Downforce is a planter setting that helps farmers plant seeds at the appropriate soil depth.

Georgia farmers with reduced plant stands can help alleviate those problems next season by correcting settings and using downforce on their planters, according to Wes Porter, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension irrigation specialist and precision agriculture expert.

Downforce is the pressure farmers apply to their row unit to ensure that it’s maintaining the depth at which the planter is set. Farmers typically set planter depth, but don’t always check or change the downforce of their planters, Porter said.

Producers can save time, seed and money by understanding the use of downforce when planting their crops. The downforce system on the planter can help growers avoid planting seed at the incorrect depth — either too deep or too shallow — which can leave the crop vulnerable to the environment, resulting in a lack of germination and stand establishment and subsequent yield loss.

High temperatures and lack of rainfall in May led to difficult planting conditions for farmers with dryland fields, or fields lacking adequate irrigation. In multiple fields, Porter discovered that if seeds weren’t planted deep enough, they didn’t germinate and emerge.

“If we didn’t put the seed down where it needed to be, right near the surface, soil temperatures were so hot this year we basically burned the seeds and they never germinated,” Porter said. “You can still see poor stands now in fields all around the state.”

It’s important to consider the field conditions when setting downforce. Imagine a grower who tries to plant in late spring when it’s dry and near or at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. His planter requires a lot more downforce to plant seeds at the proper depth because the soil is harder. If the grower plants in moist soil, he doesn’t need as much downforce, Porter explained.

The same is true if you compare a sandy soil with a soil that contains more clay. Sandy soil is much looser and softer, so farmers don’t need as much downforce versus planting in a clay soil. The amount of downforce is critical for seed to reach the appropriate depth.

“There are advanced control systems available, either retrofitted on the tractor or from the factory, that will help maintain downforce at a uniform setting throughout the field, aiding in maintaining the target seed depth. It’s really important, if we want to achieve that proper depth, that we set a proper downforce,” Porter said.

Porter learned from communicating with farmers that downforce is a planting factor most don’t usually consider.

“A lot of farmers don’t even really know how to properly set the downforce on their planters to match their field conditions. That’s why we started this project — to really show the importance and educate our producers on it,” he said.

by Clint Thompson, University of Georgia

Peanut rust was discovered in Tift County in August and has UGA plant pathologists concerned heading into the final month of the growing season. Peanut rust is a dangerous disease because of how easily and rapidly it spreads from one plant to another.

Georgia farmers need to be wary of peanut rust disease after it was discovered in a field in Tift County last week, according to University of Georgia plant pathologist Albert Culbreath.

He said that rust doesn’t occur in Georgia every year and information about which chemical options are best for controlling this disease is limited. Several fungicides that are already being used for leaf spot and white mold diseases, especially some of the mixtures, may treat rust effectively. However, growers may need to spray more frequently for rust than for leaf spot.

Culbreath cautioned that growers who are using the new leaf spot fungicide Miravis will need to make sure it is combined with a fungicide that has rust activity if rust is present in the field.

The presence of peanut rust is a huge concern for farmers because it can easily spread from one plant to another and the inoculum can move very quickly in rainy or windy conditions. The frequent thunderstorms that have been occurring lately in some areas can help spread inoculum and help the disease to develop rapidly.

“It pretty much shuts down the leaf in terms of photosynthesis and eventually damages it so badly that the leaf will turn black and die,” Culbreath said. “One difference between peanut rust and leaf spot is that leaf spot will cause the plant to defoliate. With rust, the leaf will die and hang on to the plant. You’ll lose the leaf either way but if that leaf is still hanging on the plant, the inoculum can still move from one plant to another more easily than if it’s just on the ground.”

Since the inoculum does not overwinter in south Georgia, Culbreath believes it may have been blown into the region by a storm in June. The disease is visible by its reddish brown pustules on the bottom side of the leaf. Its rusty color is how it got its name.

