Insight Focus
More research is being conducted into peanut varieties. Production in Brazil has surged, driving demand for cultivars that deliver higher yields and resilience. Embrapa has responded with new high-oleic varieties that boost productivity and meet market needs.
New Peanut Varieties Achieve 25% Higher Yields
In the coming months, two new peanut cultivars developed by Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) should reach the market, both with a productivity of around 5,000 kg/hectare (ha) — 25% higher than the national average.
Source: Conab
One of the main objectives is to help Brazilian farmers increase their participation in the global peanut market — bringing export demand, jobs and income to the country.
In recent years, production has been growing visibly. This harvest is expected to reach 1.15 million tonnes, 58% more than last season. The increase in production has boosted exports — in the last 10 years, foreign sales have grown by 135%, according to Comex.
* Between January and October 2025.
Source: Comex
However, it’s not just harvest yield that researchers are focusing on. Scientists also have the mission of developing varieties with characteristics such as higher oleic acid content, an important differentiating factor.
The natural antioxidants in the oil help preserve food, maintaining the flavour and texture of peanut-based products — such as peanut butter and even peanut oil — for longer, something that is increasingly valued in the international market.
Peanut processing
“There is a close relationship between farmers and researchers. We are meeting a market demand by investing in varieties that can provide more competitiveness to peanut producers,” said Taís de Moraes Falleiro Suassuna, an Embrapa researcher, in an interview with CZ App.
Taís de Moraes Falleiro Suassuna, from Embrapa
Why has research into new peanut varieties gained momentum in recent years?
Embrapa actually started working with peanuts between the 1990s and the early 2000s, but at that time the most cultivated variety was Tatu, with smaller, rounded grains — and lower yield. Later, we realised that farmers were migrating to the Runner type of peanut, with greater production potential and more homogeneous grains.
We then began developing research with this type of peanut, also thinking about future demand in the Midwest — and, in fact, production in the region has grown significantly. We started studies with the Runner peanut in 2003 and, in 2017, we registered three new cultivars with high oleic content. Research takes years to complete.
Source: Conab
Why is it important for peanuts to have a high oleic content?
Companies that develop peanut cultivars in Brazil, including Embrapa, have started investing in varieties with higher oil content to meet growing market demand.
In older cultivars, oil content was around 50%, while current varieties achieve more than 75%, which contributes to greater stability and preservation of the oil present in peanuts.
Peanut plantation
As a result, peanut-derived products — from roasted peanuts to oil — retain their characteristics for longer, as oxidation occurs much more slowly. This greater durability extends shelf life and represents a significant competitive advantage for the entire production chain.
One of the two upcoming varieties is designed for sugarcane field renewal in São Paulo, right?
Yes. It’s the BRS 429 OL variety, which originated from a seed selection made in São Paulo. It has a shorter cycle, from 125 to 130 days. Therefore, the producer can free up the peanut area within the ideal window for sugarcane cultivation.
Variety 429, more resistant to pests, courtesy of Embrapa
Another important point is that the seed selection was carried out during an infestation of the insect pest Frankliniella schultzei, also known as thrips, which causes damage to peanut crops. The goal was to develop a variety that was also more resistant to this pest, and this result was achieved.
Thrips pest insect
It is important to emphasise that we have several partnerships with rural producers, cooperatives, and companies in the sector. It was based on a request from our partners that we conducted this research.
It is also worth remembering that the main characteristic of Embrapa’s programs is the yield of the cultivars developed. Therefore, the peanut varieties we have created have an average yield of 5,000 kilos — a result superior to the average of Brazilian crops.
What are the characteristics of the BRS 400 variety, also developed by Embrapa?
The selection of seeds for this new variety was carried out in Mato Grosso at the request of our partners. Many farmers in the region grow peanuts in rotation with soybeans, corn, sorghum and cotton. We developed a short-cycle variety, like BRS 429, precisely to suit this rotation system.
Producers in the Midwest have been seeking to diversify their crops, investing in crops such as peanuts. Peanut cultivation has been growing significantly in Brazil, and Mato Grosso has favourable climatic conditions, with a regular rainfall regime.
Source: Conab
But tolerance to problems caused by the insect Frankliniella schultzei is greater in the 429 variety, which originated in São Paulo. This insect transmits viruses to plants, infecting plant cells and leading to reduced crop yield.
In recent years, the climate has not allowed sowing in October due to issues such as above-average temperatures, low soil moisture and poorly distributed rainfall. Planting has been starting later, in November, when there is more consistent rainfall. As a result, the plant becomes more vulnerable to thrips infestation, since the insect is more common in the summer.
Incidentally, we are investing in research in this area, and, in the future, we may have cultivars with greater tolerance to viruses transmitted by Frankliniella schultzei.
