How to Grow Peanuts? The Ministry of Agriculture Releases the 2015 Production Technology Guidance

Oil Crops Expert Guidance Group of the Ministry of Agriculture

National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center

(March 2015)

Peanut sowing is about to begin. Based on this year's climate characteristics, the Oil Crops Expert Guidance Group of the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Technology Extension Center have studied and put forward the 2015 peanut production technology guidance.

1. Select varieties according to local conditions

For spring-sown peanuts in the north, choose mid-to-late-maturing large-pod varieties with high yield potential and a growth period of 130-140 days; for peanuts intercropped with wheat, choose early-maturing large-pod varieties with a growth period of 120-130 days; for summer direct-sown peanuts, choose early-maturing medium-pod or small-pod varieties with a growth period of 115-125 days; for southern spring peanuts, choose medium-pod or large-pod pearl bean-type varieties with a growth period of about 120 days. All localities should, according to soil, climate, market and other conditions, select high-yield, high-quality special-purpose varieties such as oil-use type, food-processing type and export type. When selecting varieties, attention should be paid to consistency between variety resistance and the local occurrence characteristics of disasters such as drought and waterlogging, diseases and insect pests. In particular, areas (plots) where bacterial wilt occurs should use highly resistant varieties, and areas with more serious pod rot should use varieties with strong resistance. Production areas with a high degree of mechanical harvesting should select varieties with concentrated pod set, good maturity uniformity, relatively good pod stalk toughness and adaptability to mechanical harvesting.

2. Sow in good time by taking advantage of soil moisture

For spring-sown large peanuts in northern production areas, sowing begins when the 5cm soil temperature is stably above 15°C, and for small peanuts when it is stably above 12°C; peanuts intercropped with wheat are generally interplanted 15-20 days before wheat harvest; for summer direct-sown peanuts, after the previous crop is harvested, stubble should be cleared promptly, and on strongly sandy soil, sowing against the stubble may also be adopted, with stubble clearing carried out after emergence. For southern spring peanuts, when the 5cm soil temperature is stably above 12°C, sow on a sunny day at the end of a cold spell and the beginning of a warm one. At sowing, the relative soil moisture content should preferably be 70%-75%, that is, the soil in the plow layer can be formed into a ball in the hand and crumbles relatively loosely when rubbed. Shell the seeds 10-15 days before sowing; before shelling, sun-dry the seeds in the shell for 2-3 days, and remove moldy, damaged and germinated seeds. Before sowing, the seeds should be properly stored to prevent moisture absorption from affecting the germination rate. Before sowing, per mu use 15-17kg of seed treated with 30ml of Gaqiao (60% imidacloprid seed coating agent) + 25ml of Shileshi (2.5% fludioxonil) + 250ml of water, or 30ml of Gaqiao (60% imidacloprid seed dressing agent) + 40ml of Weifu (20% carboxin + 20% thiram) + 250ml of water, which can effectively control soil-borne diseases (root rot, stem rot, crown rot, etc.) and underground pests. For plots using mechanical harvesting, the row spacing and the compatibility of the machinery must be fully considered when sowing peanuts.

3. Scientific fertilization and watering

In principle, peanut fertilization should insist on using more organic fertilizer and reducing the use of inorganic chemical fertilizers as much as possible; organic and inorganic may also be combined, and quick-acting with slow-release, applying functional fertilizers appropriately according to local conditions. For acidic soil, use physiologically alkaline calcium-containing fertilizers such as lime; for alkaline soil, calcium-containing physiologically acidic fertilizers such as gypsum may be applied; for continuous cropping soil, lime nitrogen, biological bacterial fertilizer and the like may be added, which can significantly reduce the number of pathogens and insect eggs in the soil, balance soil microbial populations and improve soil fertility. For spring peanuts and summer peanuts sown with sufficient soil moisture, watering is generally not needed at the seedling stage; moderate drought is beneficial to root development, improves the plant's drought and waterlogging tolerance, and also helps shorten the first and second internodes, making it easier for pegs to penetrate downward and increasing the filled-pod rate; for peanuts intercropped with wheat, if drought occurs at the seedling stage, water should be applied in good time to protect the seedlings. The middle growth stage (pegging stage and pod-setting stage) is the period when peanuts are most sensitive to water and also the period of greatest water demand in their life cycle; drought at this stage has a great impact on yield, and when plant leaves wilt around midday, water should be applied in good time. In the late growth stage (pod-filling stage), if drought occurs, small amounts of water should be applied promptly by light irrigation to prevent premature plant senescence and aflatoxin contamination. Irrigation should not be carried out during high-temperature periods, otherwise pod rot is easily caused. In southern peanut fields, the three ditches should be kept unobstructed to prevent waterlogging damage.

4. Strengthen field management

First, release seedlings and clear branches in good time. For film-mulched peanuts, where seedlings cannot break through the film and emerge on their own, the film should be broken manually to release the seedlings. Starting from the rosette stage (when the main stem has 4 compound leaves), timely inspection should be carried out and lateral branches growing horizontally under the film should be picked out so that they develop robustly; this needs to be done 2-3 times before the beginning of flowering. Second, timely intertillage and weeding. For peanuts intercropped with wheat, within 3-5 days after wheat harvest, carry out intertillage to clear stubble and weeds; after intertillage, spray the ground per mu with 120ml of 50% acetochlor emulsifiable concentrate mixed with 40-45kg of water. For open-field peanuts, after sowing and covering with soil, spray the ground with acetochlor. When peanuts are close to closing the rows, run a furrow between the two rows of peanuts and earth up; the earthing up should achieve clear ditches, loose soil, a plump ridge waist and a concave ridge top, which is beneficial for pegs to enter the soil and set pods. Third, moderate chemical regulation. When the plants grow to 30-35cm, for fields showing excessive vegetative growth, use growth regulators such as paclobutrazol and uniconazole for control; apply strictly according to the regulator's instructions, and carry out foliar spraying before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m. Spraying too little cannot achieve the growth-control effect, while spraying too much will cause premature leaf senescence and reduce yield.

5. Strengthen disease and pest prevention and control

The main diseases in the Northeast peanut production area are leaf spot and net blotch; in recent years, scab has become one of the newly prevalent diseases in western Liaoning; the main diseases and pests in the Huang-Huai peanut production area are root and stem rot, leaf spot, net blotch and white grubs; the main diseases of peanuts in the Yangtze River basin are leaf spot and bacterial wilt, and in recent years scab has also occurred from time to time; the main diseases in the southern peanut production area are leaf spot, bacterial wilt, rust and scab. Key points for control: for leaf spot and net blotch, about 75~80 days after sowing, spray 32.5% Amimiao Shou (20% azoxystrobin + 12.5% difenoconazole) at 2000 times dilution or Baitai (60% pyraclostrobin∙metiram) at 600 times dilution 3 times, spraying once every 10~14 days, with 30 kg of spray solution per mu. For scab, at the beginning of flowering, spray 10% Shigao (difenoconazole) at 1000 times dilution or 70% thiophanate-methyl at 1000 times dilution 2 times, spraying once every 7~10 days. For root and stem rot and white grubs, seed treatment can use 30ml of Gaqiao (60% imidacloprid seed coating agent) + 25ml of Shileshi (2.5% fludioxonil) + 250ml of water, or 30ml of Gaqiao (60% imidacloprid seed dressing agent) + 40ml of Weifu (20% carboxin + 20% thiram) + 250ml of water, to treat 15kg of seed. For the control of bacterial wilt and rust, it is best to choose highly resistant peanut varieties.