Yield and Economic Response of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Cultivars to Prohexadione Calcium in Large-Plot Trials in Georgia

Abstract

Prohexadione calcium, a plant growth regulator, has been used on virginia market type peanut cultivars for many years to manage excessive vine growth and improve digging efficiency. Prohexadione calcium has not been widely used on runner market type cultivars due to their slower growth habit and sporadic yield response at the labeled rate until recent research showed lower use rates of prohexadione calcium provided similar vine control and enhanced yield response.  Large plot experiments were conducted in Colquitt county at the Darrell Williams Research Farm on the Sun Belt Ag Expo to quantify yield and market grade quality and economics of using prohexadione calcium at 105 g a.i./ha on six runner type cultivars.  Prohexadione calcium was applied twice during the growing season.  The first application was made when 50% or greater of lateral vines from adjacent rows were touching.  A second application of each treatment was applied 14d after the first application. The runner type cultivars were Georgia-06G, Georgia-12Y, Georgia-13M, Georgia-14N, TUFRunner TM -297, and TUFRunner TM -511.  Similar large-plot experiments were conducted on farms in Baker and Early counties evaluating yield and economic response of prohexadione calcium on Georgia-06G.  A non-treated control was used in all experiments.  Prohexadione calcium increased pod yield in all experiments ranging from 450 to 650 kg/ha compared to the non-treated control with response similar across cultivars.  Prohexadione calcium reduced the dollar value per metric ton (DVMT) as a result of lowering total sound mature kernel (%TSMK) percentages up to 3 points.  The higher yields obtained for the prohexadione calcium-treated peanut provided higher gross dollar value return/ha (GDR) in all experiments and higher gross dollar value return/ha above treatment cost (GDRAT) in the on-farm trials.  Therefore, prohexadione calcium at 105 g/ha applied twice on runner market type peanut is warranted to improve yield and financial return when excessive vine growth is a concern.