Testa color in the cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important genetic characteristic. Presently, three genes (R₁, R₂, and R₃) are known to be involved in the expression of red testa color. Reciprocal crosses between the dominant (R₁ R₁) Tennessee Red and recessive (r₂ r₂) Makulu Red cultivars and test crosses between Makulu Red and two recessive red genotypes (r₃ r₃) were made to determine the interaction among these three loci. The F₁, F₂, and F₃ results suggest that the red testa color of Tennessee Red differs from that of Makulu Red by two loci and that Makulu Red does not differ from the other recessive red genotypes. Also, the R₁ gene appears to be inherited independently from at least one of the recessive alleles controlling red peanut testa color.