The Peanut Research Foundation is the research arm of the American Peanut Council. The foundation directs and supports peanut research on behalf of all segments of the peanut industry to create a safer product, improve quality and reduce costs of production and processing. Our research strives to satisfy the demands of consumers while enhancing the commercial viability of the peanut industry.
The Peanut Research Foundation has funded various aspects of production and processing research but for the last decade has primarily focused on the Peanut Genomics Initiative (PGI), which has completed the mapping of the peanut genome and identified markers for disease resistance, drought tolerance, aflatoxin resistance and other desirable traits to assist in the expedited breeding of new peanut varieties.
Key areas of research include:
Sustainability
The Peanut Research Foundation is dedicated to sustainable farming practices. Five primary areas are being targeted for improving sustainability among our peanut farmers: water-use efficiency, soil management, energy use, land use and environmental/carbon footprint. The four key areas that can be improved with the genetics work of the PGI that directly impacts sustainability, include:
- Reducing pesticide use
- Developing methods for reduction of water usage
- Building value by reducing damage from diseases, insects and aflatoxin
- Reducing energy inputs
Peanut Production
- Reducing costs of production
- Positively impacting sustainability metrics
- Improving peanut yields, grades and quality
- Mitigating aflatoxin contamination through peanut genetics
For more information, please visit our Peanut Research Foundation website.
