The
USDA/ARS National Peanut Research Laboratory remains committed
to conducting
applied research for the entire US peanut industry. The recent
trend in growth in demand for US peanuts is what we've all been
waiting on for years. However, we can't expect the growth to
continue without working together and taking concerted efforts
to ensure that all segments of the industry continue to grow.
The mission statement of the National Peanut Research Laboratory
is to "develop technology that addresses the major problems
of the US peanut industry" and we are conducting research
from prior to planting to the quality of final peanut products
to accomplish
these objectives for the industry. I'd like to briefly summarize
some of our research and introduce the scientists that are directing
the research. Our lab takes an open door approach to the industry
so if something interests you in this article, please feel free
to call the laboratory for more information.
Farm
Suite
Released
in 2002 by The Peanut Foundation, this software package contains several
computer programs designed to help farmers make better decisions based
on year of data and information. Two examples are WholeFarm which is
a whole farm planning system which is currently being operated in 29
states in the US providing valuable direction on farm planning decisions
for farmers. Irrigator Pro for Peanuts is the irrigation scheduling
system for peanuts and has gained widespread recognition and acceptance.
A quick quote from a farmer summarizes it best "Our irrigated
peanuts are the best we have ever had...averaging well over 5,000 lbs/acre
and grading 76-79 w/ 2% LSK and 1.5% FM. Big Lee (farmer) says that
he'g gonna do 3 things if he grows peanuts (1) Get the pond full of
water, (2) Follow Irrigator Pro like the Bible and (3) Use Temik. He
says if he cannot do any of these 3 that he just won't even crank the
tractor."
Physiology
Research
This
research focuses on water use efficiency in peanuts and will be
used
to make continual improvements to Irrigator Pro for Peanuts for current
and new peanut varieties. Also addressing the physiological changes
of peanuts when impacted by Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (this research
is being conducted collaboratively with the UGA TSWV team).
Drip
Irrigation
Subsurface
drip and surface drip irrigation research is demontrating that SSD
and SD are economically feasible irrigation alternatives in fields
that are less than 50 acres or irregularly shaped. We have years of
data on
yield response, cost, and other factors related to surface drip irrigation
in peanut, corn, and cotton rotation sequences.
|
High
Moisture Peanut Grading
USDA
approved grading of peanuts with moisture contents of 10.5% percent
and less than 18% percent. Research conducted at the NPRL demonstrated
that grading peanuts at higher moistures and converting them to low
moisture values would NOT change the grading system in terms of value
and weight of peanuts. The objective is to allow improvements in efficiency
at the buying point to better dry and handle incoming farmer stock
peanuts.
Storage
Research
We
are collecting comparision between conventional warehouse storage facilities
and monolithic dome storage. (a new concept in peanut storage but could
there be options for producers to store peanuts on their own farm and
market themselves?)
Afla-Guard
Afla-Guard
is a biocompetitive pesticide developed at our laboratory to prevent
pre-harvest aflatoxin in peanuts that is being marketed by Circle One
Global. Significant
reductions in aflatoxin have resulted from using Afla-Guard thus improving
processing efficiency of treated peanuts.
Others...
The
National Peanut Research Lab has many, many other on-going research
projects that space within the magazine will not allow discussion on
including non-irrigated production systems, variable rate irrigation
technologies, organic peanut production (faster growing segment of
the peanut industry, but a lot of challenges in producing organic
peanuts). Irrigator Pro for Cotton and Corn in collaboration with
Dr. Craig Bednarz
(cotton physiologist with UGA) will address irrigation scheduling in cotton and
corn because no peanut farmer is just a peanut farm and we must address
other crop water needs to help the farm financially and not just the
individual crop.
This
is a limited list of the on-going research at our laboratory. One point
I'd like to relay is that the National Peanut Laboratory works for
the peanut industry and our job and mission in the future will remain
the same. If you have questions about the research at the peanut
lab please do not hesitate to call or stop by and visit (229) 995-7400. |
