 tons, which is about 10% of the U.S. peanut crop. Premium Peanut has made additional investments in cutting-edge technologies and enhancements, and added an oil mill, which opened in 2018. With the South Carolina facility, Premium Peanut will provide more capacity and allow producers in that state the opportunity to be a part of a cooperative model. The facility will build on the company’s existing model, creating maximum value for its grower-owners. Premium Peanut’s customers consist of major snack, candy and peanut butter manufacturers domestically, as well as customers in more than 30 countries around the world. NOVEMBER 2021 • THE PEANUT GROWER /
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NewsBriefs News Briefs Georgia Peanut Farm Show Planned
Make plans to attend the 45th annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 19-20, 2022, at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia. On Wednesday, the show will be open 1 to 5 p.m., and Thursday, it is open from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The two-day show is free and open to all farmers and industry representatives. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit with nearly 100 agribusinesses and organizations. Farmers will be able to earn private and commercial pesticide applicator certification, as well as learn about research developments during the University of Georgia production seminar and sponsored peanut seed seminar. Farm Show chairman Rodney Dawson says, “I encourage farmers to attend this two-day show in Tifton. The knowledge they will gain from industry representatives and seminars is an investment in the future of their farm.” The Georgia Peanut Commission, in cooperation with Portions of the new facility are expected to be operational by spring 2022. Growers interested in learning more should contact Palmetto Peanut Buying Point at 803-8232327. Individuals interested in joining the Premium Peanut team should visit their website. “Premium Peanut is proud of the value we have been able to create for more than 400 grower-owners, in addition to providing quality products to customers around the world. We are thrilled to expand our operations and establish our footprint in South Carolina,” says Premium Peanut CEO Karl Zimmer.
Peanut Federation, Rogers provided feedback on 2018 Farm Bill policies and the impact on peanut growers and the U.S. peanut industry. Rogers’ testimony said in part, “Today, I want to update you on the state of peanut growers as it relates to the current PLC program. In addition to the yearly increases in input costs, my family farm has experienced significant cost increases this planting and harvesting season. The cost of fertilizer for our peanut crop has doubled this year. “Along with these unforeseen expenses, our heavy machinery has also spiked in both cost and demand. As many of you know, the equipment necessary for growing peanuts can only be used for the planting and harvesting of peanuts, such as a digger, shaker, and a picker.”
Rogers Testifies To Ag Subcommittee
Virtual Learning Now Available
Meredith McNair Rogers of Camilla, Georgia, recently spoke at a roundtable hosted by the U.S. House Agriculture Committee General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee. Representing the U.S. 6/
OneBlood, will host a blood drive from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 20. At the close of Thursday, there will be nearly $10,000 in door prizes presented to farmers, as well as a grand door prize, vendor products, certificates and equipment. For more information on the show, contact the Georgia Peanut Commission office at 229-386-3470 or visit www.gapeanuts.com.
THE PEANUT GROWER • NOVEMBER 2021
The Georgia Peanut Commission and Georgia Public Broadcasting Education have launched a new virtual learning opportunity about Georgia peanuts. This interactive journey, available at gpb.org/peanuts, offers students a unique learning experience as they
explore the impact peanuts have on Georgia and beyond. “We are excited to partner with GPB Education in development of this new virtual educational resource,” says Tim Burch, GPC education and information committee chairman. “The resource for teachers and students third to eighth grade provides an overview of the peanut industry’s value in Georgia and captures the many career opportunities available within the industry.”
Improve Memory, Reduce Stress With Peanuts
Working with The Peanut Institute, the University of Barcelona has released new research showing that consumption of peanuts and peanut butter may improve cognitive function and reduce stress in healthy young adults. The study’s authors point to polyphenols in peanuts that likely aided memory, executive function and processing speed. It also resulted in a reduction of cortisol, anxiety and depressive levels in a control group of mostly college students. The study was published online in Clinical Nutrition in September. PEANUTGROWER.COM
New Consumption Record For Second Consecutive Year Besting the old mark by 3%, Americans consumed 7.9 pounds in 2021.
