by Dr. John Cason, TAMU Peanut Breeder–Stephenville
It was a tough year for all producers around the state and the Texas A&M peanut breeding program were no exception. I heard one producer say, “we had to fight for every pound of yield we got this year,” and I totally agree with him when referring to the 2022 season. Despite the challenges we continue to make headway in developing new germplasm specifically for organic production.
During the 2022 season we had organic trials in Gaines and Wilbarger Co. on certified organic farms. Being able to test our breeding lines in grower fields is crucial for identifying potential lines that will produce good yields in different areas of the state and varying management practices. One hybrid Spanish line in particular, TP210656-2-1, performed well for the second year of testing. It yielded 4,650 lbs./acre in a really tough year compared to a test average of 3,745 lbs./acre. Additionally, It also graded 5.2% points higher that’s the test average with an average grade of 78.3 for the test. We are very excited about this line performing near the top of our tests for the second year in a row and are hopeful as more results become available for 2022, it performs as well at other locations.
Texas A&M AgriLife Organic 