In addition to the amount of seed planted per foot of row the date of planting can be just as important. According to John Beasley, University of Georgia peanut agronomist, many farmers started planting peanuts later in the spring due to tomato spotted wilt virus in peanuts. Also, research results have shown that the optimum time for planting peanuts is around the first couple of weeks in May in order to reduce the risk of disease and tomato spotted wilt virus. In fact today approximately 95 percent of the peanut crop is planted in the month of May. The later planting date helps when fighting disease pressure but is a logistical problem at harvest in the fall for farmers that grow peanuts and cotton. In fact, Beasley says the quality of cotton in Georgia has suffered some. Farmers have to make a decision at harvest when both crops are ready and in some cases the farmers choose to harvest their peanuts first since it is more perishable commodity. Today, there are many new cultivars that were not available for farmers a few years ago so researchers are revisiting the planting date to see if some of the new cultivars could be planted in April without increasing the risk of disease pressure. In this research study, peanuts were planted on April 21 and May 20 at the Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center. Research is also ongoing at the University of Georgia research stations in Attapulgus and Midville. Hopefully, this research will find a way to help farmers with logistics at harvest.
