Peanut Pointers

JOHN BEASLEY
University of Georgia
Extension Peanut Agronomist
A record amount of peanuts were produced in 2008, which has created several challenges for 2009. For producers, it has resulted in no contract activity. I doubt seriously that we will see any contract offers before planting begins. Peanut shellers will wait until they know how many acres will be planted before a pricing structure can be determined. With that in mind, there are several critical things you must do to prepare for the 2009 season. Develop a budget, and work with it all season long. Know what it is costing you to produce the crop and where management needs to be tweaked to improve your chances of making a profit. Budgets are available on-line, or a hard copy can be obtained at your county Extension office. Reduce your acreage to a manageable level. Arrange for seed purchases, and lock down the cultivars you intend to plant. Plan your work, and work your plan.
 

TODD BAUGHMAN
Texas A&M University
Extension Agronomist

Record yields and an increase in ending stocks will force us to tighten our belt in 2009. Maintain high yields, while limiting inputs, through crop rotation. Proper crop rotation will minimize disease pressure, and 2009 would be an excellent time to develop a proper rotation sequence. While it will not eliminate disease problems, it will help in managing them.

Another thing is to make sure you have a good supply of good quality irrigation water. If you have not tested your wells for water quality, now would be a good time to do so. Water quality and quantity could hamper yields and reduce profitability. Consider placing peanuts on your strongest water ground, or reduce the acres to the well capacity that will support high yields. Remember, high yields will be the key to any potential profit in peanut production next year.

DAVID JORDAN
North Carolina State University
Extension Agronomist

Recently, I was in a meeting with several new growers, and, for almost every pest issue I brought up, most of the growers indicated they didn't have it as a problem. Several times I said, "Let's move on because I don't want to create a problem for you, and I don't want to cause you to be stressed when you do not need too."

One trend in peanut research and Extension is to encourage the use of risk indices and to incorporate more knowledge and scouting into their decisions. Two important diseases, CBR and tomato spotted wilt, have to be managed before and at planting, with no alternatives once the seed is in the ground. Equally important is weed control; some fields desperately need effective pre-plant incorporated and pre-emergence herbicides to be successful. These situations need to be thought out well ahead of planting to minimize their effect. This is where knowledge becomes our best companion.
 

KRIS BALKCOM
Auburn University
Agri-Program Associate

Contract prices are a major concern. In 2008, Alabama set a record yield at 3,300 pounds per acre, surpassing the old record of 2,960 pounds per acre set in 1984. The U.S. made a bumper crop as well. This huge crop nearly doubled the normal carryout to nearly 950,000 tons, according to Marshall Lamb from the National Peanut Lab in Dawson, Ga. The depressed demand leaves producers with a tough decision on what to plant in 2009. We have to cut peanut acres and decrease the carryout to get back to a higher market price. If not, we could remain at lower prices for an extended time. Cutting acres would maintain a good rotation, allowing us a to reach more of the maximum potential for a variety, as was experienced this past year with the help of adequate rainfall and lower temperatures.

PG