Of all the states that produce peanuts, South Carolina is the most unusual because it is a borderline state, producing both Virginia-type peanuts and runner-type peanuts, says Jay Chapin, interim peanut specialist at Clemson University.

Speaking at the Pee Dee Farm Field Day at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence, S.C. Sept.10, Chapin, considered the “peanut guru” in South Carolina, noted that Georgia, Florida and Alabama are the runner or peanut butter states while North Carolina and Virginia are the Virginia-type producers.

“We (South Carolina) are a small peanut state with really big needs when it comes to variety information,” Chapin said. “Now that we’ve become a little bigger player in the peanut market, we’ve still retained that status as having to be proficient. Our growers have to be able to flex and go either way depending on the market.”

Chapin noted that some years the market is better for runners, while in other years demand is stronger and profit is better for Virginias. Virginia-type peanuts were grown by more than 80 percent of South Carolina farmers who turned to peanuts in 2003 after the end of the quota program, but over the past five years, runner acreage has increased, Chapin said.

Jay Chapin, Clemson University’s interim peanut specialist, says South Carolina is a unique peanut state because it produces both runner varieties and Georgia-type peanuts and needs to be proficient in producing both.

 “We’re probably no more than 60 percent Virginias at this time,” he said.

Clemson is examining two runner varieties in its challenge test at the Edisto Research and Education Center in Blackville, Georgia-12Y and Georgia-13M. Chapin said both varieties have attributes that should attract the interest of South Carolina farmers.

“We really like 13M because it has really small pods,” Chapin said. “Shellers aren’t interested in small pods when it comes to Virginia-types and they don’t really like small pods in the runners because anything that’s a change isn’t necessarily good for their equipment. But from a grower standpoint, if we can get high yield and relatively small pods, we like it because our drought stress is less and our calcium deficiency is less.”

Georgia-13M is a high oleic medium maturity variety with high yield potential. “The downside is that it’s not that special on soil diseases. The 12Y is later maturity and it is not high oleic. Normally we wouldn’t be that keen on a late maturity variety but this one could be special for us is we ae allowed to grow it. This one may have white mold resistance.”

As for Virginia-type varieties, Bailey is still the most popular cultivar in South Carolina, but Sullivan is seen as a good replacement for Bailey because it is high oleic and may offer improved resistance to  Cylindrocladium black rot (CBR), Chapin said. Both Bailey and Sullivan were developed in Dr. Tom Isleib’s breeding program at North Carolina State University.

Turning to production advice, Chapin offered a rule of thumb for farmers in spraying peanuts for leaf spot. “If it’s been two weeks since your last leaf spot spray and you know you’re going to dig that field within three weeks and you don’t have raging leaf spot out there and your leaves aren’t coming off on the bottom of the plant, you’re ok for three weeks,” he said.

“We have a lot of issues with fungicides getting put on and then end up digging them a week later. You can’t affect any change in leaf spot in 10 days. If you have 10 days to go until you dig them or even two weeks two go until you dig them, it’s unlikely you’re going to make any difference in leaf spot control.”

In the meantime, because of the drought, Chapin said there is a huge difference in peanut maturity across South Carolina this year. He said it is critical for peanut farmers to dig their peanuts at the right time this year. He encouraged farmers to blast their peanuts and get some assistance looking at color profiles.

“The biggest decision a grower makes is when and how you dig your peanuts. There is more money won and lost at that digging decision than any other operation throughout the year. You need to make the right decision in terms of digging,” Chapin said.