“The main thing is that growers need to be on the lookout for it,” Culbreath said. “Leaf spot is explosive, but rust is super explosive. It can increase rapidly once it gets started and it’s early in the season for us to be seeing it.”

He said that UGA Cooperative Extension agents can help growers determine which fungicides will be best for specific situations.

For more information about peanut production in Georgia, see the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences website on peanuts.

by Clint Thompson, University of Georgia

UGA Extension peanut agronomist Scott Monfort estimates that Georgia’s peanut crop hasn’t been this dry this late in the growing season since 2014. Since approximately half of the state’s crop is planted in dryland fields, yields this year are expected to drop.

Current drought conditions could negatively influence Georgia peanut farmers’ plans for this year’s dryland crop, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension peanut agronomist Scott Monfort.

While some fields are just a few weeks away from harvest, Monfort cautions growers about applying additional fungicides or insecticides, especially if there’s little to no rain in the forecast, to aid in the crop’s late-season growth.

“We need to assess what our crop situation is and see what’s out there so we can figure out what the best course of action is as we get closer to harvest,” he said.

It is crucial for peanut growers to physically get into their fields and closely assess their crop.

“If they’re not taking a look and they’re not paying close attention, they’re either going to lose what they’ve got or they’re going to put more money into it than what they need to,” he said.

Monfort estimates that Georgia’s peanut crop hasn’t been this dry this late in the growing season since 2014. Since approximately half of the state’s crop is planted in dryland fields, or fields without irrigation, yields this year are expected to drop.

“We should see a drop in the state average as a whole, but how much is hard to say,” Monfort said. “One positive is that our irrigated crop looks pretty good right now.”

According to Wade Parker, Agriculture and Natural Resources program development coordinator for southeast Georgia, some counties in east Georgia haven’t received substantial rainfall since July 4.

Georgia’s drought conditions are largely concentrated in the middle and southern portions of the state, according to the United States Drought Monitor.

Middle Georgia counties Pulaski, Houston, Twiggs, Wilkinson, Bleckley and Laurens; along with southeastern counties Burke, Jenkins and Screven; and southwestern counties Early, Clay, Quitman and Randolph are experiencing moderate drought conditions.

Counties near Georgia’s southern border, including Atkinson, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Grady, Thomas and Ware, are classified as having abnormally dry conditions.

For more information about Georgia’s peanut crop, visit peanuts.caes.uga.edu.

by Clint Thompson, University of Georgia

The University of Georgia Peanut Team honored Georgia’s top peanut producers this weekend at the annual Georgia Peanut Achievement Club meeting held on Jekyll Island, Georgia.

Fifteen farmers/farms were recognized Saturday, Aug. 10, at the yearly meeting held to salute Georgia’s highest-yielding peanut growers. The UGA Peanut Team also held an open forum session with peanut producers and industry leaders.

“We’ve climbed in yields in these categories with the growers that we have. I mean they’ve continued to stay well above 6,000-pound averages across the board,” said UGA Cooperative Extension Peanut Agronomist Scott Monfort. “This is taking into consideration their entire farm, whether it’s dryland or irrigated. Their entire farm is counted. It’s just phenomenal.”

Georgia is the No. 1 producer of peanuts in the U.S. Georgia farmers provide more than 45% of the country’s peanut crop every year.

Growers, like Glen Heard, appreciated the recognition of farmers’ hard work.

“It’s one of the best honors any peanut farmer can get. I hadn’t been here in a while and I’ve been wanting to get back,” said Heard, a peanut producer with 4,209 acres in Baker, Decatur, Miller and Seminole counties. “I’m very proud of it.”

Worth County producer Ken Hall was recognized for the eighth time in the past 10 years.

“I feel honored to be able to be part of this group. I can remember one year we missed it by one pound,” said Hall, who grows peanuts on 1,023 acres. “As I’ve told some of the guys on the (UGA) Peanut Team, I think it’s a great thing, whether I’m able to attend or not. I think it’s a great thing to reward the top growers in the state.”

