Management of peanut pod rot II: Comparison of calendar and threshold-based fungicide timings

Peanut pod rot, which can be caused by Pythium spp. and Rhizoctonia solani, is difficult to manage with fungicides. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of a calendar-based (CB) versus threshold-based (INC) fungicide application timings on pod rot incidence, yield, value of the crop, and returns minus fungicide cost. Large plot replicated trials were conducted in five fields with a history of pod rot. Pod rot was assessed weekly throughout the season following development of pods. Disease incidence was reduced by the preventative CB compared with INC or the non-fungicide treated control (NONE) in three of five sites. Disease was very low in the remaining two sites. Yield was not affected by treatment at individual sites, but in a combined analysis, INC at 1–2% incidence had higher yields than CB treated with mefenoxam or NONE. Occurrence of segregation 2 kernels, which results in a substantial reduction in price, was more frequent with INC and NONE than with CB at two sites. CB and INC had a higher value/ha than NONE, but there were no differences in return minus fungicide costs. CB had less pod rot during the season and a lower risk of segregation 2 kernels at harvest than INC. These results suggest that preventative CB applications made at early pegging should be used to manage pod rot. This recommendation is based on the reduction of risk to segregation 2 kernels, not because of a higher value/ha of the crop. •Pod rot was reduced by preventative calendar-based applications compared to threshold-based applications.•There were more damaged kernels in the threshold-based system compared to the preventative calendar-based system.•There were similar economic returns between both preventative and threshold-based systems.