This production guide informs readers of production issues and best management practices to effectively grow peanuts in Virginia. This guide contains information regarding variety selection, basic agronomic considerations, plant protection products, weed control products, and insect control measures. This guide helps provide up to date information so growers can make informed choices regarding peanut production.

In 2022, PVQE included 25 genotypes: 5 commercial varieties, including ‘Bailey II’,’ Emery’, ‘NC 20’, ‘Sullivan’ and ‘Walton’; and 20 advanced breeding lines developed by the North Carolina State University peanut breeding program (Table 1). All breeding lines have the ‘high oleic acid’ characteristic. Cultivars and lines were planted from May 11 through May 24 at five locations: Tidewater AREC in Suffolk, VA, Slade Farm near Williamston, Martin Co., NC, the Upper Coastal Plain Research Station (UCPRS) near Rocky Mount, NC, McDuffie Farm near Council, Bladen County, NC, and the Edisto Research and Education Center (EREC) in Blackville, SC.

Peanut is a “cash” commodity for Virginians and most farmers grow this crop for certified seed. Seed quality and germination in particular are, therefore, very important. Even though the 2022 results were inconclusive, potential for prohexadione calcium to reduce germination and increase abnormal seedling production was clearly suggested by these data. The inconclusiveness could have been the result of a combination of factors, other than PC, affecting seed quality during storage. A differential response of the cultivars to both, seed aging and PC, was clearly suggested by our preliminary data. Evidence that PC may affect the seed quality, through seed weight, was also notable from the 2022 tests.

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.), also known as fava bean, broad bean, horse bean, or Windsor bean, is a leguminous crop used as food, feed, forage, or cover crop in different parts of the world. This crop can be used for food, feed, and as a ground cover crop. It is highly nutritious and has high protein content, the second after soybean when comparing with the common grown legumes including, dry beans, lentils, peas, cowpeas, and chickpeas. The high protein content makes faba bean an excellent source for plant-based foods, like meat and milk. Compared to the other cool-season legumes such as pea and lupin, faba bean can attain and fix substantially more nitrogen from the atmosphere to soil. Because of temperature increase during summer, a winter crop can ensure cropping system diversification while minimizing the negative effects of summer heat on yield and economic return, and this crop can potentially be faba bean. A USDA-funded project at the Virginia Tech’ s Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center (TAREC) in Suffolk, VA, is focused on introduction of faba bean as a winter seed crop with multiple benefits for the Mid-Atlantic cropping systems. The project includes collaborators from the University of Maryland, University of Delaware, North Carolina State University, and University of Georgia, in addition to the Virginia State University and Virginia Tech. Started in 2023 and lasting until 2027, the project will address objectives related to cultivar development through breeding, genetics and physiological strategies, identification of the best agronomic practices to maximize yield and economic return, economic and marketing logistics, and consumer acceptance. As the results became available, the PI will provide updates on this new crop for the region.

Mid-season heat and drought stress (HS+DS) severely impacts peanut growth, slashing yields by up to 50% and degrading kernel quality—key factors in market pricing. For Virginia-type peanuts, which command premium prices due to their large kernel size and superior grade (especially the "fancy" classification), HS+DS reduces both yield and percentage of total sound mature kernels (TSMK). This dual loss directly undermines profitability, as poor grades can offset gains from high productivity. With grade standards serving as a critical benchmark for growers and shellers, mitigating HS+DS is essential to preserving both yield and market value. This article discusses the effects of HS+DS on peanut yield and grade and highlights the importance of this combined stress.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) has a spreading growth habit with lateral branches completely covering the ground at harvest. The current Virginia-type cultivars Bailey II, Emery, Sullivan, N.C. 20, and Walton have shown abundant vine growth under Virginia climate. While this is a positive thing, e.g. more biomass production can support higher yields, growers that do not use RTK guidance may be unable to see the rows for efficient vine digging and inversion. In short, under pressure from inverter set off the rows, pods can shed from the vines and yield can be lost.