Genetics of Peanuts As the nation's top producer of peanuts,
Georgia is closely associated with the crop both economically
and historically. In 2007 peanuts Peanut farmers in Georgia and
elsewhere have turned to the field of genetics to help advance
the peanut industry's profitability through better breeding and
trait selection. In a process known as genetic crossing, or
hybridization, researchers have bred peanut plants that allow
farmers to produce higher-yielding crops with qualities desired
by the public. The Hybridization Process Hybridization is the
combination of deoxyribonucleic acid (commonly known as DNA, the
genetic material of an organism) from two different species of
plants to produce a new generation of plants with a desired
trait, such as increased tolerance to stress or heat. The hybrid
seed will possess traits from both parent plants, creating a
new, distinct breed. Plant hybridizers have determined that the
best environment for producing hybrids is a hot and humid
climate, which makes Georg