Dr Yash Chauhan1, Dr Drew Portman2, Mr Peter DeVoil3, Dr Graeme Wright4, Dr Surya Bhattarai4
1Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Kingaroy, Australia, 2CQ University, Kawana, Australia, 33 Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, Gatton Campus, Australia, 4Bega Peanuts, Kingaroy, Australia
Biography:
Dr. Yash Chauhan is a principal research scientist who has dedicated more than 20 years to working for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. His research primarily focuses on grain legumes and peanuts. He is recognized for his contribution to identifying the correlation between soil water, photoperiod, and temperature on phenological development. He has developed an equation that effectively captures this interaction for winter pulses. Dr. Yash Chauhan has authored over 100 well-cited journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers.
Abstract:
Peanuts are a popular crop grown for their nutrient-rich nuts-in-shells. The crop plays a crucial role in enhancing the sustainability of farming systems. In addition to the nuts, peanuts produce a substantial amount of above-ground biomass, primarily green foliage, and stems, while the nuts develop underground from about four to six weeks after sowing. Some amount of biomass can be harvested or grazed without affecting the growth of the developing pods, making it valuable fodder for cattle or forage. In various tropical regions of northern Australia, several experiments supported by the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) have explored the dual potential of peanuts – for both nuts-in-shell production and grazing purposes. Leveraging the data from these experiments, we have refined and validated the APSIM model to simulate the dual-purpose capabilities of peanuts. This updated model enables us to evaluate the effects of foliage removal on regrowth and nut-in-shell yield across diverse and evolving climates more effectively. This presentation aims to delve into the development of the updated model and explore its wide-ranging applications.
Keywords:
Dual-purpose peanuts, nut-in-shell, fodder, regrowth, Arachis hypogaea L., groundnut