Georgia Peanut Commission approves $260,000 in new peanut research projects
Released: March 29, 2012
TIFTON, Ga.– The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) board of directors has approved
$260,000 in new research project funding for its 2012-13 research budget. This
action was taken during the Commission’s March board meeting. The research
projects approved include 22 project proposals from the 27 proposals submitted
by the University of Georgia and USDA-Agricultural Research Service.
“We are proud of our close relationship and partnership with research institutions
in the state,” says Donald Chase, Georgia Peanut Commission Research Committee
chairman. “Peanut growers are pleased to invest in the future by providing monetary
support for research and education that has continued to demonstrate a return
on our investment.”
Georgia’s peanut growers invest $2 per ton annually toward research, promotion,
and education programs of the GPC. Annual research funding has tracked at 21
percent of available GPC funds. This year the GPC will also manage 18 additional
Georgia research projects using $526,000 in contracted funds from the National
Peanut Board. There will be 40 total research projects in the amount of $786,000
managed by the GPC in 2012-13.
“The importance of peanut producers’ investments in research cannot be underestimated,”
says Emory Murphy, GPC Research Committee secretary. Murphy noted that peanut
research and extension programs have contributed to four historical state record
yields out of the past five consecutive years. “Cultivars planted by growers
today are producing 700 to 1,000 pound an acre more than the cultivars they were
growing five or six years ago,” Murphy says.
On nearly half of the U.S. production, Georgia peanut yields are consistently
higher than other states while maintaining and improving quality. The growth
and success of Georgia’s peanut industry has been no accident guided by fifty
years of the GPC leadership. Georgia peanut growers have seen yields increase
from 1,000 pounds per acre in 1961 to over 3,500 pounds per acre today—a
350 percent increase!
“This is a testament to our research and education efforts and our growers,”
Chase says. “These new higher yielding and disease resistant varieties we are
developing are available to all the other states, but Georgia farmers simply
do an excellent job of controlling weeds, pests and diseases, and managing
cultural practices and resources.”
The research programs have focused on economics; conservation methods; irrigation
and water management; peanut breeding for higher yield and improved quality;
pests, weed and disease management; and allergen free peanuts. The GPC is stepping
up efforts by funding research on the development and evaluation of new cultivars
with an emphasis on disease resistance genetic markers, looking at Global Positioning
System (GPS) managed systems and remote sensing using the automated weather
and climate network data, improving methods to determine maturity, improving
planter and planting issues, and looking for answers for the burrower bug nemesis.
Chase says it is obvious that the peanut industry must continue to press for
public or government support as we have lost thirteen peanut scientists in
Georgia over the past ten years. Five of them were critical peanut scientists
and extension positions lost in the past five years that have not been replaced.
“Ten years ago with 13 additional scientists we would have had 50 project proposals
submitted for funding verses the 27 we received this year,” Chase says. “The
Georgia Legislature has committed to funding one of these positions this year
but, realistically, we feel that we will have to fund a larger portion of the
jobs ourselves in the future if, indeed, these critical research and extension
positions are filled at all.”
For additional information and a complete listing of the research projects
funded by the Georgia Peanut Commission visit, www.gapeanuts.com.
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- For more information
-
Joy Carter
Director of Communications
joycarter@gapeanuts.com
phone: (229) 386-3690
