The following link includes data from our disease and digging date trial in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Results vary from year to year. The trial includes: 1) non-treated control, 2) full-season fungicide program, 3) three-spray program, and 4) three-spray program with a "rescue" fungicide spray when peanuts were close to optimum maturity and some leaves had lesions caused by leaf spot disease. I'm amazed at how well yields remained high for a month after peanuts reached optimum maturity. As long as a fungicide was applied (programs 2-4), enough leaves remained on the plant to prevent signficant pod shed and subsequent yield loss. At this location, it was quite dry throughout the fall, and I suspect there would be a different result if digging were delayed and it was a wet fall.
Our objective is to document the "downside" of waiting until peanuts reach optimum maturity, but then having delays in digging after that (logistics, weather, etc.) So far, for the three years, we have three different stories. Jack Bailey, our plant pathologist from a few decades ago, would indeed have stories to tell from these data (Jack once reminded me, that as Extension specialists, we are just here to tell a story.)
This trial was supported financially by the North Carolina Peanut Growers Association.