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or the second year in a row, America’s peanut farmers can celebrate an unprecedented level of per capita peanut consumption. Based on U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Census data, per capita consumption rose to 7.9 pounds in 2021. This tops the previous record of 7.6 pounds in 2020 and reflects a 3% increase. “People may be surprised to learn that peanut consumption was at an all-time high during the pandemic, but after more thought, it makes sense,” says Bob Parker National Peanut Board president and CEO. “We would never wish for business growth under these circumstances; however, we take pride that peanuts have helped people meet their nutritional, convenience, financial and even emotional needs during stressful and hectic times.” The record-breaking increase is a testament to the peanuts’ ability to meet the needs of consumers. This achievement is possible because of the continued collaboration and efforts across the peanut industry. Farmers, buying points, shellers and manufacturers strive to supply quality products to consumers and many industry organizations work together to contribute to these accomplishments. This dedication and hard work are reflected in the recent gains. Promoting The Most Popular Nut Driving awareness of peanuts and consumption through consumer marketing is a priority of the National Peanut Board. For the past several years, NPB focused on reaching millennials, who have the greatest impact on peanut consumption. However, the 2021 campaign, Grow It Yourself, invited Generation Z to the table by introducing them to the world of growing your own food. Over the past year, NPB tapped into what millennials and Gen Z love. The first activation allowed for consumers to receive a greeting card with a real peanut in it that they could grow themselves. For those who wanted a little less commitment, consumers were able to adopt their own virtual peanut plant on TikTok. Targeting a younger demographic, TikTok users were able to get a taste of what it feels like to plant, nurture and grow peanuts virtually. “Part of the board’s objective is to increase consumption of peanuts through promotions,” says Andy Bell, Georgia peanut farmer and 2021 NPB chairman. “That can be a challenge when peanuts are already the most popular and preferred nut. But through creative promotions, exports and new products, things are good in the peanut industry, and we keep reaching new heights.” TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER
Georgia peanut farmer and NPB chairman Andy Bell says it can be a challenge to promote peanuts – already the most popular nut. JOY CROSBY GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION
Boosting Early Introduction Although only 1% to 2% of the population is estimated to have a peanut allergy, NPB continues to invest in finding solutions. Since 2001, NPB has allocated more than $35 million to food allergy research, education and outreach. At the end of 2020, the USDA and the department of Health and Human Services released Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which for the first time included a section on infants and young children. The guidelines recommend that introducing peanut foods as early as four to six months helps prevent potential peanut allergies. NPB continues to advocate for awareness and adherence to the guidelines with pediatricians and other influential health professionals, including support of the American Academy of Pediatrics continuing education course on early introduction of peanut foods. “Peanut consumption at an all-time high, brands creating new associations for the consumer, manufacturers developing interesting and innovative new products and momentum on early introduction from the new dietary guidelines will all help drive the incremental sales needed to continue growing peanut consumption,” says Ryan Lepicier, NPB senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “While these factors are all different, they point back to why so many of us fell in love with peanuts and peanut butter again over the past 18 months. They meet some of our most basic nutritional needs and remind us that something as delicious as a PB&J can provide the comfort we need to get through challenging times.” For more information about the board, visit www.nationalpeanutboard.org. For more information about the early introduction of peanut foods to prevent peanut allergy, visit www.preventpeanutallergies.org. PG NOVEMBER 2021 • THE PEANUT GROWER / 7
MarketWatch Market Watch Shipping Crisis Affecting Agriculture Exports, Peanuts Included
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eanut markets have improved this year, and the potential prospects for a profit are also positive. However, Mother Nature had other ideas and kept chipping away at maximum production. The weather interruptions limited general trading, and eventually buyers held up to see crop size and quality. The increased sheller competition has helped boost prices for farmers along with higher prices for other farm crops such as cotton and corn. Premiums are being offered at harvest in hopes they’ll be able to retain the grower next season against the competition. A U.S. seller says that “we don’t have any quality concerns at this stage, and with the lack of interest we are seeing from China, I think the volume of supply available domestically will be ample this season.” Demand from China for farmer-stock has been nonexistent for some time with reports that they have enough supply for crushing from both imported and domestic material. Sustained high prices in China are related to freight costs rather than availability of raw material. So far, ocean rates from the Southeast have not changed as much as Argentina and Brazil are now experiencing, not to speak of Asia. Shipping Woes This past season was a tight market on inshells, Virginia extra-large kernels and Spanish-type peanuts. Demand for these grades is expected to continue to keep the market tight and at a higher price level. Raw runners will be competitive with Argentine or Brazilian origin but not so much on blanched peanuts. The cost to ship a container has increased between 300% and 500% in
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THE PEANUT GROWER • NOVEMBER 2021
J. Tyron Spearman Contributing Editor, The Peanut Grower
LEADING MARKETING INDICATORS (Oct. 12, 2021) 2021 Production Est. (+3.5%) .............................................. 3,174,000 tons 2021 Planted Acreage (-5.1%) ........................................1,533,000 acres 2021 Average Yield per acre (+9.1%) ................................. 4,141 lbs/A 2020 Market Loan ................................................................ 2,425,355 tons 2020 Remaining In Loan ...................................................... 103,000 tons 2020-2021 Domestic Use (12Mo.) ........................................... Up + 3.4 % 2020-2021 Exports (11 Mo.) ..................................................... Down -12% NATIONAL POSTED PRICE (per ton) Runners - $424.89; Spanish - $413.05; Valencia and Virginias - $427.70
the past two years. U.S. producers are losing from 10%-40% of their export value to these added costs, and an informal survey suggests that the inability to export is leading to a loss of 22% of their sales for U.S. agriculture. Since early 2021, agricultural exporters have been facing unprecedented challenges in securing shipping container space on ocean vessels while contending with an accumulation of exorbitant detention and demurrage fees. Officials expect the shipping problem to continue. USDA Estimates U.S. peanut production is forecast to be 3.174 million tons, a 3.5% increase. Harvested acres are now estimated at 1.533 million acres, down 5.1% from last year. The average yield is forecast to be 4,141 pounds per acre, a 9.1% increase over last year. Market demand or disappearance totals 3.199 million tons, a 1% decrease from last year as carryforward may be used. Domestic food usage is forecast to be up 3%. Exports are expect-
ed to decrease by 1.2% to 700,000 tons. Crushing for oil, seed and residual dropped 12%. Ending stocks will be 1.02 million tons, down from last month’s 1.135 million tons. The PLC Payment The Price Loss Coverage payments are made when the market year average is below the reference price. Payments are made after Oct. 1, based on the previous year’s prices. The market year average is based on the average price paid to farmers for August 2020 to July 2021. The market year average last year was 21 cents per pound or $420 per ton. The effective reference price for peanut is 26.75 cents per pound or $535 per ton. The higher of the loan rate (17.75 cents per pound or $355 per ton) or market price average ($420 per ton) is deducted from the reference price for $535 per ton and that becomes the PLC payment of $115 per ton. This payment is applied to 85% of the peanut farm base. The Farm Service Agency will verify and make the payments. PEANUTGROWER.COM
MarketWatch Market Watch
Domestic Market For manufacturers, the market continues at approximately 53 cents for splits, 54 to 55 cents for mediums and 56 cents for jumbo runners, much higher for large-kernel Virginias and for Spanish if you can find anything. Stocks and Processing is reporting peanut usage down 5.3% with peanut butter showing a major decline of 9.6% during the month. Analysts had estimated that usage would decline after the pandemic and people returned to work. The category posted an increase of 2.7% for peanut butter last year and a market growth of 3.4% for edible peanuts. Other factors impacting the downward numbers domestically include labor shortages and COVID. Logistical supply chain issues such as difficulty getting stabilizer and other ingredients have also been reported.