The achievements in 2018 are even more impressive considering the challenges producers encountered with Mother Nature. Consistent rainfall in May 2018 delayed planting for many growers until June. Then Hurricane Michael hit southwest Georgia on Oct. 10, a time when growers were harvesting their peanut and cotton crops.

“Last year was difficult with Michael. It hurt a lot of people. Peanuts did fare a lot better (than some other crops). This is one bright spot that we have,” Monfort said. “These growers did very well on their peanuts, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have tough times. Their cotton suffered significantly, but I’m glad we were able to come here and at least celebrate the things that did go right.”

The 2018 Georgia Peanut Achievement Club winners include:

State winners

100-299 acres: Larry Ray Walker; Ben Hill County: 124 acres; 6,536 pounds/acre

300-699 acres: Chase Farms Inc.; Macon County; 439 acres; 7,191 pounds/acre

700-plus acres: 4 Miller Farms; Seminole County; 930 acres; 7,052 pounds/acre

District 1

100-299 acres: Hillside Farms (Mike Newberry); Early County; 234 acres; 6,514 pounds/acre

700-plus acres: Bob Mclendon; Calhoun County; 1,298 acres; 5,975 pounds/acre

District 2

100-299 acres: Faith Farms (Matt Bryan); Baker County; 217 acres; 6,455 pounds/acre

300-699 acres: Jeff Williams; Miller County; 558 acres; 5,827 pounds/acre

700-plus acres: Heard Family Farms (Glen Heard); Decatur County; 4,209 acres; 5,803 pounds/acre

District 3

100-299 acres: Michael and Gregg Bennett; Pulaski County; 134 acres; 5,675 pounds/acre

100-299 acres: Steve Newberry; Jefferson County; 187 acres; 5,620 pounds/acre

300-699 acres: C&S Farms, Scott Moore; Dooly County; 346 acres; 6,865 pounds/acre

700-plus acres: Ken Hall Farms; Worth County; 1,023 acres; 5,424 pounds/acre

District 4

100-299 acres: Bucky Tyler; Irwin County; 162 acres; 5,976 pounds/acre

300-699 acres: Robert Davison; Brooks County; 371 acres; 6,044 pounds/acre

700-plus acres: Nellwood Farms (Hal Cromley); Bulloch County; 1,109 acres; 4,992 pounds/acre

For more information about peanut production in Georgia, see peanuts.caes.uga.edu.

by Clint Thompson, University of Georgia

The University of Georgia Southeast Georgia Research and Education Center (SREC) in Midville, Georgia, will host its annual field day on Wednesday, Aug. 14.

Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and tours of the 719-acre center are set to begin at 9:30 a.m. A free lunch will be available at 12:30 p.m. Preregistration is not required for the event.

The field day will feature presentations and research findings from UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences researchers with an emphasis on cotton, corn, peanuts and soybeans.

Featured speakers will include Mark Abney, UGA Cooperative Extension peanut entomologist; David Bertioli, CAES assistant research scientist in the Center for Applied Genetic Technologies; Mark Freeman, east Georgia Extension agronomist; Bob Kemerait, UGA Extension plant pathologist; Zenglu Li, CAES soybean breeder; Scott Monfort, UGA Extension peanut agronomist; Phillip Roberts, UGA Extension cotton and soybean entomologist; and Daniel Mailhot and Dusty Dunn with the UGA Statewide Variety Testing Program.

Research at the Midville center is geared to the needs of farmers in east Georgia due to growing conditions that are much different than those that producers experience in other parts of the state.

“A lot of our disease pressure is different at varying times of the growing season. The insect pressure is different. Different insects can be found at varying times, compared to Tifton,” said Anthony Black, superintendent of the SREC. “Our climate over here tends to be a little drier. Our rainfall amounts are not what you would see in Tifton or southwest Georgia.”

The field day has garnered enthusiastic support from farmers and industry leaders in the area, said Black, who expects to see as many as 150 to 175 people in attendance.

For more information about the SREC, see https://t.uga.edu/56r.

by Clint Thompson, University of Georgia