Three new varieties of faster maturing and more disease resistant peanuts developed by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) will be released for first commercial production over the 2007 summer peanut growing season.
Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries peanut breeder Alan Cruickshank said details on the new varieties called D57, D116 and D147 were presented to a recent meeting of peanut growers at Wooroolin in the Burnett.
The new varieties were approved for release by the department last November, but it is expected to take until 2008 before seed is available in reasonable quantities for growers.
DPI&F principal crop physiologist Dr Rao Rachaputi emphasized the role of ultra short duration varieties in reducing farmers risk in a severe drought affected seasons such as the current one.
He said that as a part of the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC) funded peanut project, DPI&F would continue research programs to minimise aflotoxin contamination in peanuts including peanut drying modelling research using artificial drying bins as well as farmer's silos.
Mr Rachaputi said the team would also undertake wide testing of remote sensing using aerial and satellite imagery to maximise peanut yields and continue evaluating commercial applications for early maturing peanut varieties.
Mr Cruickshank said D116 is an ultra early high oleic acid variety which has extended shelf life because of high oleic oil and which matures in just 15 weeks. It has been designed to reduce farmer risk by securing a profitable crop rather than focusing on producing maximum yields.
"D116 can be planted late and DPI&F trials saw it planted successfully as late as the second week in January.
"A really exciting variety is D147 which is showing great potential for use in the expanding coastal peanut production areas and has proved its worth in trials held in the Bundaberg area. The plant, which has good resistance to rust and leafspot outbreaks is a high oleic variety with a large red kernel that blanches well," Mr Cruikshank said.
He said the third variety is D57 which is a high oleic version of Streeton and has a more erect plant structure than Middleton, which should make it easier for growers to pull for harvest.