answers. Officials expect a major impact on U.S. peanut exports. A good quality crop with no aflatoxin would encourage return customers but would shipping be available? Canada and Mexico are strong markets with an increase in purchases of 20% on
raw-shelled peanuts in July. Even peanut butter showed strong markets. Since a ship isn’t needed for these markets, trucks and trains give the United States the advantage. All things considered, a 12% drop in total exports for the year is not too bad during the pandemic. PG
Export Market The United States is in the middle of an unprecedent maritime transportation crisis as a consequence of COVID-19 and the management of the U.S. economy. The world is trying to adapt to this new situation with no short-term TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER
NOVEMBER 2021 • THE PEANUT GROWER /
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TEXAS PEANUTS BLOG
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THE PEANUT GROWER • NOVEMBER 2021
PEANUTGROWER.COM
The Scoop On This Season Above-average rainfall and eye-popping armyworm infestations are part of the story in 2021. By Amanda Huber
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lthough the ending has yet to be written on the 2021 season, the beginning and middle are all about morethan-average rains, armyworms and a tremendous amount of leaf spot. Good harvest weather would help Texas peanut growers finish out a promising year. Favorable markets and good growing conditions are reasons to be optimistic. Emi Kimura, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension peanut specialist, says despite delays, fewer planted acres and slow progress, Texas peanut growers are expecting above-average yields. The season started with planting delays because of wet conditions, and the rain did not stop until July. Rains Were Mostly Welcome In Texas “We appreciate the rain, but it did not stop, and we were behind at least two weeks,” Kimura says. “Farmers in Central Texas missed the planting window because they could not access fields, some of which had to give up and look for other options.” Producers in West Texas were able to plant, as well as in South Texas and the Rolling Plains, but overall acreage was expected to be down slightly, Kimura says. Planted peanut acreage in Texas was estimated at 178,000 acres compared to around 190,000 in 2020. “Rain, cooler temperatures and cloudy days have slowed the crop’s progress after delayed plantings, but the moisture has allowed plants to produce heavy pod sets. Sun and heat in the later season should help the crop reach maturity,” she says. Kimura believes proactive management for diseases has kept them in check so far. The main pest problem this year TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER
has been weeds because of wet conditions and late canopy development. The delays and slow progress through July could push harvest for many fields later into October than preferred, Kimura says. Last year, the first frost arrived in the Rolling Plains during the second week in October. Grade deductions from an early frost would be disappointing for producers who are looking at a bumper crop and good market prices. Francisco Abello, AgriLife Extension economist, says a majority of Texas peanut acres are grown under contract. High demand, low U.S. stocks and acreage reductions in major peanut-producing areas, such as Georgia, created strong contract prices for producers — $575 per ton on average, up $100 per ton compared to last year. “Domestic demand, consumption and
increased exports led to a price jump,” he says. “With producers in other areas looking at other commodities like cotton and corn as a profitable rotation option, we don’t expect there to be any significant gains in peanut stocks, but we do expect demand to remain high. “This is a much better position for Texas peanut growers. If they locked in around the average price and fields deliver on yield and quality expectations, it could be a good season.” Armyworms March Into North Carolina More fall armyworms than North Carolina State University Extension entomologist Rick Brandenburg had seen in his 40-year career is not what any producers in the Tar Heel state want to see in their fields. Fortunately, he says fall armyworm is
NOVEMBER 2021 • THE PEANUT GROWER / 11
not as bad a some other common lepidopteran pests. “They have the potential to damage peanuts but are not as aggressive of feeders as corn earworms or budworms,” Brandenburg says. “Currently, the threshold for worms is eight to 10 per row foot, and I believe that fall armyworm could be higher, at least 12 and perhaps 15 worms per row foot. “In the past, there have been instances that when peanuts are dug, the fall armyworms move up and feed on pods. I really don’t know how much damage these do, but it can be a scary sight.” Armyworm numbers aside, NCSU Extension peanut agronomist David Jordan says weather conditions for harvest did not present a scary picture. “Growers in the Virginia-Carolina region are well into peanut harvest with approximately 75% of peanut fields across the region dug and 30% threshed,” he says. “Weather conditions for the past two weeks have been excellent for digging and threshing. “Adequate heat unit accumulation for Virginia-market type cultivars has been reached for peanuts emerging during May and into the first week of June in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia,” Jordan says. However, drought has affected the crop in some areas. “Estimated yield potential is 3,970 pounds per acre. This estimate is substantially lower than current U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service estimates for the region. Prolonged dry weather in some areas is worrisome, especially for later-emerging peanuts. In addition to limited soil moisture for pod fill, some fields need moisture to prevent pod shed during the digging and vine inversion process.” Jordan says area planted to peanuts in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia is 105,000 acres, 85,000 acres and 28,000 acres, respectively.
