Cultivar Spotlight: ‘Georgia-06G’

‘Georgia-06G’ has long been the peanut cultivar by which all others are compared in the southeastern US, a region that is responsible for ~70% of the nation’s peanut production each year.  In 2023, Georgia-06G, was planted on 72.5% of certified peanut acres in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.  In Georgia, where the variety was developed, it was grown on 82.6% of peanut acres in 2023.  Shortly after UGA released Georgia-06G in 2006 by breeder Bill Branch, it rapidly became the dominant peanut cultivar in the US, accounting for about 60% of all US certified peanut acres, and supplanting the previously most popular cultivar, ‘Georgia Green,’ which was also developed by Bill Branch, in just a few years.  Today, it is grown throughout the peanut-growing region of the US. 

An outstanding cultivar that has served all segments of the peanut industry well, Georgia-06G is prized by growers for its wide range of adaptation, high level of resistance to tomato spotted wilt virus, excellent yield stability, high yield potential, and reliable profitability.  Shellers appreciate the high shelling efficiency and low hull percentage, low propensity for splitting during processing, and large percentage of “jumbo” kernels which receive a premium.  Manufacturers commend the excellent roasted flavor, and seed compositional traits, especially for peanut butter applications.  Consumers likely enjoy Georgia-06G on a regular basis in their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or roasted peanut snacks. 

- Nino Brown