Field studies were conducted over a three year period to examine the sensitivity of four peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars (Florunner, Sunrunner, Southern runner, and NC 7) to foliar applications of paraquat (1, 1′-dimethyl-4, 4′-bipyridinium ion). Treatments included an untreated control and four herbicide treatments: paraquat applied alone at 0.14 and 0.28 kg/ha, or tank mixed with alachlor [2-chloro-N-(2, 6-diethylphenyl)-N-(methoxymethyl)acetamide] at 4.40 kg/ha. Weeds were hand-removed so that only herbicidal treatments were variables. Paraquat phytotoxicity did not differ between cultivars. No cultivar evaluated was abnormally sensitive nor tolerant to any paraquat-containing treatment. Laboratory studies utilizing radio labelled paraquat revealed that foliar absorption and translocation of paraquat did not vary between peanut cultivars. Yield differences were attributed to differences in yield potential between cultivars.