PERENNIAL PEANUT FIELD DAY

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PERENNIAL PEANUT FIELD DAY

• SPONSORED BY
• LOWNDES COUNTY YOUNG FARMERS
• RON SMOAK, ADVISOR

Provided by Dr. James Corbett, Agriculture
Teacher, Lowndes Co. High School GA Ag Ed
Curriculum Office To accompany Georgia
Agriculture Education Curriculum July 2002
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WHAT IS A PERENNIAL PEANUT?

• A PRIMITIVE PEANUT THAT PRODUCES VERY FEW SEEDS.
• A WARM SEASON/TROPICAL PERENNIAL LEGUME FROM
  SOUTH AFRICA.

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PERENNIAL PEANUT FIELD
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ALSO KNOWN AS FLORIDAS ALFALFA

• IT IS SIMILAR IN QUALITY TO ALFALFA.
• CRUDE PROTEIN RANGES FROM 13-18
• DIGESTIBILITY IS QUITE SIMILAR TO ALFALFA

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FIELD IN FULL BLOOM
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ADVANTAGES OF PERENNIAL PEANUTS

• LONG-LIVING/ DOES NOT REQUIRE REPLANTING
• NO ADDITIONAL NITROGEN NEEDED
• NO MAJOR INSECT, DISEASE, OR NEMATODE PESTS
• HIGH TOLERANCE TO DROUGHT

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HOW DO I GET STARTED PLANTING PERENNIAL PEANUTS?

• Locate a source of well-managed rhizomes
• Complete land preparation during the winter
  months
• Plant during January, February, and March

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PLANTING SITE REQUIREMENTS

• Geographic- grow best from South Georgia to North
  Florida (neither above 31º to 32º latitude nor
  farther than 80 miles from a coast)
• Climatic- grow best in full sun long, hot,
  humid days
• Soil- grow best in well-drained soil and deep
  sands
• Fertilization- must soil test for phosphorus and
  potassium

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PLANTING SITE REQUIREMENTS (CONT.)

• Site History- try to avoid post-plant weed
  problems in field
• Land Preparation- must bottom plow followed by
  disk-harrow in order to smooth land

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FIRST SUMMER AFTER PLANTING
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PLANTING MATERIAL

• Cultivars- Florigraze Arbrook
• Florigraze- adapted to well drained-soils
• Arbrook- drought hardy does well on excessively
  drained sandy soils
• Source- propagated vegetatively using rhizomes
  (modified underground stems)

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RHIZOME HARVESTING

• Remove from soil mechanically with a sprig
  harvester
• Plant as individual rhizome pieces
• Rhizomes should be 1/8 inch plus in diameter and
  a minimum of 9 inches in length
• Rhizomes should be planted as soon as possible
  after digging

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RHIZOME FIELD
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PLANTING

• Time of Planting- during winter months of
  January, February, and March (peanut is in a
  quiescent or inactive growing state)
• Planting Rate- 80 bushels of rhizomes/acre
• Planting Methods- Bermuda sprig planters commonly
  used broadcast by hand disk harrow to depth of
  1 1/2 - 2 inches

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COST CONSIDERATIONS

• Establishment (varies from as little as 200 up
  to 500/acre)
• Number of acres to be planted
• Rhizome source
• Labor
• Equipment

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POST-PLANT MANAGEMENT

• Sand Blast Prevention- includes planting rye in
  strips every 10 feet over field
• Irrigation- should be considered if it is
  available.
• Weed Control- must be done during first and
  second growing season includes chemical
  applications and mowing

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CENTER PIVOT IRRIGATION
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WEED CONTROL
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MORE WEED CONTROL
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LATE CONTROL OF WEEDS
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WEED CONTROL AFTER PLANTING
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HARVESTING

• Best way to harvest is with a square baler
  store bales in a dry, dark barn
• Keep horse-quality hay from rain and other
  elements after harvest
• Wet hay can be rolled into larger bales for
  cattle hay

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ENCLOSED HAY BARN
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FIELD READY TO HARVEST
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HARVESTING THE CROP
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ACCUMULATOR BEHIND THE SQUARE BALER
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BALE LOADER
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MARKETING

• Majority of the hay is used in the horse
  industry
• 50-60 bales sell for approximately 5/bale

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WHY NOT TRY PERENNIAL PEANUTS ON YOUR FARM?