1. 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

2. WHAT IS A PERENNIAL PEANUT? A PRIMITIVE PEANUT THAT PRODUCES VERY FEW SEEDS. A WARM SEASON/TROPICAL PERENNIAL LEGUME FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

3. PERENNIAL PEANUT FIELD

4. ALSO KNOWN AS “FLORIDA’S ALFALFA” IT IS SIMILAR IN QUALITY TO ALFALFA. –CRUDE PROTEIN RANGES FROM 13%- 18% –DIGESTIBILITY IS QUITE SIMILAR TO ALFALFA

5. FIELD IN FULL BLOOM

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. FIRST SUMMER AFTER PLANTING

11. 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)

12. 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

13. RHIZOME FIELD

14. 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

15. COST CONSIDERATIONS Establishment (varies from as little as $200 up to $500/acre) Number of acres to be planted Rhizome source Labor Equipment

16. 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

17. CENTER PIVOT IRRIGATION

18. WEED CONTROL

19. MORE WEED CONTROL

20. LATE CONTROL OF WEEDS

21. WEED CONTROL AFTER PLANTING

22. 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

23. ENCLOSED HAY BARN

24. FIELD READY TO HARVEST

25. HARVESTING THE CROP

26. ACCUMULATOR BEHIND THE SQUARE BALER

27. BALE LOADER

28. MARKETING Majority of the hay is used in the horse industry 50-60 bales sell for approximately $5/bale

29. WHY NOT TRY PERENNIAL PEANUTS ON YOUR FARM?