Commodities: Fieldcrops: Peanuts: 2007 Peanut Update

The University of Georgia Peanut Breeding Program

Bill Branch

“GEORGIA GREEN” is a high-yielding, tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV)-resistant runner-type peanut variety that was released in 1995 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Georgia. Georgia Green is highly productive, and has very good stability across many different environments. Year after year, it is hard to beat Georgia Green in overall performance. In state yield tests conducted at multi-locations in Georgia since 2003, Georgia Green was found to have a higher yield, grade, and dollar value return per acre than four other new medium maturing runner-type varieties: AP-3, Carver, Andru II, and ANorden.

After more than a decade of research tests, Georgia Green still maintains a stable high level of resistance to TSWV. It also has a high level of Rhizoctonia limb rot resistance which most other varieties do not have.

Georgia Green has had a significantly positive impact by remaining highly productive over several years and a wide-range of environments (irrigated and dryland production, single or twin rows, conventional as well as reduced tillage.) In spite of the recent stresses and increased TSWV disease pressure, growers still produce top yields with Georgia Green. During 2001, Georgia produced the second highest average state yield of 3330 lbs/a with TSWV, and 2003 was yet another excellent year for the farmers-favorite Georgia Green peanut variety which set a new record high average state yield of 3450 lbs/a beating the previous record set back in 1984 with Florunner at a time without tomato spotted wilt virus.

Georgia Green has many other good attributes and desirable traits in addition to producing excellent yields, grades, and dollar value returns per acre for the peanut growers. It has regular runner seed size which saves growers in seed costs and which shellers prefer for pod and seed size distribution and shellout compared to larger runner varieties. It has a medium maturity which is about 2-3 weeks earlier than the later maturing runner varieties.

For the consumer, Georgia Green offers very good flavor and nutritional qualities similar to the all-time best U. S. standard Florunner variety. In a recent large-scale multiple state and year study, Georgia Green was found to be comparable or better in roasted peanut flavor and taste in comparison to Florunner. Overall, the Georgia Green peanut variety continues to benefit the whole peanut industry (growers, shellers, manufacturers, and consumers).

“GEORGIA-01R” is a new multiple pest resistant runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2001 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It too was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, GA. Georgia-01R has shown good resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), both early and late leafspots, stem rot or white mold, Cylindrocladium black rot (CBR), and leafhoppers, which should be beneficial in lowering production costs. When grown with recommended or reduced pesticides, Georgia-01R was found to have a significantly lower percentage of disease incidence, higher yield, grade, and dollar value return per acre than C-99R, DP-1, Hull, and Tifrunner (C34-24). Georgia-01R has the same late maturity and spreading runner growth habit as these other varieties.

“GEORGIA-02C” is a new high-oleic runner-type variety that was released in 2002 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was also developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station at Tifton, GA. Georgia-02C can have later maturity than Georgia Green with seed and pod size slightly larger. It also has the high oleic and low linoleic fatty acid oil chemistry with spreading runner growth habit similar to AgraTech 201. Georgia-02C has resulted in higher yields, grades, and dollar value returns per acre than Carver, ANorden, and AgraTech 201. Georgia-02C has excellent TSWV resistance as well as CBR resistance.

“GEORGIA-03L” is a new large-podded runner-type peanut variety that was released in 2003 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton. Georgia-03L has similar maturity as Georgia Green with pods and seed significantly larger. Georgia-03L also has a high level of resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and moderate resistance to soilborne diseases: white mold or stem rot and CBR. It has a high percentage of large smooth bright pods with an intermediate runner growth habit and pink seedcoat color. Georgia-03L is highly productive and was found to be higher in yield than Georgia Green, AP-3, Carver, Andru II, and ANorden. Georgia-03L combines disease resistance with large pods, medium maturity, and excellent yields. It has very good stability and a wide range of adaptability throughout the major peanut production areas.

“GEORGIA Hi-O/L” is a new high-O/L ratio virginia-type peanut variety that was released in 1999 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station. Georgia Hi-O/L has high oleic (O) and low linoleic (L) fatty acid ratio for improved oil quality. In 45 tests conducted at multiple locations in Georgia during the past eight-years (1998-05), Georgia Hi-O/L was found to have a significantly higher yield, grade, and dollar value return per acre than Gregory and NC-V 11. Georgia Hi-O/L also has a good level of resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). It has an intermediate runner growth habit, pink seedcoat color, a large proportion of extra large kernels (ELK) and it is very similar to other virginia-types in maturity. Georgia Hi-O/L combines high yield with high TSWV resistance and high O/L ratio.

“GEORGIA VALENCIA” is a new valencia-type peanut variety that was released in 2000 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations.

“GEORGIA RED” is a similar valencia-type variety that was jointly released by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations and USDA-ARS in 1986. Both Georgia Valencia and Georgia Red are excellent choices for the fresh-market boiling trade in the Southeast because of their high yield performance, large fruit size, and compact bunch growth habit. In Georgia Peanut Variety Tests, the five-year (2001-2005) average performance shows Georgia Valencia and Georgia Red to have higher yields, grades, and dollar values compared to Valencia McRan, New Mexico Valencia C, New Mexico Valencia A, H & W Val 101, and H & W Val 102. Both Georgia Valencia and Georgia Red also have better disease tolerance with similar maturity as these other three valencia varieties.

