The South Carolina peanut crop is greatly improved from last month. 

A majority of the peanut growing area has received at least some rain over the last two weeks.

For the most part, growers have caught up with weed control and are into their 60-75 DAP fungicide applications. White mold and late leaf spot are beginning to develop in some areas. 

With rain still in the forecast for the next week, try to stay on track with your fungicide program. This is extremely important for fields with susceptible varieties.

For the acres planted with Bailey, remember it has very good resistance to white mold and late leafspot and does not require an extensive fungicide program like a susceptible variety would. Bailey should allow you to save a few dollars on fungicides.

Take a look at our recommended fungicide programs in the disease management section of the Peanut Money Maker and/or give me a call if you have questions regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the different fungicide programs.

Along with diseases, foliage feeding insects are being observed in a few fields. This is not a warning for insects or a need for an insecticide application, rather a reminder to begin scouting for insects in your fields in the upcoming weeks.

Scouting procedures outlined

Scouting procedures and recommendations for foliage feeders are:

• Use a 3′shake cloth to look for worms

• Work the dowel handle up under the lateral stems to the plant crown and bend the other side of the plants over the cloth; then beat down vigorously 15 times to knock the worms onto the cloth. Shake the plants, bend them back out of the way, and count the worms on the cloth. Also count the worms under the cloth on both sides of the row to calculate worms per row foot.

• Check 3-5 areas of the field.

• Unstressed peanuts can tolerate 8 foliage feeding worms per row foot.

• The treatment threshold is 4 worms per row foot on stressed plants which have not lapped the middle or where Lorsban has previously been applied.

Remember unnecessary insecticide applications can flare other insect like spider mites.

Annual meeting

The state peanut meeting is going to be held in a different location in 2013. Due to a change in renting policy at the Family Life Center in Orangeburg, S.C., the meeting is moving to the newly built Santee Convention Center in Santee, S.C. Like with any change, the new location will take some getting used to, but I am confident it will better serve the growth and needs of our peanut meeting for years to come.

The Santee Convention Center is located on the corner of BASS Drive (U.S. Hwy. 15) and Bonner Avenue in Santee, S.C.

I will send more information out regarding the field days and the state peanut meeting in the next few weeks.