August 25, 2023 (Alexandria, Va.)—The Peanut Research Foundation (TPRF) today heralded the new TifCB7 peanut variety as a game changer for peanut sustainability and farm profitability. A product of TPRF’s 10-year Peanut Genome Initiative (PGI), TifCB7 is the first variety released as a direct result of the groundbreaking research.
“In ten short years, The Peanut Research Foundation’s peanut genome research has delivered significant science that is already producing real-world results that hold great promise for lower cost of production and improved sustainability,” said TPRF Executive Director Steve Brown. “It is incredible to witness firsthand the role breeding and genetics serve in sustainable peanut production.”
Researchers believe TifCB7 will have a huge impact on peanut sustainability due to its extremely high level of resistance to late leaf spot disease, which should greatly reduce the need for fungicide sprays and decrease trips across the field for growers. In turn, the TifCB7 (a high-oleic runner) yields and grades very well and is expected to improve profitability.
TifCB7 is currently being grown by seed producer and peanut industry leader Donald Chase on his family farm, Chase Farms, in Olgethorpe, Ga. The new variety is a joint release from the Agriculture Department’s Agricultural Research Service and the University of Georgia. Dr. Corley Holbrook (USDA-ARS), Dr. Peggy Ozias-Akins (UGA) and Ye (Juliet) Chu (UGA) were the lead research team overseeing the development of TifCB7, but many talented scientists contributed over several years of research.
During a field day earlier this week, Chase invited the peanut community to his farm for a special viewing of the 15-acre seed increase field. Leaders from all segments of the peanut community, from growers and shellers to manufacturers, came out in anticipation and support of the new variety. TifCB7 will be in seed increase for at least a couple of years before becoming generally available.
“The new TifCB7 peanut variety is the beneficiary of a long and cooperative effort between the research community and The Peanut Research Foundation and we are excited it’s being supported by so many people in the industry,” said Chase. “We look forward to continued advancements in sustainability and disease resistance due to the results of the Peanut Genome Initiative.”
Chase plans to harvest the trial TifCB7 in October.
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