Impact of Sprinkler Irrigation Amount on Peanut Quality Parameters

Peanut quality parameters were analyzed across four irrigation levels during the 2002 through 2007 crop years. The peanut quality parameters consisted of total sound mature kernels and sound splits (farmer stock grade), shelling outturn by commercial edible size, accept and reject kernels by commercial edible size, seed germination, and aflatoxin. The four irrigation levels consisted of a full level (100%), two reduced levels (66% and 33%), and a non-irrigated control. The research was conducted at the USDA/ARS National Peanut Research Laboratory’s Multicrop Irrigation Research Farm in Shellman, Georgia. By year, significant differences in the irrigation treatments depended upon precipitation distribution for the specific quality parameters. For the average over the six years in the study, farmer stock grade was not significantly different in the 100, 66, and 33% treatments while all were significantly higher than the non-irrigated control. Total shelling outturn and total edible outturn were higher in the 100 and 66% compared to the 33% and non-irrigated treatments. Total reject outturn and total oil stock were not significantly different in the 100, 66, and 33% treatments, while all were significantly lower than the non-irrigated control. Percent seed germination did not differ across treatments. Aflatoxin in total reject outturn and total oil stock was significantly higher for the non-irrigated treatment compared to the irrigated treatments.