University of Georgia Extension plant pathologist Bob Kemerait says, “The story in many Georgia peanut fields is all about leaf spot, primarily late leaf spot, which has exploded more than ever before in my career. “The persistently wet conditions throughout the growing season have really started catching up to some fields in the last couple of weeks. Favorable conditions for fungal growth combined with too-wet-to-work soils delaying fungicide applications have resulted in high levels of disease pressure as we near harvest.” Kemerait says they are not seeing a collapse of fungicides or active ingredients. “At UGA, we have too many trials out across the state that prove our chemistries and programs, while not bullet-proof, are holding.” However, he says conditions have been perfect this year for leaf spot epidemics. “We have had beaucoup rain that enhances infection by leaf spot pathogens and spread of leaf spot diseases. Wet weather has led to extended delays between fungicide applications and even missed applications. We have also had shortages on many fungicides resulting in use of something other than what we really wanted.” Kemerait also says that some of our newer peanut varieties are more susceptible to leaf spot than Georgia-06G. “Delays in planting mean that much of our crop was still in the field when pressure from leaf spot was intense and blistering.” In Florida, the picture was nearly the same. “Leaf spot pressure, especially late leaf spot, is tremendous right now, and fields that have not been adequately protected, likely because it’s been too wet to spray, are experiencing substantial defoliation,” says Mark Mauldin, Washington County, Florida, Extension agent in early October. “Additionally, in some areas foliage-feeding insects are adding to the problem. At this point in the season, most fields are mature enough to harvest; however, wet conditions may be delaying the process. “For June-planted fields, defoliation, not maturity, may well dictate when the field needs to be dug,” he says. “If you’re losing leaves, you’re probably starting to lose pods.” PG Portions of this article provided by Texas A&M AgriLife.
Leaf Spot Spreads Over The Southeast Like the Southwest, rain is the story in the Southeast. Wet and warm most always leads to more disease pressure than producers would like. 12 /
THE PEANUT GROWER • NOVEMBER 2021
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Navigating A Rainy Season Good decisions and good fortune will hopefully bring outstanding yields for South Georgia farmer Ryne Powers.
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t’s been a wet year in Baxley, Georgia, as it has in much of the Southern peanut belt. Not needing to spend the money on irrigation is a good thing. However, not being able to get into the field in a timely manner to spray fungicides for protection against disease is a recipe for disaster. For producer Ryne Powers, that is what he faced in 2021 but not the way it started. “We planted timely, and they came up really well. The first week or two conditions were good, and then we had a dry spell.” Powers says the Odum Powers Farm is a diversified operation with 1,700 acres of row crops and also chicken houses. “We have about 400 acres of peanuts, 700 acres of cotton, and the rest is in corn and beans.” Powers plants mostly Georgia O6Gs in twin rows, but he is also trying some of the Georgia 18RU variety. “We started planting peanuts in the first week of May and were done by about the 20th.” He says the peanuts were not stressed too badly during the dry spell and held up pretty well. “About the middle of June, it started raining and it hasn’t stopped yet.” A Rainy Year Powers says they were not only getting a lot of rain showers, but it would be significant rain events of a few inches. “In between these rains, it would stay cloudy for a couple days and then it would rain again.” It just happened to be the luck of the draw in his three-year rotation that peanuts were planted on the higher land this year. “That’s a definite benefit for yields. We can see the difference in the peanuts that are in lower areas.” In this rotation, he also didn’t have peanuts in any irrigated fields, which is OK since it wasn’t needed. Rocky Courson is the Nutrien Ag salesman in Powers’ area and also facility manager in Baxley. He says South Georgia is primarily flat land, but there are areas you would call higher and lower. “It has been a wet year in South Georgia. The higher dirt that drains well should yield pretty good. The low dirt probably will not do as well,” he says. Proactive With Protection Rain, although needed and welcome by producers, presents many challenges, one of which is maintaining a spray schedule for a successful disease management program. “We stay proactive with disease management,” Powers says. 14 /
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Ryne Powers, Odum Powers Farm Baxley, Georgia
• Has a diversified operation with 400 acres of peanuts, 700 acres of cotton, and the rest is in corn and beans, plus chicken house. • Started planting Georgia O6Gs on May 6. • Begins fungicide program at 40-45 days after planting. • May stretch sprays to three weeks but not with the rain this year. • Is happier with the protection and yield he has gotten from the more premium fungicides.
