Texas and Oklahoma farmers planted more peanuts in 2024 than they did last year. Unfortunately, the growing season was a lot like 2023 and 2022, say Extension specialists.

Oklahoma increased peanut acreage by 1,100, up to 17,100 acres; Texas farmers planted 14,000 more acres, increasing to 236,000.

Extreme heat and drought, however, will take a toll on yield potential, say Emi Kimura, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Vernon, Texas, and Maxwell Smith, Oklahoma State Extension IPM specialist, Altus.

“It has been dry,” Smith says. “From Fort Cobb up to Hydro, it didn’t rain early or in the summer. Farmers kept pivots on all year long, but keeping up with water demand has been difficult.”

Both Texas and Oklahoma planted more peanuts this year. (Photo by Shelley E. Huguley)

Smith says 2024 marks the third consecutive year of a three-year drought pattern. “Some irrigation wells are getting weak. Trying to keep the crop watered is a challenge.”

Acreage abandoned

Kimura says abandonment is increasing in Texas.

“A month ago, abandoned acreage totaled 1,800. In September, we have 3800 failed acres, 2,000 more abandoned peanut acres in one month. Now, we will have to see how much more we will lose as the season progresses. A lot of fields are hurting from lack of water.”

Planting season promising

Kimura says planting season was promising. “We had better planting moisture than the last two years, which were dry at planting time.

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“But we didn’t get much rain after that, not enough rain in season. We were hoping early rain would continue, but we had limited rain and high temperatures like the last two years. The lack of moisture and extreme heat increased plant stress.”

Pod rot showed up late in a Texas peanut field. (Photo by Emi Kimura)

She says August is an important month for peanut development. “Without moisture and humidity in August, it’s hard to make yield. Peanut farmers were irrigating peanut fields 24/7. And many couldn’t apply enough water. Those fields have less pod formation.”

Kimura says at temperatures above 85 degrees, plant activity slows down, and above 95 degrees, pod formation shuts down and limits yield. “September warmed up to 100 degrees."

Less disease pressure

“Hot, dry weather has been the biggest influence,” Smith says. If a silver lining exists, those conditions kept disease pressure low. “Dry weather keeps disease at bay,” he says.

“Leafspot pressure has been about average,” Kimura says. “Producers did a good job controlling it. Since we are in a dry climate, leaf spot is not as a big an issue in Texas as it is in the Southeast.”

She says she has seen some pod rot.

Weed issues

Smith says weed management issues varied from some bad misses to clean fields. “Control depended mostly on rainfall or irrigation following herbicide application. If we got good soil incorporation with residual herbicides, we had good weed control.”

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He says late weed management will do little to prevent  building a weed seed bank for next year. “Escaped weeds have already developed seedheads and it’s getting too late for control measures to be effective. Herbicide options in peanuts rely on early application to smaller weeds. I think weed control has been a little better than last year overall but not drastically different.”

He adds that the season has not been unusual, “except for almost zero rainfall.”

Rain in May and June, Kimura says, might have stimulated weed pressure. “It seemed to be a bit higher than the last two years. But growers did a great job.” She agrees that weed control in peanuts is difficult with limited herbicide options.

“The Texas crop is struggling to keep up,” Kimura says. Consequently, many producers have changed planting patterns. “Growers don’t know how much water will be available at planting time, so they don’t plant full circles to peanuts.”

Yield potential this year will vary, “field by field,” she says. “depending on irrigation capacity.”

Harvesttime

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Smith says Southwest peanut growers are finishing up.

“We are wrapping it up,” Smith says. “Some farmers have already dug some fields, but we are just  getting started.

Nutsedge in a Texas peanut field. Rain in May and June, might have stimulated weed pressure, says Texas A&M AgriLife Agronomist Emi Kimura. (Photo by Emi Kimura)

“Peanuts are drying down and combines will start running in the next week or so. So far, we have no good estimates on average yield, but it will probably be close to last year, about two tons per acre.”

Smith and Kimura agree that the biggest challenge is the one the Southwest faces most often — lack of water and extreme heat.

Variety changes

Kimura says Texas producers have increased Spanish peanut acreage over the last few years with Spanish now planted on almost half the acreage.

“According to Farm Service Agency numbers, Texas plants 46% Spanish-type peanuts,” she says. Runner types account for 25% of Texas acreage with Virginias at 17% and Valencias at 12%.

“That switch seems to be a reaction to market demand,” Kimura says.

Field day near Pearsall, Texas. (Photo by Emi Kimura)

She says new varieties could be an answer to the increasingly difficult water problem.

“Lack of water will only get more and more severe. We need to do something about this, maybe better drought-tolerant varieties. Our water is declining, so this is a huge issue for Texas peanut production.”