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Research at Work: Peanuts

About 90 percent of Georgia-grown runner peanuts are made into peanut butter each year. The disease- and pest-resistant peanuts developed at the University of Georgia help farmers boost yields while maintaining quality. Over 70 percent of peanuts produced in the U.S. are UGA varieties. Our research helps the food industry turn Georgia crops into the nutritious and safe products you use every day, like peanut butter.

 


Ideal varieties boost production 

Sustainability of the Georgia peanut crop depends largely on the consistency of a variety to produce across many different micro climates throughout Georgia. Currently 95 percent of the peanut acres grown in Georgia are in Georgia-06G due to its ability to maximize yield and grade in a majority of the growing regions. Unfortunately, growing one variety across a majority of the acres is not a sustainable practice as diseases can overcome some disease resistance traits of a select variety.

Statewide Peanut Variety trials conducted by UGA scientists provide growers with the disease resistance traits, growth and vigor characteristics, and yield and grade potential of all commercially available peanut runner varieties. Data from these trails provide growers with the needed information about the performance of a select variety in a select region as well as across the state. Results and recommendations are provided to UGA Extension agents in each county who educate growers on which varieties perform best. Using superior tested varieties resulted in an increase of nearly $78 million in income from peanuts.

 


Peanut News

UGA professor and peanut breeder William “Bill” D. Branch has developed more than 30 novel, licensed peanut varieties. (CAES) CAES News
Branch named National Academy of Inventors Fellow
William “Bill” D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has been elected as Fellow for the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Branch is the 17th UGA faculty member to receive this honor, which recognizes inventors whose innovations have had a significant impact on society, economic development and quality of life.
Helenedamage web CAES News
Hurricane Helene: Preliminary damage assessment on Georgia agriculture and forestry industry
Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, in coordination with Governor Brian P. Kemp, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and the Georgia Forestry Commission, announced the preliminary estimate of Hurricane Helene’s economic impact on Georgia agriculture is $6.46 billion. This figure represents the sum of direct crop losses, losses to businesses that support agriculture and forestry, losses to workers in those related industries, and estimated recovery and restoration costs that agricultural businesses will face.
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