“We use Elatus and like what the product does for us. “This year, peanuts were up in price and, as much rain as we were getting, I felt we had a chance at getting a really good crop. I went with an extra trip of Elatus than I normally would. With prices where they are at, we decided it was an investment that would likely pay off.” Powers says they usually try to stretch sprays out three weeks with the more premium products. “This year, we stayed on a pretty tight schedule of 14 to 16 days because we were having so much wet weather. We didn’t want to get behind. We’ve had a little bit of leaf spot, but other than that we’ve been satisfied with our fungicide program this year.” Before Elatus was available, Powers says they were taking the approach that cheaper was better. “We were using strictly tebuconazole and Bravo. One year, it was wet like this one and we had too much disease. Rocky PEANUTGROWER.COM
suggested we try Elatus the next year. We started putting it in our spray schedule and alternating it with the other, less expensive, fungicides. That has been successful for us so we have stayed with it.” Optimistic About Yields Flexibility is a big benefit in fungicide programs. Courson says that the longer window of protection offered by some products is a definite selling point. “I started working with Elatus, then Miravis when it came out, and I could see the flexibility that it gives farmers. Labor is getting to be a big problem around here. Most of our farmers are more diverse with not just peanuts and cotton anymore, but chicken houses, tobacco or other enterprises. Elatus and Miravis cost more, but we see the results of the crop protection and flexibility.” Another example on the need for flexibility, Courson says
they received 2½ inches of rain the day before. “If you are trying to spray, that much rain will likely make you three or four days late. Whether it’s the weather or like it is right now with COVID, difficult to get needed parts, Miravis and Elatus gives you that longer window of protection and more flexibility,” he says. In peanuts, as all row crops, yield is where the rubber meets the road. “With inputs and chemicals increasing in price, Folicur+Bravo versus Miravis+Elatus might be a $30 difference, but plants are healthier with less disease and farmers are getting more yield,” Courson says. Powers is optimistic about his yields. “I’m thinking what I’ve picked so far is close to 5,000 pounds per acre. I’ll have some lower areas that bring it back to around 2 tons per acre, but I am hoping for a 5,000 pounds-per-acre average. PG
Ryne Powers, (left) peanut farmer in Baxley, Georgia, checks on his crop with Rocky Courson, Nutrien Ag salesman and facility manager in Baxley.
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NOVEMBER 2021 • THE PEANUT GROWER /
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A crowd gathered for the ribbon cutting of a new one-of-a-kind peanut sheller at the Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed facility.
New Sheller Will Preserve Quality, Identity Texas A&M AgriLife and the states’ producer board unveil new $1 million shelling plant.
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he longtime goal to preserve both peanut quality and seed integrity is a step closer in Texas. Together, Texas A&M AgriLife and the Texas Peanut Producers Board recently unveiled a new $1 million peanut shelling facility. The sheller has a ton per hour capacity, can process lots as small as 250 pounds and offers the ability to process identity-preserved peanuts. With design modifications built in by Bratney Corp., the new sheller will reduce seed split losses to less than 10%. The sheller capacity, combined with its ability to clean and sort seeds, makes it one of a kind, says Patrick J. Stover, Texas A&M AgriLife vice chancellor, who is also dean of
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the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of research. “With the technology we are unveiling today, Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed can now work with both food companies and farmers in an identity-preserved production system that delivers specific peanuts to end users. Now AgriLife-bred peanuts can specifically target improved nutritional traits, benefiting the consumer and enhancing value for the farmer.” Stover thanked industry partners Shelly Nutt, Texas Peanut Producers Board executive director, and Bob Parker, National Peanut Board president and CEO, for their support, saying, “We are incredibly thankful for everything you both do for Texas peanuts and Texas A&M AgriLife.” PEANUTGROWER.COM
Longtime Goal Brought To Fruition Because the peanut sheller, which will begin processing peanuts after harvest later this year, will preserve both quality and seed integrity, it creates an environment where farmers can grow improved varieties. Additionally, shellers can sell seed that is both genetically pure and of the highest quality. “This is huge,” Nutt says. “Our board was created in 1969, and the reason the farmers wanted to self-assess is they wanted a research program that would look at what Texas needed. Now, 50 years later, we’re seeing an accomplishment toward a goal our farmers have had all this time.” The facility gives peanut farmers access to a pure, high-quality seed from varieties specifically suited for Texas’ unique environment, along with the Southwest growing region. “This shelling plant is vitally important to gain the respect of the seed industry and to make our varieties the industry standard in not only value-added traits but also in quality. The Texas peanut industry appreciates this and looks forward to working with Texas A&M AgriLife and Texas A&M Foundation Seed for years to come,” Nutt says.” Identity And Quality Preservation Assuring the purity of the peanut supply is critical to maintaining and growing markets domestically and internationally, Parker says. “The ability to test single seeds of high-oleic peanuts really exposed the problem we had with mixtures in our peanut seed system and the lack of purity in our peanuts,” he says. Parker says this is a good time for a facility like this to be brought online to address a growing market. Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon and Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed director Rick Vierling says, “If someone wants to do only high oleic peanuts — we can do that. Right now, it is very difficult for a larger operation to shell identity-preserved peanuts. However, since we operate at only one ton an hour, we can clean out and switch to different peanuts for a minimal cost.” Another benefit of the new sheller is that it is capable of screening for quality for better seed production, Vierling says. “Larger shellers are not designed to do TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER
Variety trial research plots can be found across the road from the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center and the new Foundation Seed sheller south of Vernon.
