Location: National Peanut Research Laboratory
2020 Annual Report
Objectives
1. Identify crop rotations, irrigation systems, plant populations, row orientations, and row spacings best adapted for sustainable peanut-based agriculture systems.
2. Develop and evaluate a new decision support system to improve sustainability of peanut-based agriculture systems.
Approach
The United States peanut industry generates approximately $4.4 billion annually in economic activity. Much of this activity is located in rural areas that are directly dependent on peanuts to sustain rural economies and foster rural economic development. Over the past decade, the peanut industry has been in a period of economic and technological adjustment driven by changes in peanut policy, increased cost of production, and repeated drought in the major peanut producing regions. The purpose of this project is to conduct farm systems research to identify crop management techniques that will conserve natural resources and offer new production and management techniques that will sustain peanuts and crops grown in rotation with peanuts. Objective 1 will focus on the management practices of drip irrigation systems with respect to crop rotation, plant population, row orientation, and row spacing for sustainable peanut-based agriculture systems. These management practices will enhance an existing database for Objective 2, which is to develop and evaluate a new decision support system to quantify and improve the economic viability and sustainability of peanut-based agriculture systems. Results will improve knowledge on irrigation system selection, crop rotations, row spacing, and plant population in peanut-based agricultural systems and provide a platform quantifying economic and sustainable impacts. End users include farmers, crop consultants, university extension personnel, bankers/lenders, policy makers, and others.
Progress Report
Objective 1 and 2: For FY2019, in early spring all fields were tilled and prepared by ARS researchers at Dawson, Georgia, according to the project plan. Crops were planted in a timely manner with the various treatments selected for crop rotation, row pattern, and seeding rate. Fertility management followed best management practices. Other crop management techniques were applied at appropriate time and rates for herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides on each specific crop. All rainfall events were recorded electronically and manually to confirm rainfall events. All irrigation events were applied and recorded as dictated by the project plan. Crop phenology factors were collected in a timely manner. All crops were harvested at maturity and yield data factors were collected as required to determine crop value, water used efficiency, and value water use efficiency. Sustainable crop metrics (yield and phenology) were collected as described previously. The “on farm” trials with WholeFarm users were not accomplished due to Covid-19. Overall, crops were planted and harvested according to the project plan.
Accomplishments
Review Publications
Sorensen, R.B. 2019. Removing peanut foliage adjacent shallow subsurface drip laterals to reduce rodent damage. Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management. 5:190010. https://doi.org/10.2134/cftm2019.01.0010.
Dien, B.S., Anderson, W.F., Cheng, M., Knoll, J.E., Lamb, M., O Bryan, P.J., Singh, V., Sorensen, R.B., Strickland, T.C., Slininger, P.J. 2020. Field productivities of Napier grass for production of sugars and ethanol. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 8(4):2052-2060. https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06637.
Chavarro, C., Chu, Y., Holbrook Jr, C.C., Isleib, T.G., Bertioli, D., Hovav, R., Butts, C.L., Lamb, M.C., Sorensen, R.B., Jackson, S.A., Ozias-Akins, P. 2020. Pod and seed trait QTL identification to assist breeding for peanut market preferences. Genes, Genomes, and Genomics. 10:2297-2315. https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.120.401147.
Sorensen, R.B., Lamb, M.C., Butts, C.L. 2020. Crop rotation, irrigation system, and irrigation rate on cotton yield in Southwest Georgia. Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management. 2020 6(1):e20053. https://doi.org/10.1002/cft2.20053.
Sorensen, R.B., Butts, C.L., Lamb, M.C. 2020. X-ray technology to determine peanut maturity. Peanut Science. 47(2)38-45. https://doi.org/10.3146/PS20-2.1.
