Auburn University Peanut Breeding Program Works on Drought-Tolerant Plant

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By Paul Hollis
Auburn University

Researchers in Auburn University’s College of Agriculture are using a $490,000 grant to accelerate efforts to breed a drought-tolerant peanut plant, a development that would be a game changer for the industry.

Peanuts continue to be a staple of the Southeast farm economy, but water limitations have a detrimental effect on yields and producer income. In fact, the American Peanut Council has identified drought — along with aflatoxin contamination — as one of the top two challenges facing the $14 billion U.S. peanut industry.

“Irrigation is a major component of water use in the drought-prone southern United States — a region that is responsible for the bulk of domestic peanut production,” said Charles Chen, a professor of peanut breeding and genetics and head of the College of Agriculture’s peanut breeding program.

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