A Sheller For Modern Times Up and down the line from peanut breeders to the consumer, the Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed will provide multiple benefits to the peanut industry. Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed director Rick Vierling says, “It will be useful in plant breeding. We are going to be able to test varieties early on for their shelling abilities. When a breeder is getting ready to release new varieties, we are going to be able to do a better job processing that seed. We can make sure that it is genetically pure and do a good job not damaging the seed. Lastly, it is going to be available to companies for specialty processing.” Vierling says identity preservation is another benefit the sheller will provide. Food manufacturers can choose to participate in identity preservation peanut production and contract with farmers to produce a specific variety. It may also be a good opportunity for producers to participate in identity preservation production, which may end up being more profitable. “The opportunity for identity-preserved production will have benefits all along the chain — from the seed supplier company to the producer to the food company — they can all grab benefits from identity preservation.” Overall, Vierling says the sheller will be used throughout the entire life of the breeding process. He says Texas A&M AgriLife is now better equipped to breed for shelling and they will be able to begin looking at the processing characteristics of a variety, which will help increase efficiency across the industry and hopefully increase the number of acres in Texas. “We can start breeding for the farmers, the peanut shellers and the food companies,” Vierling says. “That’s big, and it is going to change the way we do our breeding.”
that. Improved seed quality gives the producer a better stand and ultimately better yields. “We are making huge strides here at Foundation Seed and this certainly will give us the impetus to continue our mission of serving Texas and adding value to the state economy.” Texas peanuts, and the farmers and businesses that make up the peanut
industry, are valuable to Texas agriculture. Texas is the fourth largest peanut-growing state in the nation, with nearly 170,000 acres planted by Texas peanut producers in 2021. In 2020, Texas produced 8% of the peanuts grown in the nation, with an average yield of 2,900 pounds per acre. PG Article provided by Texas A&M AgriLife. NOVEMBER 2021 • THE PEANUT GROWER / 17
Start 2022 Variety Selection Now New platform for Auburn University variety testing data.
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arvest was underway in Alabama, but variety trial results were already in. Now is the time for producers to begin making crop variety decisions for the 2022 planting season. Alabama Cooperative Extension System researchers, in partnership with the Auburn University College of Agriculture and the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, have spent much of 2021 conducting variety trials. These trials are planted on farms and at the eight AAES locations throughout the state. Auburn University variety testing manager Henry Jordan says cultivar selection is the most important decision a grower can make. “The ability to manage the crop and make all the right in-season decisions can’t make up for a bad variety selection. The AU variety testing program provides an unbiased, third-party evaluation of commercial and experimental varieties side by side. This allows growers to make informed decisions.” The program is currently testing peanuts, corn, cotton, soybean, grain sorghum, wheat, oat, triticale and ryegrass varieties. New Platform As producers begin making decisions for 2022, they will notice the AU variety testing program has implemented a new data delivery system. “The new variety selection platform combines official variety trials and on-farm data, increases the utility and value of the data, and gives users much more control,” Jordan says. “The new platform has multiple tools that allow users to customize the data to their specific growing situation.” Producers can query a variety based on the criteria of their choice. They can also visually compare multiple locations 18 /
THE PEANUT GROWER • NOVEMBER 2021
and years of data simultaneously, compare potential varieties side by side, view graph data and more. Importance of Variety Trials Paul Brown, associate director of Alabama Extension, says the AU variety testing program helps Extension agents and Alabama producers become more familiar with varieties that are available and suited to the state. “Yield and certain agronomic traits are evaluated through the testing program to help growers plan for the upcoming season,” Brown says. On-farm trials give producers a look at variety performance managed on a production scale. They also provide performance information for a particular geographical area. The trials allow farmers and researchers to determine whether small-plot results will translate to full field production. Researchers can include as many as 50 cultivars or hybrids in small-plot experiments at the research stations. Official variety trials are a mixture of established
varieties and experimental lines. Seed companies enter experimental lines to test performance against existing lines. These tests also gauge how well a variety will perform in different areas of the state. The companies selects the cultivars or hybrids they would like tested, then researchers select other varieties for comparison. Varietal Selection The variety trials are an enduring example of Extension’s commitment to unbiased, science-based research. Seed costs are a significant component of crop budgets. The choice a producer makes has significant financial implications. This is one of the reasons AU and Extension personnel continue to devote time to the statewide variety trials. Learn more about the variety trial results and the AAES Variety Testing Program’s new platform at https://aaes. auburn.edu/variety-tests/. Article provided by the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service. PEANUTGROWER.COM
“I enjoy reading the magazine. It’s a great wealth of knowledge about peanuts, and I mean from seed, to planting to harvest to market. I also like how they give you tips in what to look for on leaf spot and other peanut diseases as well as herbicide and insecticide usage!” Chris Barham, Capron, Virginia, peanut grower
Doing The Math On Fertigation New calculator helps producers figure liquid fertilizer flow rate, injection pump settings and a schedule for center-pivot fertigation.