‘GEORGIA-04S' is a new high-oleic small-seeded peanut variety that was released in 2004 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station. Georgia-04S is intended for the same confectionary or candy market as used by spanish-types. However, Georgia-04S would also be excellent for the roasted or peanut butter trade as well. It has pods and seed size similar to other spanish market type varieties. Georgia-04S has shown a significantly higher yield, TSMK grade, and dollar value per acre compared to all other leading spanish varieties during the past six years (2000-2005) in Georgia. Georgia-04S also has significantly better tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) resistance than these other spanish varieties.

“GEORGIA-05E” is a new high-oleic, multiple-pest-resistant, virginia-type peanut variety that was released in 2005 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. It was developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, GA. Georgia-05E has the high-oleic (O) and low linoleic (L) fatty acid ratio for improved oil quality. In multi-location tests conducted in Georgia during the past five-years (2000-05), Georgia-05E was found to have a significantly higher yield, grade, and dollar value return per acre than Georgia Hi-O/L, Perry, Gregory, NC-V 11, and Wilson. These other virginia-type varieties are also very susceptible to both early and late leafspots. However, Georgia-05E has shown leafspot resistance and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) resistance comparable to some of the more disease resistant runner-types. It has also shown moderate insect resistance to potato leafhopper. Georgia-05E has a runner growth habit, medium-late maturity, tan seedcoat color, and a higher percentage of extra large kernels (ELK) compared to other virginia-types.

“GEORGIA-06G” and “GEORGIA GREENER” are two new high-yielding, TSWV-resistant, runner-type peanut varieties that were released in 2006 by the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations. Both were developed at the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, GA. Georgia-06G and Georgia Greener have a high level of resistance to spotted wilt disease caused by tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). In multi-location tests conducted in Georgia during the past four years (2003-06), Georgia-06G and Georgia Green were found to be among the lowest in TSWV incidence and total disease incidence, highest in pod yield, TSMK grade, and dollar value return per acre compared to all of the other runner-types tested each and every year. Georgia-06G is a large-seeded runner-type peanut variety; whereas, Georgia Greener is more of a regular seed size runner-type variety. Each have an immediate or decumbent runner growth habit and medium maturity similar to Georgia Green.

Table 1. Four-Year (21 Tests) Average Dollar Value Return Per Acre of 11 Runner-Type Peanut Varieties Across Multi-locations in Georgia, 2003-06.

Runner	Dollar Values ($/a)				4-Yr
Variety	2003	2004	2005	2006	Mean
Georgia-06G	957	810	672	834	804
Georgia Greener	919	765	654	836	779
Georgia-02C	859	763	575	819	741
Georgia-03L	844	742	594	797	732
Georgia Green	840	688	532	748	687
Georgia-01R	726	668	581	782	681
AP-3	759	625	549	713	650
C-99R	584	648	579	769	645
Carver	728	552	530	739	623
Tifrunner	594	574	582	714	613
Andru II	658	594	450	620	571

Table 2. Four-Year Average Yield (lb/a) of Runner-Type Peanut Varieties under Irrigation and Non-irrigation at Multi-locations in Georgia, 2003-06.

Runner	Tifton		Plains		Midville
Variety	Irrig.	Nonirrig	Irrig.	Nonirrig.	Irrig.†	Nonirrig.‡
Georgia-06G	4640	5014	4404	4482	3425	3514
Georgia Greener	4599	4746	4495	4248	3194	3207
Georgia-02C	4527	4482	3810	3963	3742	3253
Georgia-03L	4553	4888	4248	4111	3341	3102
Georgia Green	4176	4451	3937	3907	2864	2808
Georgia-01R	3784	4044	3828	3883	3812	2664
AP-3	4151	4636	3670	3667	2918	3341
C-99R	3976	3635	3444	3756	3098	2820
Carver	3682	4145	3793	3790	3108	2596
Tifrunner	3501	3670	3426	3514	3450	2846
Andru II	3809	3663	3738	3786	2672	2278

† Mean of three-years (2004-06). Missing 2003 data from Midville irrigated test.

‡ Mean of two-years (2004-05). Missing 2003 and 2006 data from Midville non-irrigated tests.

Table 3. Five-Year Average Yield, Grade, Seed Size and Dollar Value of Seven Valencia-Type Peanut Varieties in Georgia, 2001-05.

Valencia	Yield	TSMK	Seed	Value
Variety	(lb/a)	(%)	(no./lb)	($/a)
Georgia Valencia	2494 a	58 b	850 d	426 a
Georgia Red	1977 b	63 a	982 c	373 a
N.M. Val. C.	1437 c	55 c	1250 ab	238 b
H & W Val. 101	1424 c	55 c	1193 b	235 b
Val. McRan	1447 c	53 cd	1235 ab	233 b
N.M. Val. A.	1452 c	52 d	1304 a	228 b
H & W Val. 102	1329 c	53 cd	1232 ab	206 b