Peanut Maturity Update – 9/12/25

by | Sep 12, 2025 | Field Crops, Peanut

A Washington County peanut maturity profile indicating 7 days until digging. That is 7 days of good growing conditions – given the cool and very dry conditions rain-fed fields are experiencing currently, it could be considerably more than 7 days until this field has really reached optimum maturity.  Photo Credit: Mark Mauldin, UF/IFAS 

 

The aGDD Tracker below shows the number of adjusted Growing Degree Days (aGDDs) accumulated by 72 fictional fields (8 locations x 9 planting dates) as of 9/12/25. Real temperature and rainfall data from each location is used as well as common soil types for the areas (Jay – sandy loam, Marianna – loamy sand, Marianna Irrigated – sand, Monticello – loamy sand, Live Oak and Bronson – sand). Medium maturity peanuts reach physiological maturity after the accumulation of approximately 2,500 Growing Degree Days and the aGDD Tracker quantifies their progress. Use the Tracker to approximate how your fields are progressing by following the field that are the most similar to yours in terms of planting date, location and irrigation status. If the aGDD value shown for your field is black (under 2,300), it’s probably not time to dig. If it’s yellow (between 2,300 and 2,500), you’re getting close; it’s time to pull samples and pod-blast to fine tune your harvest timing. Orange (2,500+) means it’s likely time to harvest, but pod-blasting is always the best way to know for sure.

For more precise tracking of your fields, go to PeanutFARM.org and set up your fields in the system. You will be able to enter field specific rainfall/irrigation data and soil type. Temperature data will come from the closest FAWN weather station. If you are interested in setting up your own peanut fields on PeanutFARM.org, don’t hesitate to contact me for assistance.

aGDD Tracker for the Florida Peanut Producing Region – 9/12/25 edition

The aGDD Tracker is compiled from data generated by PeanutFARM.org. The dark blue bars, in the cells behind the aGDD values, indicate progress towards 2500 aGDDs. The bar extends to the right as aGDDs are accumulated. The entire cell will be dark blue when a field has accumulated 2500 aGDDs. It is recommended that fields be sampled, and exact days-to-harvest be determined via pod-blasting once a field reaches 2300 aGDDs.

 

The cooler temperatures and dry conditions have seriously slowed down peanut maturity over the past two weeks. In the span of days leading up to the previous aGDD Tracker, we saw irrigated fields averaging the accumulation of 22 aGDDs per calendar day and rain-fed fields averaging 17 aGDDs per calendar day. In the past two weeks irrigated fields have accumulated an average of 18.6 aGDDs per calendar day and rain-fed fields accumulated an average of 12.8 aGDDs per calendar day. That is a noticeable decline in a relatively short period of time.

While irrigated fields are still tracking “ahead of schedule” (**please see comment below on irrigated fields), based on the current rate of accumulation, rain-fed fields have now largely fallen “behind schedule” – meaning it will likely take rain-fed fields over 140 days to accumulate 2500 aGDDs. There is quite a bit of variation in how far rain-fed fields are behind the 140-day rule-of thumb; some fields are currently only a few days behind, while others are already weeks behind. Of more importance than the current conditions, particularly for mid-May and June planted rain-fed fields, is the fact that the longer the cool and/or dry conditions persist the farther behind schedule the fields will fall. This is not to say that growing conditions and the rate of aGDD accumulation will not improve, but looking at the current forecast, improvement does not seem likely in the next week. Below are a few examples showing how rain-fed fields have fallen behind schedule.

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Example 1: 5/5 planted, rain-fed field in Monticello – currently 130 DAP and at 2169 aGDDs.

2500 – 2169 = 331 aGDDs left to accumulate. 331/12.8 = 26 more calendar days needed.

130 DAP + 26 days = 156; projected optimal harvest maturity = 156 DAP.

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Example 2: 5/12 planted, rain-fed field in Marianna – currently 123 DAP and at 2175 aGDDs.

2500 – 2175 = 325 aGDDs left to accumulate. 325/12.8 = 25 more calendar days needed.

123 DAP + 25 days = 148; projected optimal harvest maturity = 148 DAP.

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Example 3: 5/19 planted, rain-fed field in Jay – currently 116 DAP and at 2125 aGDDs.

2500 – 2125 = 375 aGDDs left to accumulate. 375/12.8 = 29 more calendar days needed

116 DAP + 29 days = 145; projected optimal harvest maturity = 145 DAP.

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If this slow rate of aGDD accumulation continues, this may be another year when vine conditions dictate harvest time, rather than crop maturity. Disease management is/will be crucial to holding fields together long enough to reach optimum maturity.  While the current cooler and drier weather is generally unfavorable for peanut disease, it is unlikely that these conditions will hold through crop maturity – the crop still needs to be protected. As we near the end of the growing season, it is important to take note of the preharvest intervals (PHI) specified for each crop protection product used. Table 2 below lists the PHI for some (not all) common peanut fungicides. Even with a solid disease management program, fields will not last forever. Delay digging as long as you can (for the sake of better yield and grade) but don’t risk the crop by waiting too long.  If a field’s canopy has defoliated 50% it’s likely time to dig. Dig immediately once a field is 75% defoliated.

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Common Peanut Fungicide Chart

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** The aGDD values shown for the irrigated fields represent peanuts that have never experienced a single moment of drought stress and have had zero pest/disease pressure. The aGDD values are the absolute maximum physically possible within the parameters of the temperature data provided by the FAWN Stations – real life probably doesn’t work like that.

 

 

Mark Mauldin
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