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he days of manually calculating numbers on spreadsheets to determine how much liquid fertilizer should be used to fertigate row crops may soon be gone, thanks to a new web-based calculator from Clemson University. The Clemson center-pivot fertigation calculator is designed to help producers make more precise fertilizer applications, saving money and increasing crop productivity. The app was developed by Clemson precision agriculture engineer Kendall Kirk, with help from South Carolina farmers. “This resource was created to help producers calculate the flow rate of liquid fertilizer and injection pump settings needed to fertigate through a center-pivot irrigation system,” Kirk says. “It is designed to make the math a little easier.” Making The Math ‘A Little Easier’ Information required includes fertilizer formulation, pivot size, pivot travel time, fertilizer rate and injection pump man-
ufacturer/model. After the information has been inputted, the calculator determines liquid fertilizer flow rate required to supply the needed nutrients, as well as rate per acre of each fertilizer component and the recommended injection pump setting. The calculator also creates a fertigation schedule. Results and direct links to the inputs can be sent to the producer’s email address. Ben Fogle, Clemson precision agriculture technician, says the calculator is convenient in that it can be used anywhere internet is available. “A producer in the field can use the fertigation calculation app on their phone,” Fogle says. “It can also be used on a tablet or computer.” Kirk says, “We developed the center-pivot fertigation calculator after a grower called and wanted instructions on how to set up his fertigation system. We realized a lot of calculations are involved when growers fertigate, and we could make people’s lives a lot easier if we could give them a system that could calculate some of these things for them.”
Clemson researchers have developed a new app farmers can use to optimize liquid fertilizers used to feed crops through irrigation systems.
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Multiple Sources Rolled Into One Another collaborator on the project was Jacob Oswald of Allendale, South Carolina, who earned a degree in agricultural mechanization and business from Clemson. Oswald works with growers across the state to determine ways to maximize yield while maintaining an efficient economic investment in their farming operations. “I find this calculator particularly useful because calculating the correct application rate for nutrients injected through irrigation systems can be a difficult process,” Oswald says. “A lot of times, the information required comes from multiple sources, such as the pivot application chart, the specific injection pump manual, as well as nutrient labels. “This calculator has taken all of these variables and research and combined them into one user-friendly platform. I ran the calculator for one of our irrigation systems, and it took less than five minutes to get an accurate pump setting for injection. I was even able to use this from the browser on my cell phone.” Setting Injection Rate Clemson Extension corn and soybean specialist Michael Plumblee says, “Being able to apply fertilizer in small amounts throughout the growing season is beneficial in meeting the crop nutrient requirements as they increase or progress through the growing season. Often, applying additional fertilizer to crops such as corn is limited by equipment, labor and time. “The most difficult part of fertigation is often coupled with determining how much fertilizer to put into the irrigation water so that appropriate rates are applied. By filling in information about each system’s parameters, the program provides injection pump settings to ensure that the rates are correct, and it helps schedule system run time. “This program takes out some of the guess work for calibrating and applying fertilizer through irrigation to crops in an appropriate manner,” Plumblee says. Start With Soil Testing Essential nutrients required by plants include macronutrients — nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium and magnesium, as well as micronutrients — copper, zinc, iron, manganese, boron TWITTER: @PEANUTGROWER
and molybdenum. A soil’s natural fertility largely depends on the parent materials from which the soil was developed and the original vegetation. Over time on agricultural land, significant quantities of nutrients are lost through plant harvest, soil erosion, runoff, leaching and burning of crop residues. Bhupinder Farmaha, Clemson soil fertility specialist, says it is important to have regular soil tests to make sure enough nutrients are supplied by the soil or through external inputs. “When nutrient removal exceeds nutrient inputs, the soil’s nutrient reserves are depleted and may cause yield loss. On irrigated land, farmers can supply different nutrients during the growing season and tailor it more with crop demand. This is when producers could use the center-pivot fertigation calculator.” Other calculators and web apps developed by the Clemson precision agriculture team include a drip fertigation calculator, an equilibrium moisture content calculator, an injection pump settings calculator, a lime rate calculator, a peanut digger conveyor speed calculator, a peanut yield estimator, a soil acidification calculator and a Watermark soil moisture calculator. For information on these and other precision agriculture topics, go to https://www.clemson.edu/extension/ agronomy/PrecisionAgriculture/. PG Article provided by Clemson University College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences.
