2020 Holt peanuts on red soil – Bundaberg
Grower: Ken Bird, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. The block being monitored is a small trial block involving soybeans for grain and green manure, peanuts, multispecies planting and bare fallow. 6 rows of each crop/treatment are planted in each block of the trial, with 4 replicate blocks in total.
Location: Bundaberg Research Facility, Kalkie Bundaberg
Area: 1.8 ha small trial plot, irrigated, black soil
Pre-planting preparation
- Paddocks were worked with a ripper and limed with 2.5 t/ha of fine agricultural lime before spreading the fertiliser over the top and incorporating into soil to make small beds
- Approximately 263 kg/ha of Legume Max fertiliser applied pre-planting.
Week 1
Management notes:
- 4 February 2020 – ‘Holt’ peanuts were sown into double-row beds and inoculated with group P peanut inoculant by water injection using an electric drive precision planter.
- Planting rate was 180 000 seeds/ha
- Pre-emergent herbicide application of Valor with knock-down herbicide Spray.Seed were applied at label rates before plant emergence.
- Some issues are occurring due to the large amount of rainfall in the Bundaberg region. The peanuts are struggling particularly in the low lying areas of the paddock to emerge.
Weeks 2–3
Management notes:
- A large percentage of the peanuts have finally germinated after a week of drier weather.
- The plants are growing well and are looking green and healthy.
- Rapid growth is occurring as a result of the warm, humid weather and a good soil moisture profile.
Week 4
Management notes:
- Green, healthy and growing well.
- The rainfall events over the last week had left them somewhat swimming but the hot humid days of late have helped dry the paddock out a little bit.
- No signs of disease or pest issues as of yet.
Week 5
Management notes:
- Peanuts are growing well.
- There are some flowers appearing.
- No obvious issues with disease or pests at the stage.
First flowers emerging.
Week 6
Management notes:
- Overall health of plants is generally good.
- Peg development is starting to occur.
- In previous weeks Spinnaker was applied at label rates to control weeds and the effects are now showing on susceptible weed species.
- A few leaves were observed to have symptoms that resemble leaf spot, but this is to be confirmed. No applications of chlorothalonil have been made yet for peanut protection.
- Amistar Xtra is proposed to be applied early next week in the peanuts, as well as dimethoate and salt to control growing numbers of jassids.
- Moisture levels are good, there is no need for irrigation at this time.
Possible leaf disease has been observed. Diagnosis to be confirmed.
Week 7
Management notes:
- Plants are growing vigorously with a little bit of humid weather around. For the most part they are green and healthy, there is a small amount of leaf yellowing in some areas.
- There is a small amount of vine weeds growing in the peanut bed but the interrow is relatively clean.
- Plants are beginning to peg down and flowers are continuing to come out.
Some vine weeds in the row.
Week 8
Management notes:
- Warmer weather during the day is allowing peanuts to continue powering on.
- There is a small amount of leaf yellowing occurring in some areas of the block. Initially thought to be a nutrition issue, the yellowing has been attributed to jassids.
- Last week the crop was sprayed with Bravo Weatherstik to help prevent leaf diseases and Bacchus to control moderate populations of small heliothis.
- Irrigation is scheduled for this week to increase soil moisture levels.
Leaf yellowing due to jassids.
Week 9-10
Management notes:
- Crop appears green and healthy with no obvious pest or disease issues.
- Small number of broadleaf weeds and moderate grass weed population
- Growth seems to be slower than usual due to the late planting however the canopy is beginning to close over in some areas.
- Pegs are rooted and are beginning to form peanuts.
- Over the last fortnight 2 applications of Bravo Weatherstik have been made, one of those today, to continue protection against fungal disease.
- Irrigation is proposed late this week.
Pegging has begun.
Week 11–13
- It’s been a couple of weeks since this crop was last monitored and growth seems to have slowed although plants still appear green and healthy.
- Broadleaf weeds have had a good opportunity to take over in parts of the crop. Phasey bean is quite dominant.
- An application of Brumby 480 fungicide was made last week to protect the crop against leaf spots and rust. It was applied instead of Bravo Weatherstik to rotate the chemistry.
Broadleaf weeds have established in some areas of the crop.
Week 14
Management notes:
- Green and healthy and hanging in there despite the change of weather.
- Peanuts are developing but potentially lower yield as a result of the late planting of these crops.
- Weeds are still an issue but at this stage in the crop it is not feasible to cultivate due to canopy closure and too late for some herbicides. Not much hope in killing broadleaf weeds in this leguminous crop either.
- Relatively good soil moisture under this crop.
Pods developing.
Week 15–16
Management notes:
- The crop has slowed down significantly as a result of the cool weather change. It is unsure if the crop will make maturity as it would technically still have 7 weeks left, taking it into the middle of winter.
- Bravo Weatherstik fungicide was applied last week for protective measures, with another application scheduled in the coming week.
- Another irrigation was made about 2 weeks ago. Unsure of the next scheduling at this stage as the soybeans in the neighbouring rows will be sprayed, harvested and/or mulched in the coming week.
- The team at DAF intend on pushing the peanuts out as close as they can get to maturity. All research gives information that can be valuable to growers and any findings from late plantings of Holt peanuts will be noted by the research team.
The crop is a long way from maturity but even this will give growers useful information about how the variety behaves as the weather cools.
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