Irrigation

Irrigation is critical in peanut production because it allows you to take advantage of other inputs. Water is needed to move Ca from land plaster into the pegging zone and to keep soil Ca in solution and available to the pods.

Irrigation also improves the effectiveness of herbicides (e.g. Prowl, Sonalan, Dual, Valor, Cadre); soil fungicides; and insecticide (Lorsban). Without timely rain or irrigation these inputs can be wasted. Irrigation lowers soil temperatures, which allows for normal peg development and greatly reduces aflatoxin risk.

Irrigation is also the best insect control available in that it makes the peanut plant much less susceptible to some of the most costly pests: lesser cornstalk borer, burrower bugs, corn earworm, and spider mites.