2010 Hay Production School
Perennial Peanut Production
in the South
Species, Soil, and Management
Best
Perfection
Alfalfa
Soil Conditions
Perennial Peanut Production
in the South
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Best
Poor
Extension Forage Specialist
Crop and Soil Sciences – UGA
Management Skill and Input
Required
Perennial Peanut
Adaptation
Areas south of south of
31.5°N parallel (roughly a line
from Albany to Jesup).
Lifespan
Many years
Yield
2-5 tons/A (dry);
3-6 tons/A (irrigated)
Soil
Considerations
Soil pH > 6.0 (4-6 in. depth)
Medium well- to well-drained
Bloat Potential
Uses
Establishment
Low
Varieties
Florigraze, Arbrook
Comments
Very valuable ($140-200++ per
ton). Best if irrigated. Long
(18-24 months) establishment
phase. Infection with Peanut
Stunt Virus is widespread.
$2.00
$15.06
Variable Costs: $90.58
$3.76
$25.20
$3.90
1) Hay, 2) Rotational Grazing
$13.21
Sprigged: 60-80 bu/A
$15.64
$11.80
Fertilizer
Pesticides
Interest on Var. Costs
Lime
Irrigation
Fuel & Repairs
Labor
Misc
Estimated Perennial Peanut
Growing Zones
Establishment
Based on USDA Hardiness Zones
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
1
2010 Hay Production School
Perennial Peanut Production
in the South
Effect of POE herbicide application during
the establishment year on the yield and
weed pressure in year 2.
Establishment Considerations
• Site Selection
 Medium to well-drained is best
 Flatwoods (wet) soils are undesirable
 Low weed pressure
 Well-managed cropland
 New ground, etc.
Treatment
Perennial Peanut
Grass
Broadleaf Weeds
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ (dry lbs/acre) ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
No weed control
5.84 b†
0.84 ab
0.45 a
Broadleaf weeds controlled
7.79 ab
1.51 a
0.32 a
Broadleaf weeds & grasses controlled
9.35 a 0.11 b
0.37 a
† Averages
within a column sharing the same letter are not significantly different (P
(P < 0.05)
Canuda,, et al., 1989. Trop. Grasslands
Canuda
Establishment Considerations
• Identify Source of Rhizomes/Planter
 Establishing PPnut is a MAJOR investment!
 Ensure your source/planter is competent, fair, and reputable
 Distance is not as big of an obstacle as it is with bermudagrass
Florigraze,, 18 MAP, Herbicide + Hand weeding, Terrell Co., GA
Florigraze
Digging and Planting PPnut
Rhizomes
Seedbed Preparation
• “Well-prepared” seedbed
• One acre of PPnut nursery
should provide enough
rhizomes to plant 20-30 acres
 Plow/disc/finish at least 2-4
wks prior to planting
 Incorporate lime and P and K
 Allow time to settle or firm
p
/
with cultipacker/roller.
 @ planting rate of 80 bu/acre
 Used for planting material again
in ~3 yyrs
• A “healthy rhizome” is:
• Seedbed should be firm
 >1/8” in diameter, >9” in length
 Do not graze nursery field and
take no hay cuttings after late
June/early July
 Boot tracks should be ~1/4
in. deep
 If too fluffy, the soil will dry
very quickly (sandy soils)
 Root CHOs peak late in growing
season
 End of season hay harvest is OK.
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
2
2010 Hay Production School
Perennial Peanut Production
in the South
Taking Care of PPnut
Rhizomes - Planting
• Rhizomes should be planted asap
after digging.
 Overnight storage (winter) is not
extremely problematic
 January/February is ideal
• Store in cool, shaded location
 Shaded
 Cover, particularly during transport
 Do not make it air-tight
 Don’t allow rhizomes to freeze
• Bermuda sprigger is best
 80 bu/acre (1.25 ft3 = 1 bu)
 Inc. by 25% if using Arbrook
 If rhizomes are cheap, use rate of 100120 bu/acre
Selecting the Right Perennial
Peanut Variety
First Year Management
• Irrigate it whenever needed
• Disease resistance:
 Peanut Stunt Virus – all are
susceptible.
• Control weeds
 Especially grassy weeds
g
, Arbrook
• Varieties: Florigraze,
• Don’t
D ’t graze it and
db
bestt nott tto
mow it.
 Florigraze is more cold-hardy and
responsive to irrigation.
 Generally best if in N fringe
 Does well with lower soil pH
 Arbrook is slightly faster to establish,
but is slower to spread laterally.
 Arbrook is more tolerant of
droughty soil types
 Stem size: Arbrook > Florigraze
• What is a good stand?
 Viable sprouts/plants within a
normal stride from one to
another.
