Key Aspects of Mid-to-Late-Stage Management for Peanuts

In light of current peanut production conditions and prevailing climatic characteristics, mid- to late-season management should prioritize key green, high-yield, and efficient field practices, including intertillage and soil hilling, water‑saving and fertilizer‑reducing techniques, integrated pest and disease management, and standardized mechanized operations. These measures will help improve peanut nutritional status, effectively control pest and disease damage and excessive vegetative growth, significantly enhance mid- to late-season management and production efficiency, and ensure a bountiful peanut harvest this year.

I. Focus on implementing key yield‑boosting technologies to ensure abundant and well‑filled fruit.

In light of the current crop conditions, localities should adopt site‑specific approaches, vigorously promote key management practices such as intertillage, water conservation, and fertilizer reduction, and strengthen water and nutrient management during the mid- to late‑growth stages of peanuts. The goal is to achieve optimal soil moisture, favorable soil structure, and a well‑balanced nutrient supply, thereby fostering coordinated growth and development, enhancing stand quality, reducing production costs, improving efficiency, and increasing both yield and income.

(1) Mid-tillage and soil hilling promote needle formation and fruit set. Mid‑season cultivation and hilling are effective practices for enhancing soil aeration, improving soil structure, promoting root growth, increasing the number of productive pods, and facilitating pod enlargement and fullness. They also serve as key measures to address issues such as pod‑slippage, difficulty in embedding high‑positioned pods, and to improve stand quality. Therefore, efforts to promote these practices should be intensified, with particular attention paid to weak seedlings and waterlogged fields, where timely mid‑season cultivation and hilling are essential. For spring‑planted peanuts, this can be carried out during the peak flowering stage, before the rows close; for no‑till summer‑sown peanuts and wheat‑intercropped peanuts, combine tillage with stubble removal and fertilization, ideally before the onset of flowering.

(2) Apply critical irrigation to prevent drought and boost fruit yield. The mid-to-late growth stage of peanuts is a critical period that significantly influences yield; therefore, drought resistance must be prioritized, and soil moisture management should be carefully implemented. Efforts should focus on promoting water‑saving irrigation techniques such as subsurface drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and micro‑sprinkler systems to minimize water loss through seepage and soil evaporation, thereby substantially improving the efficiency of existing water resources. Although this year has seen ample rainfall and favorable soil moisture conditions, timely irrigation remains essential during dry spells to maintain optimal soil moisture levels. First, apply adequate flowering‑stage irrigation, with particular emphasis on the peak flowering period, to ensure sufficient peg penetration into the soil and lay the groundwork for increasing pod set. Second, provide proper pod‑filling irrigation to maintain appropriate soil moisture, promoting pod enlargement and fullness. Third, deliver sufficient “full‑pod” irrigation to nourish the roots, prevent premature plant senescence, increase the number of well‑filled pods, and boost individual pod weight, while also helping to mitigate aflatoxin contamination.

(3) Apply key fertilizers appropriately to prevent senescence and promote pod filling. The mid-to-late growth stages of peanuts are critical periods when nutrient demand is high and pod development is most vigorous. Fertilization should be tailored to the specific condition of the seedlings to avoid nutrient deficiency and premature senescence, thereby ensuring plump, well‑filled pods. For spring peanuts with weak seedlings and for summer peanuts sown directly after a preceding crop, Fertilization should be applied promptly in conjunction with irrigation to replenish nutrients and promote peanut growth and development. First, integrated water–fertilizer topdressing: on fields equipped with subsurface drip‑irrigation systems, a drip‑irrigation application can be carried out during the pod‑filling and grain‑filling stages. Agricultural University Humic Acid Water-soluble fertilizer ( 16-6-36 ) 10 kilograms per mu. Second, break the plastic mulch and apply topdressing fertilizer. For fields with high-quality mulch, where the soil beneath the film is severely dry and nutrient‑poor, apply a topdressing of … per mu by breaking the mulch in the center of the ridge before rainfall. Agricultural University Fertile Soil Conservation Water-retention Humic Acid Compound fertilizer ( 20-10-10 ) 10 kilograms, apply to acidic soils High in calcium, potassium, and magnesium 15–20 kilograms. Third, foliar fertilization: during the late pod-setting stage, apply a foliar spray per mu. Fruit Needle Spirit 50 ~ 80 ml + Golden Dew 80 ~ 100 ml+ A mixture of 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder (70–80 grams) and other fungicides, diluted in 45–50 kilograms of water, should be sprayed every 10–15 days, with repeated applications. 3 Next.

