Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
DISEASES AND PESTS
Late leaf spot (
Cercosporidium personatum
) appears later in the growing sea-
son as dark spots on leaves. It can lead to defoliation and reduced yields. Peanut rust (
Puccinia
arachidis
) is a fungal disease causing reddish brown spots (masses of spores). It does not overwinter in
the USA but is instead imported by subtropical storms like hurricanes. Use wide planting distances to
encourage drying out and discourage spreading of these fungal diseases.
Aspergillus flavus
, a mold
fungus, can occur in peanuts in storage. Be sure that stored peanuts are fully dry.
CULTIVATION HISTORY
Peanuts are a very old cultivated crop, with the oldest finds being from Peru
over 7,000 years ago. Spanish conquistadors brought the plant from Mexico to Europe, and it later
spread worldwide. George Washington Carver famously developed over a hundred recipes for the pea-
nut through a USDA program to encourage peanut production and consumption. Around 0.5% of
people are allergic to peanuts; these people must strictly exclude peanuts and peanut products from
their diets, as an allergic reaction results in anaphylaxis in severe cases, which may be fatal.
