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Publication #Circular 1440

New Plants for Florida: Peanut1

Dan Gorbet2

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Peanut originated in South America, and today it is widely grown for oil, roasted nuts, peanut butter and other products. Research on peanut breeding at FAES dates back to 1920, and in 1928, the first successful cross of peanuts was made by F.H. Hull. The first FAES variety was Dixie Runner, released by W.A. Carver and cooperators in 1943. Other varieties were released from the project during the 1950s and early 1960s, but the release of Florunner by A.J. Norden and cooperators in 1969 was a signal event for the peanut breeding program. This variety offered major gains in yield potential, and it was grown on over 70 percent of the peanut production acreage in the U.S. for several years in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Southern Runner (1986) was the first variety released with resistance to leafspot disease. The Georgia Green variety (University of Georgia) has dominated southeastern U.S. production for the past few years, mainly because of its tomato spotted-wilt virus resistance, selected from its Southern Runner parent. SunOleic 95R (1996) was the first “high-oleic” (80+ percent oleic FA) peanut variety released in the world. This type of peanut has improved storability and shelf life and has promise to reduce the incidence of heart disease.

Resistance to tomato spotted-wilt virus and several other important diseases is of key importance in the current breeding program. Improvement of yield and quality, especially of oil chemistry and flavor, are key factors in the current effort. The University of Florida Research Foundation has three utility patents on “high-oleic” oil chemistry.

When Florunner was released in 1969, peanut yields were about 2,000 lbs per acre or less. The new varieties, along with new production technology, have increased average yields to 3,000 lbs per acre today. These contributions to the peanut industry were the result of eighty-three years of research and development at FAES. Today, Dan Gorbet and Ben Whitty continue the tradition of offering the best peanut varieties to producers.

For more information about peanut varieties, see the following EDIS publications:

SS-AGR-44 Peanut Varieties for 2003

SS-AGR-75 Management of Late-Maturing Peanut Varieties

SS-AGR-91 SunOleic/High Oleic Peanuts

SS-AGR-186 Peanut Variety Protection

Important Characteristics for Selection in the FAES Peanut Breeding Program

  • Pod/seed yields

  • Pod/seed grades

  • Maturity

  • Pest resistance

  • Chemical quality

  • Flavor

  • Drought resistance

  • Mechanization

  • Seed dormancy

  • Stability

  • Processing characteristics

  • Food quality

Tables

Table 1. 

Peanut varieties developed by FAES Breeders.

Variety

Date of Release
Dixie Runner

1943

Early Runner

1952

Florispan

1953

Florigiant

1961

Florunner

1969

Altika

1972

NC Florida 14

1974

Early Bunch

1977

Sunrunner

1983

Southern Runner

1986

Marc I

1990

Andru 93

1993

SunOleic® 95R

1994

SunOleic® 97R

1997

Florida MDR 98

1998

C-99R

1999

ANorden, Carver, Hull, Andrull, GP-1, DP-1

2002

Footnotes

1.

This document is part of Circular 1440, a publication of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the Agronomy Department and IFAS Communication Services, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date August 2003. Originally published as a booklet by IFAS Communication Services June 2003. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Dan Gorbet, Professor, Agronomy Department, North Florida REC--Marianna, FL. Circular 1440 is edited by Richard L. Jones, Mary L. Duryea, and Berry J. Treat, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Richard L. Jones, Dean for Research, publishes this information to further programs and related activities, available to all persons regardless of race, color, age, sex, disability or national origin. Information about alternate formats is available from IFAS Communication Services, University of Florida, PO Box 110810, Gainesville, FL 32611-0810.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer, Interim Dean.


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