Growing Season is Here

Written by: David Jordan

As we move into the growing season, there are many decisions that need to be made. Everyone knows that timing is critical to success. That can mean applying lime far enough in advance to adjust soil pH, applying gypsum early enough for it to move into the pegging zone—but not too early—and making sure pesticide applications are made at the proper time. Of course, we also know how important digging at the proper pod maturity is, but that is a topic for another day.

We have developed several management tools that are available on our peanut extension website at peanut.ces.ncsu.edu. These tools are designed to help growers make informed management decisions throughout the season.

One of those resources is the Peanut Risk Tool, which helps growers and consultants evaluate field history and determine the likelihood that certain pests will become a problem. The goal is to adjust management practices before planting rather than trying to correct problems after they occur. We have rescue treatments for some pests, but not all.

Tomato spotted wilt virus and southern corn rootworm are good examples of pests where management decisions are largely made before or at planting. We do not have a chemical that controls tomato spotted wilt virus, and while foliar insecticides can help suppress thrips populations, they have only limited impact on reducing disease incidence. Tillage, planting date, in-furrow insecticides, plant population, and variety selection are all decisions that are locked in once the planter leaves the field.

The same concept applies to southern corn rootworm. There are no effective rescue treatments after planting. Field selection, variety selection, planting date, and irrigation management all influence risk. Irrigation often pays from a yield standpoint, but it can also increase the risk of southern corn rootworm. For these pests, along with others such as nematodes, we need to stack the odds in our favor before planting.

Many fertility decisions also have to be made early. Ideally, soil pH should be at least 6.0 throughout the field, and zinc levels should be low enough—or pH high enough—to minimize potential problems. Once the crop is planted, there is little opportunity to correct these issues.

Another critical consideration is ensuring that peanuts can fix their own nitrogen. Applying liquid inoculant in the seed furrow, along with a dry inoculant placed with the seed, provides additional insurance, particularly on new ground or fields that have been out of peanuts for several years. Again, the goal is to stack management decisions in our favor before the season progresses.

After a stand is established, early-season weed control and thrips management become priorities. Earlier planted peanuts are exposed to thrips for a longer period because thrips populations tend to be higher in late April and early May, while cooler conditions often slow peanut emergence and growth. This creates more opportunity for feeding injury that can affect yield. Timely foliar insecticide applications remain important regardless of the in-furrow treatment used at planting.

Weed management follows a similar principle. Residual herbicides should overlap early in the season to minimize weed competition before it impacts yield. There are many effective herbicide programs available, and investing in weed control early generally pays greater dividends than trying to recover from escapes later in the season.

Another resource available on the NC State Extension peanut website is the Herbicide Selection Tool, developed with the help of Greg Buol from our department. By selecting the weeds present in a field, growers can quickly identify herbicide options similar to those recommended in the 2025 Peanut Information guide and the 2025 North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual.

Once a herbicide option is selected, users should review the comments associated with that recommendation and always consult the product label or production guides for complete application instructions. Information such as application timing, weed size, adjuvant requirements, and use rates are not included in the selection tool. While Extension agents have suggested adding more detail, doing so would make the tool more difficult to use and maintain. The goal is to provide a quick starting point that helps growers identify appropriate options before consulting the full recommendations.

I hope the season gets off to a good start for everyone. We all need a successful year.