Productivity and marketing enhancement for peanut in Papua New Guinea and Australia

• Ramu Agri-Industries Ltd, Papua New Guinea
• National Agricultural Research Institute, Papua New Guinea
• Trukai Industries, Papua New Guinea
• Department of Agriculture and Livestock, Papua New Guinea

As a part of the ACIAR project on "Improving Yield and Economic Viability of Peanut Production in PNG and Australia; (ASEM 2001/55)", the critical role of peanuts in PNG farming systems was documented and high yielding peanut germplasm lines from ICRISAT were introduced and evaluated in multi-location trials in PNG. These trials resulted in identification of promising varieties with potential to yield 50-100% greater than the local varieties. The next logical step is to transfer the new varietal and associated management technologies to small holders and also to enhance the markets for, and marketability of, new peanut varieties in PNG.

The Australian peanut industry has highlighted a need to assess the potential for new markets for new peanut varieties and their products (i.e. especially high-oleic acid peanut oil which is comparable to sunflower oil). In Australia, spatial variability for yield and quality on broad acre farms is one of the major constraints to improving yield and profitability of commercial varieties. Recent work at DPI&F indicated that Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) captured from aerial and satellite platforms can be effectively used to identify and monitor spatial variability (for disease, crop growth and maturity and aflatoxin risk) in peanut crops and to implement novel in-season management and harvesting strategies. NARI and Ramu Sugar are keen to apply this technology. In PNG, the application is more likely to be in terms of monitoring peanut crops (and other cropping systems), rather than intensive real time management, as is intended for Australia.

The objectives of the project are to:
Ensure multiplication and supply of seeds of new high yielding peanut varieties to smallholders in Morobe and Eastern Highland Provinces of PNG.
Demonstrate and monitor improved productivity of peanut using varietal, management, modelling technologies and farmer-participatory research approach in PNG
Develop and apply aerial NIR remote sensing technology to monitor spatial variability and improve productivity of peanut in Australia and investigate the scope for applying the NIR technology to monitor peanut cropping systems in PNG.
Assess the potential of and feasibility to enhance marketability of new peanut varieties and products in PNG and Australia.

Multiplication of up to 15 of the most promising varieties identified in the precursor project will be undertaken at Ramu Sugar to achieve up to 2 tons of pods per variety. These varieties will be simultaneously evaluated and distributed via a farmer participatory 'seed village' concept. Associated new management practices will also be evaluated. Satellite imagery will be used to quantify areas under peanut cropping in PNG and while in Australia imagery research will focus on improving the real time management of peanut crops. The scope for improved peanut marketing as well as downstream processing will be assessed in PNG, while the marketing studies in Australia will focus on the demand for various peanut oil quality characteristics embodied in recently developed varieties in light of human health and nutritional trends.