Commodities: Fieldcrops: Peanuts: 2008 Peanut Update
2008 Peanut Update
New Peanut Cultivar Releases in 2008
John P. Beasley, Jr.
There have been two new peanut cultivars released for future peanut production. However, since they are just being released there will not be enough seed available for commercial production in 2008. Both of these new releases will be in the Georgia Seed Development Commission’s foundation seed increase program this year. It may be two to three years before there is an adequate seed supply of these new cultivars for commercial production. Here are the new releases and a brief description of each.
University of Georgia release
Georgia-07W – was tested as GA 011514 and has a medium to medium plus maturity range (similar to Georgia Green and possibly one week later). This cultivar is a result of a cross between C-99R and Georgia Green. The “W” stands for white mold resistance. It does not have the high oleic oil chemistry. There were only 17 acres of Georgia-07W planted in foundation seed increase in 2007 so there will be no seed available for commercial production in 2008.
USDA-ARS release
Tifguard – was tested as advanced breeding line C724-19-15. It was released out of the USDA-ARS peanut breeding program based in Tifton. It is the progeny of a cross between C-99R and Coan. Coan is a peanut root-knot nematode cultivar in Texas released by Texas A&M several years ago. Tifguard has a medium maturity range (similar to Georgia Green) and has very good resistance to peanut root-knot nematode and tomato spotted wilt virus. The seed size is similar to C-99R (large seeded runner) and it is not high oleic. The Georgia Seed Development Commission (Foundation Seed) had only 117 acres of Tifguard in seed production in 2007 so all seed in 2008 will go back into seed increase.
Update on 2007 Releases
There were six new releases in 2007. They were: Georgia-06G and Georgia Greener out of the University of Georgia peanut breeding program; Florida-07, McCloud, and York out of the University of Florida peanut breeding program; and AT 3085RO from Golden Peanut Company. Of these releases, AT 3085RO will have the largest seed supply in 2008 and even it will be limited. The others will all still be in the seed increase stage with very limited seed for commercial production in 2008.