Peanut Peg Strength and Associated Pod Yield and Loss by Cultivar

Abstract

ABSTRACT Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) peg strength and associated pod yield and digging loss were documented for nine cultivars and two breeding genotypes across three harvest dates (early, mid, and late season) at two Southwest Georgia locations during 2010 and 2011. Cultivars selected were Georgia Green, Georgia Greener, Georgia-02C, Georgia-06G, Georgia-07W, Georgia-09B, Georgia-10T, Florida-07, Tifguard, and advanced breeding lines EXP27-1516 and TifGP-2. Prior to digging, a minimum of three peanut plants from each plot were selected and excess stems and leaves were removed with scissors leaving individual peanut pegs and pods with about 5-cm of stem. Each peanut pod was placed in a “U” shaped metal bracket attached to an electronic force gauge and the stem was pulled manually until the pod detached. After digging and combining, a tractor-mounted scavenger machine was used to collect pods remaining in the soil. Peg strength was greater at Dawson (6.14 N) compared to Tifton (5.28 N) in 2010 but were similar in 2011 (4.51 and 4.39 N, respectively). Dawson had consistently higher yields (5326 kg/ha) and lower pod loss (562 kg/ha) compared with Tifton (3803 kg/ha and 936 kg/ha, respectively). Peanut cultivars with greater peg strength across locations were Georgia-06G, Florida-07, and Georiga-02C. Cultivar Georiga-06G showed the greatest yield across locations and years. Other cultivars may have had stronger peg strength, greater pod yield, or lower pod loss but none were more consistent than these three cultivars across years, locations, and harvest dates.