Peanut Variety and Quality Evaluation (PVQE)

The Tidewater AREC is the base location for the Peanut Variety and Quality Evaluation (PVQE) program. This is a multi-state program that evaluates new cultivars and breeding lines of the Virginia market-type peanut for agronomic production, processing and food chemistry characteristics. 

Current research topics include:

• Peanut variety and quality evaluation for assessment and release of new peanut cultivars for the Virginia-Carolina production region.
• Comparisons between experimental varieties and commercial cultivars to determine which markets and products an experimental variety may perform best in.
• Comparisons between commercial cultivars to determine which cultivars are best suited across a wide range of environmental conditions in the Virginia-Carolina region to maximize yield and value of peanuts that are grown.

The primary extension goal is to maintain agricultural profitability through selection and use of the highest yielding and water-use efficient varieties of peanut and sorghum. Another emphasis of this program is to help growers understand peanut maturity and optimum harvest time throughout the Virginia peanut growing area. This program helps growers to determine each year the time and order of harvesting their peanut fields for reduced yield loss to pod broken off.