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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #265366
Title: Establishment, agronomic characteristics, and dry matter yield of rhizoma peanut genotypes in cool environments

Author
item INTERRANTE, SINDY - Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc
item MUIR, JAMES - Texas Agrilife Research
item ISLAM, M. ANOWARUL - University Of Wyoming
item MAAS, ANDREA - Monsanto Corporation
item Anderson, William - Bill
item BUTLER, TWAIN - Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/21/2011
Publication Date: 11/1/2011
Citation: Interrante, S.M., Muir, J.P., Islam, M., Maas, A.L., Anderson, W.F., Butler, T.J. 2011. Establishment, agronomic characteristics, and dry matter yield of rhizoma peanut genotypes in cool environments. Crop Science. 51:2256-2261.

Interpretive Summary: Rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth) is a perennial crop grown in some parts of the Deep South as forage for livestock. It has many of the same forage qualities as alfalfa which can not be produced effectively in hot climates. Perennial peanuts do not establish very fast and are not very cold tolerant. From 2006 to 2008, 16 different rhizome peanuts were evaluated at Tifton, GA, Gene Autry, OK, Burneyville, OK, and Vashti, TX for better establishment characteristics and cold tolerance. The genotype A6 established well but genotypes A160 and Latitude 34 produced the most consistent yields. Fast establishment and cold tolerance appeared to the most important aspects to contribute to the higher yields.

Technical Abstract: Rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth) has potential to provide high quality forage during summer months; however establishment of the stand is slow and cold tolerance is limited. During the three growing seasons from 2006 to 2008, a randomized complete block design experiment was conducted at four locations: near Tifton, GA (2006), Gene Autry, OK (2006), Burneyville, OK (2007, 2008), and Vashti, TX (2007, 2008) evaluating 16 rhizoma peanut genotypes for better establishment characteristics and cold tolerance. At the end of the first season, genotype A6 (PI 210555) had the greatest coverage (80%), followed by genotypes A156 and A160 (42-47%), while genotype A10 had the least coverage (5%). The remaining genotypes were intermediate and generally did not differ from the released cultivars Florigraze, Arbrook, and Latitude 34, which had 16, 25, and 26% coverage, respectively. In the second season after establishment, genotypes Latitude 34 (404 kg ha-1 yr-1) and A160 (554 kg ha-1 yr-1) produced the greatest yields. In the third season after establishment, genotypes A160, A156, and Latitude 34 produced the greatest yields, averaging 917, 1058, and 1471 kg ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Therefore genotypes A160 and Latitude 34 consistently had the greatest coverage and production and may have greater cold tolerance, which may allow for greater utilization of rhizoma peanut.