New Peanut Loan Rate Calculator Clemson University precision agriculture and agribusiness program researchers, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Peanut Lab, worked together on a peanut loan rate calculator. Clemson precision agriculture engineer Kendall Kirk says, “If you’ve ever tried to calculate peanut discounts, premiums and values as a function of outputs on your inspection sheets, you know that the calculations can be overwhelming. “We’ve put together a web app that allows you to do these calculations from your phone or computer for performing your own, unofficial ‘what-if’ scenarios and for converting loan rate to a dollarsper-acre basis. You can even explore historical loan rates for the same inputs.” The calculator and other web-based tools from Clemson can be found at https://www.clemson.edu/extension/ agronomy/PrecisionAgriculture/. NOVEMBER 2021 • THE PEANUT GROWER /
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The Tri-State Disease Tour
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osted by Alabama Cooperative Extension, University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences Extension and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, the tri-state peanut disease tour was a chance to see the latest technology available to protect peanuts from both foliar and soilborne pathogens. Attendees learned about plot trials and about the year’s top disease problems in growers’ fields. The UF portion of the tour was presented virtually. At that time, peanuts had been planted in the small-plot trials about 100 days ago. The plots were in STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION 1. Publication Title: Peanut Grower 2. Publication Number: 1042-9379 3. Filing Date: October 2021 4. Issue Frequency: Jan – July and Nov 5. Number of Issues: 8x/year 6. Annual Subscription Price: Free to qualified subscribers 7&8. Mailing Address of Known Office/Headquarters: 875 W. Poplar Ave., Ste. 23, Box 305, Collierville, TN 38017 Contact Person: David Boyd (901-626-1730) 9. Publisher: Lia Guthrie, 7100 Black Bart Trail, Redwood Valley, CA 95470 Editor: Amanda Huber, 875 W. Poplar Ave., Ste. 23, Box 305, Collierville, TN 38017 10. Owners: Cornelia Guthrie, 7100 Black Bart Trail, Redwood Valley, CA 95470; Dr. David Scott Guthrie, Sr., 7100 Black Bart Trail, Redwood Valley, CA 95470; Morris Ike Lamensdorf, 17 S. Third St., Rolling Fork, MS 39159; Mary Jane Lamensdorf, 17 S. Third St., Rolling Fork, MS 39159 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and Other Security Holders Owning/Holding 1% or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages or Other Securities: None 12. Tax Status: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: July 2021 15.a. Total Number of Copies (net press run): (Average No. Copies each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 9,476) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 9,649) 15.b.(1) Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 5,326) (No. Copies of Single Issue Nearest to Filing Date – 5,105) 15.c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 5,326) (No. Copies of Single Issue Nearest to Filing Date – 5,105) 15.d.(1) Outside County Nonrequested Copies: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 3,993) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 4,204) 15.d.(4) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 15) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date - 125) 15.e. Total Nonrequested Distribution: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 4,008) (No Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 4,329) 15.f. Total Distribution: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 9,334) (No Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 9,434) 15.g. Copies Not Distributed: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 142) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date - 215) 15.h. Total: (Average No. copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 9,476) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 9,649) 15.i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 57.1%) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 54.1%) 18. I certify that all information furnished above is true and complete. Lia Guthrie, Publisher
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30-inch rows and were 30 feet long. UF Extension disease specialist Nick Dufault says they have been doing trials for six years at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Live Oak. “For most of that time, we had the trial in the same field. This year, we moved it to a field that was in corn for the past three years. We are just now starting to see peanut disease. “Typically, we would have significant leaf spot pressure at 50 to 70 days after planting. It would ramp up to where we had nearly complete defoliation and just sticks by the end of the season,” he says. It was a visual representation of how important rotation is in disease management, Dufault says. Additionally, he says they have found that using Peanut Rx as a guide is a good way to keep disease pressure to a minimum compared to chlorothalonil only. Key points from research and Extension on soilborne disease and nematodes are: Tools to fight white mold. The best way to prevent white mold is to be on a good crop rotation and have a solid fungicide spray program. Be mindful when scouting fields that white mold can show few above-ground signs. It is important to dig up plants to fully assess what is going on with the crop during the season. Rhizoctonia. It was a wet season in many areas, with cooler temperatures that brought more Rhizoctonia pressure. This fungus can severely affect the limb crop in peanuts and result in reduced yields. Seed treatments, crop rotation and good fungicide spray programs can help with less-than-ideal planting and growing conditions to limit Rhizoctonia pressure. Root-knot and lesion nematodes. Consider sending soil samples to
PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE RIFFLE, VALENT U.S.A.
Rotation, Peanut Rx and fungicides are a good way to start planning for disease in 2022.
Extension staff digs peanuts for field demonstrations at the tri-state disease tour.
a diagnostic lab at least every few years to evaluate nematode pressure across your acres. Effective diagnosis of nematodes takes more than a visual inspection. Ideally, sample the top 8 inches of soil with a probe, and label each sample. Early fall is the best time to sample for nematodes. Hunt Sanders, field market development specialist at Valent U.S.A., attended the tour as well. “These pressures aren’t unique to 2021. I expect we’ll continue to see white mold, Rhizoctonia and nematodes as part of planting conversations in 2022,” he says. “Looking ahead with fungicide plans is a solid step. There are a lot of resources out there when it comes to planning, including Peanut Rx, which accounts for variety, timing, tillage, rotation, disease pressure and more. “For disease management, I continue to recommend Excalia fungicide for fields facing white mold, Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia blight and leaf spot.” For more information about preventing disease using Peanut Rx tool, go to peanutrx.org and for more on Excalia, go to Valent.com/Excalia. PG PEANUTGROWER.COM
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