Examining the Effect of Seeding Rate and Digging on Peanut Yield in the Virginia-Carolina Region.

In Virginia and North Carolina, three Virginia-type cultivars, Bailey, Sullivan, and Wynne, were planted at four seeding rates (3, 4, 5, and 6 seeds/foot). They were dug at three dates in Virginia and four in North Carolina. In North Carolina, the digging dates began in mid-September and were spaced approximately 10 days apart, while in Virginia the digging dates began in mid-October and were spaced 7 days apart.

There was no interaction of cultivar by seeding rate by digging date in either state. In North Carolina, seeding rate did not affect pod yield even though minor differences due to cultivar were noted. However, in Virginia seeding rate did affect pod yield, with the low seeding rate of 3 seeds per foot having the lowest yield. In Virginia, cultivar did not interact with seeding rate, but there were differences in yield due to seeding rate in two of the varieties. For the cultivar Sullivan, the pod yield at 3 seeds per foot (4358 lbs/ac) was significantly lower than the pod weight at six seeds per foot (4933 lbs/ac). Likewise, for Wynne the pod yield at 3 seeds per foot (3779 lbs/ac) was significantly lower than 4 seed per foot (4277 lbs/ac) and 6 seeds per foot (4342 lbs/ac). Cultivar did not interact with digging date in either state, which suggests that only minor differences in pod maturity exist among these cultivars. A quadratic response for yield among digging dates was observed in both states.

In Virginia, remote sensing data collected from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform was used to examine differences in emergence, seeding rate, and growth rate. Aerial indices were successful in distinguishing seeding rates and determining emergence during the first few weeks after planting, but not later in the season. Based on these preliminary data, aerial indices were not adequate predictors of yield in peanut.