PCA - The Peanut Company Of Australia | Irrigated Vs Dryland Peanut Cropping

Irrigation Versus Dryland Cropping

Peanuts are considered to be a relatively drought-tolerant crop, producing a yield even during droughted seasons.

Peanuts have various physiological mechanisms for avoiding the effects of drought and an extensive root system which is able to exploit moisture reserves at depth.

Even during drought, peanuts will nearly always produce some yield however few growers can afford mediocre yields because of input costs.

Peanuts are best grown where the rainfall is reliable or where access to irrigation is available.

What Will Irrigation Do?

Improve yield
Improve quality
Reduce the risk of aflatoxin
Improve reliability and reduce risk
Improve profitability

Crop Water Requirements

Peanuts need 600-700mm of water over the season for a high-yielding crop.

This can come from either rain, irrigation or stored soil moisture. However it is not the total amount of moisture that the crop receives that is most important. Timing of rainfall or irrigation can have a dramatic effect on both crop yield and quality.

Growth Stages

Growth Stages	Irrigation Requirements
Germination and Emergence	Good moisture conditions are required. Irrigation can ensure you plant on time.
Vegetative	Peanuts can tolerate mild water stress at this stage. Stress at this stage may be beneficial.
Peg Initiation	No water stress at this stage, very sensitive. Use irrigation.
Pod Formation and Filling	No water stress. Use irrigation.
Maturity	Decreasing water use as the crop matures.
Maturity	Irrigation scheduling using a system of pan evaporation measurements and crop factors has been found to be very effective. Devices which provide indirect measurement of soil water can also be very useful including tensiometers, Gypsum blocks and neutron moisture meters.

Irrigation scheduling using a system of pan evaporation measurements and crop factors has been found to be very effective. Devices which provide indirect measurement of soil water can also be very useful including tensiometers, Gypsum blocks and neutron moisture meters.

Irrigation Systems

If water is available, then it can be used to improve peanut yields and returns. The main systems currently used for irrigating peanuts include: furrow irrigation or various forms of sprinkler irrigation including centre pivot, lateral moves, travelling irrigators or solid set.

Furrow Irrigation is the least capital intensive system of irrigation but requires relatively flat land (not greater than about 2 per cent slope). The main requirement for furrow irrigation is that the land is reasonably level to ensure uniform application. This may involve laser levelling.
Sprinkler Irrigation systems are the main systems used in peanuts. Centre pivots involve a relatively high outlay in capital but can be simple to run and to maintain.

Information Sheets And Articles

More information of specialist interest to peanut growers, including information and videos from the Best Management in Peanuts research, is available in the password-protected Insite area of this website. Contact us for more information.