II. Focus on promoting green pest management technologies and strengthening disaster prevention and mitigation efforts.

At present, some peanut fields are already experiencing varying degrees of pest and disease infestation. During the mid- to late‑growth stages, it is essential to vigorously promote integrated green pest management practices to curb pest and disease damage; to prioritize effective weed control and flood prevention to avert waterlogging; and to implement flexible growth‑regulation measures to prevent excessive vegetative growth, thereby substantially enhancing the overall stand quality of the peanut crop.

(1) Green pest management to control disease and pest damage. First, strengthen monitoring and early warning for the fall armyworm; upon detection, implement control measures as soon as possible. A suitable spray mixture is 35% chlorantraniliprole SC at 6 g per mu plus 2.5% deltamethrin EC at 40 mL per mu, applied every 10–15 days for a total of two sprays. Second, promptly manage foliar diseases such as peanut leaf spot and scab. When the incidence of diseased leaves reaches 10%, apply 45 mL per mu of 17% pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole SC, or 20 mL per mu of 30% difenoconazole + propiconazole EC, or 60 g per mu of 60% pyraclostrobin + mancozeb WG, or 40 mL per mu of 20% difenoconazole + fluopyram SC, spraying once every 10–15 days for a total of two applications. Alternate among these formulations and ensure thorough, even coverage. Third, timely control of underground pests—primarily grubs—as well as aboveground pests like cotton bollworm, cutworms, and beet armyworm. For early-sown spring peanuts, based on pest pressure, during the peanut pinching stage in early July, irrigate the base of the plants with a 1,000‑fold dilution of 30% phoxim microcapsule suspension or 30% chlorpyrifos microcapsule suspension. Alternatively, mix 100 g per mu of the active ingredient of the aforementioned pesticides with soil, and apply it evenly to the soil surface around the main stem just before or after rainfall when the soil is moist; this will control adult insects that feed on peanut leaves or lay eggs near the roots, while also managing other underground pests. To control cotton bollworm, use 10–18 mL per mu of 15% indoxacarb SC diluted 1,000–1,500 times for foliar spraying; all these products can also effectively manage beet armyworm. Fourth, promptly address damage caused by peanut thrips and spider mites. Dry weather favors the proliferation of these two pests; for thrips control, apply 60 g/L ethiprole SC diluted 1,500 times for foliar spraying. For spider mite management, use 1.8% abamectin EC at 20–30 mL per mu, diluted 1,000–1,500 times for spraying, or a 1:1 mixture of 15% pyridaben EC and 25% pymetrozine WP at 40–50 mL (or grams) per mu, which can also help control aphids on peanuts. Fifth, in fields severely affected by white mold and stem rot, at the onset of pod formation, apply 112.5 g per mu of 25% fludioxonil WP or 30 mL per mu of 430 g/L tebuconazole SC, using 150 kg of solution per mu to drench and irrigate the peanut root zone. Strongly promote the use of insecticidal lamps and sex pheromone traps to lure and eliminate Japanese beetles, cotton bollworms, beet armyworms, cutworms, and other harmful pests.

(2) Weed control and flood prevention to avert waterlogging. Weeding can be carried out in conjunction with intertillage and soil mounding, or chemical herbicides may be used. During intertillage, deep tillage and the formation of wide ridges are recommended; this not only enhances weed control but also improves drainage, effectively mitigating the adverse effects of heavy rainfall on peanut growth and development. For chemical weed control, apply 11.8% quizalofop‑p‑ethyl + fluroxypyr emulsifiable concentrate at 30–40 mL per mu, or 15% quizalofop‑p‑ethyl + florasulam emulsifiable concentrate at 100–140 mL per mu, during the 3–5 leaf stage of peanuts and the 2–5 leaf stage of weeds, by evenly spraying the stems and leaves to control both gramineous and broadleaf weeds.

(3) Implement flexible growth regulation to prevent excessive vegetative growth. This year, with relatively abundant rainfall, peanut plants are prone to excessive vegetative growth. During the peak growth period—late flowering through early pod formation—when the main stem reaches 30–35 cm in height, apply a foliar spray using one of the following: 20 g per mu of Peanut Super‑Growth Agent, or 40–50 g per mu of Uniconazole (containing 2.0–2.5 g of active ingredient), or 20–25 g per mu of Zhuangbao’an, diluted in 35–40 kg of water. If, about 15 days after the first treatment, plant height has reached 45 cm, a second spray may be applied; by harvest, keep plant height below 50 cm. Ensure even coverage when applying growth retardants, avoiding over‑spraying, missed areas, and rain immediately following application. In high‑yielding fields, combine chemical growth regulation with pest and disease management for 2–3 applications, while appropriately reducing the dosage of each treatment.