Planting season is winding down with only a few acres left to be planted. South Carolina is estimated to have 90,000 to 95,000 acres this year. Most of the peanut crop state wide looks very good. I have not seen or heard of many germination/plant stand problems except where a few fields had been planted with little to no moisture.
Planted acres will be ~65% Virginias and ~35% Runners. Bailey and Suggs are the top Virginia varieties and Fla 07, GA09B, and FloRun 107 are the top runner varieties.
Soil moisture is adequate across most of the state; however, growers will need a shower soon as moisture is leaving fast with the current temperatures and windy conditions. Weed management is at the top of the priority list for growers with disease management and gypsum applications not far behind. For the most part growers are staying ahead and doing an excellent job so far.
Another issue growers are dealing with is thrips. Thrips pressure has been extremely heavy this year and significant damage has been observed in a few fields. Peanut fields, where Cruiser Maxx Peanut or in-furrow imidacloprid were applied, need to be scouted to determine if an additional foliar insecticide is needed.
Overall, I am pleased with how the crop looks at this time.