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
3
2010 Hay Production School
Perennial Peanut Production
in the South
Legumes and Their Optimum Soil pH
Forage Yield of Perennial
Peanut Varieties – Marianna, FL
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
7.5
Alfalfa
Variety
2002 2003 2004 2005 Red Clover
2006 5‐yr avg. White Clover
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ (dry lbs/acre) ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Ecoturf
6,850 c†
8,150 c
6,850 d
9,980 d
UF Tito‡
UF Peace‡
10,390 b
13,270 ab
10,380 b
14,440 ab
10,620 b 11,820 b
10,160 b
11,540 b
10,090 bc
13,460 bc
11,090 b 11,270 b
11,220 b
10,850 b
11,650 cd
10,530 b 10,590 bc
14,180 a
12,150 a
16,050 a
13,240 a
Florigraze
Arbrook
8,670 bc
13,050 a
9,720 b
8,310 c
Perennial Peanut
Sericea Lesp.
Annual Medics
Arrowleaf Clover
Berseem
13,730 a
† Averages
within a column sharing the same letter are not significantly different (P
(P < 0.05)
‡ New varieties that are not yet available for use.
Crimson Clover
Hairy Vetch
Quesenberry,, et al., 2010. J. of Plant Registrations
Quesenberry
P & K Fertilization Recommendations
for Perennial Peanut
Additional Fertilization
Recommendations for Perennial Peanut
• Soil pH range should be ~6.0.
Potassium
Low K
Medium K
High K
Very High K
0-30 lbs/A
31-60 lbs/A
61-150 lbs/A
150+ lbs/A
 Florigraze tends to perform better on poor
pH sites
• 10-20 lbs of sulfur (sulfate-form) per
acre may be necessary annually
annually.
Recommended Pounds
N-P205-K20 per Acre
Phosphorus
Low P
0-15 lbs/A
Medium P
16-30 lbs/A
High P
31-60 lbs/A
Very High P
60+ lbs/A
0-100-175
0-100-130
0-100-75
0-100-0
0-60-175
0-60-130
0-60-75
0-60-0
0-30-175
0-30-130
0-30-75
0-30-0
0-0-175
0-0-130
0-0-75
0-0-0
• Calcium and Magnesium requirements
for PPnut are high
 Soils low in Ca/Mg may require
supplementation (?)
 Tissue sampling prior to second cutting
can help guide nutrition decisions
 Role for Gypsum (CaSO4)? KMag?
Herbicides Labeled for Use in Perennial
Peanut Production
Very few options
• 2,4-D Amine for fair control of
annual broadleaf weeds
 Must catch them small
• Imazapic
I
i (Impose)
(I
) good
d control
t l
of annual grasses, nutsedges,
johnsongrass, and substantial
number of broadleaf weeds.
• Clethodim (Select Max) excellent
control of most annual and perennial
grasses (inc. common bermudagrass).
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
4
2010 Hay Production School
Perennial Peanut Production
in the South
Broadleaf Herbicide Injury on
Perennial Peanut
Broadleaf Herbicide Injury on
Perennial Peanut
80
5000
Trts applied 3 d after June harvest
Trts applied 21 d after June harvest
Trts applied 3 d after June harvest
Trts applied 21 d after June harvest
4000
Forage Yie
eld
(dry lbs/ac
cre)
Injury Ra
ating
100
60
40
20
3000
2000
1000
0
0
Ferrell, et al., 2006. Forage and Grazinglands.
Ferrell, et al., 2006. Forage and Grazinglands.
Peanut Stunt Virus
Peanut Stunt Virus
Reduces yield by as much as one-third,
particularly in regions with shorter growing
season and cooler night temperatures.
Peanut Stunt Virus or Nematodes?
Harvest Management
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
5
2010 Hay Production School
Perennial Peanut Production
in the South
Forage Quality of Perennial Peanut in
Response to the Number of Weeks
between Cuttings.
10000
26.0
76.0
9000
24.0
74.0
22.0
72.0
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
66.0
16.0
64.0
14.0
62.0
1000
60.0
0
10.0
2
4
6
8
10
12
58.0
2
Cutting Interval
Prine and French,1993.
Proc. Int. Grasslands Congress
95
90
Forage Yiield
(dry lbs/a
acre)
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
6
8
10
12
12
Cutting Interval
(weeks)
14000
12000
10000
10000
8000
8000
8000
6000
6000
6000
4000
4000
4000
2000
2000
2000
0
Cutting Interval
0
Alf
(weeks)
PPnut
0
Alf
PPnut
Alf
PPnut
Terrill, et al., 1996. Agron
Agron.. J.
Questions?
www.georgiaforages.com
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Agronomist
10
14000
Leaf
10000
85
4
8
Stem
12000
14000
12000
2
6
Leaf, Stem, & Total Yield of Alfalfa & Perennial
Peanut in the 1st 3-years (Ft. Valley, GA)
100
Prine and French,1993.
Proc. Int. Grasslands Congress
4
Prine and French,1993.
Proc. Int. Grasslands Congress
(weeks)
Proportion of Perennial Peanut Biomass
that is Leaf Material as Affected by the
Number of Weeks between Cuttings.
Leaf Mass
68.0
18.0
12.0
2000
(as % of total bio
omass)
70.0
20.0
(%)
Crude Pro
otein
(dry lbs/acre)
8000
Digestibility
DOM, %)
(IVD
Forage Yield
Y
Total Seasonal Yield of Perennial Peanut
in Response to the Number of Weeks
between Cuttings.
6