Ground nut
Scientific Name: Arachis hypogea
Family: Leguminaceae
Chromosome Number: 2n = 20
Introduction
• Primarily used in manufacturing of vegetable oil (vanaspati ghee).
• Contains about 45% oil and 26% protein. Grounded kernel as a whole is highly digestible.
• Biological value of groundnut protein is among the highest of vegetable protein.
• Good source of all B vitamins except B12. Rich source of thiamin, riboflavin, nicotinic acid and vitamin E. The lack in vitamin A.
Origin
• Species of genus Arachis are native of South America.
• Krapovickas (1969) postulated that the cultivated groundnut, Arachis hypogea is believed to have originated in Northern Argentina and South Bolivia and the centre of diversity of genus Arachis to be the Mato Grasso, Brazil in which majority of the species are found.
Area and distribution
• Groundnut is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate region between 400 N and 400 S latitudes.
• Production is largely confined to Asian and African countries.
• Asia accounts for about 50% of area and 60% of world production with the largest share of India (> 20%). China accounts for highest share in total production of of groundnut in the world.
• In India, groundnut is cultivated largely in kharif season under rainfed condition with low input use and high pressure of insect pests and diseases, hence, the productivity is low.
• Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamilnadu account for about 90% of total area of the country.
Botanical description
All the cultivated groundnuts has been divided into two groups.
1. The erect or bunch types
2. The trailing or spreading types
• Groundnut in general, has a short statured plant with the main axis being upright (15 to 40 cm long) but the major plant of plant consists of primary branches.
• The leaves are alternate, stipulate and Quadri foliate.
• The flowers are Orange yellow, with a long calyx tube.
• They are bisexual, zygomorphic, complete and sessile.
• Petals are five, with one large standard, two wings and two fused keel petals.
There are two steering and eight fertile anthers, four of which are globose and four oblonge (dimorphic).
• Groundnut is predominantly a self pollinated crop. As soon as the fertilization is complete, the for flowers fade.
Ecological requirements
Climate requirement
• Warm and moist condition
• Cool and wet climate delay the germination and seedling emergence and thus enhance the risk of seed rot and seedling diseases.
• Optimum temperature of 25 to 35°C is required for good germination, flowering and pod formation.
Soil
• Well drained Sandy and sandy loam soil.
• Clay or heavy soil are not suitable for this crop, as they interfere in penetration of pegs and make harvesting quite difficult.
• pH between 6.0 to 6.5.
Field preparation
• Deep ploughing should be avoided because of its underground pod forming habit which makes harvesting difficult.
• One plogging with soil turning plough followed by two harrowings should be sufficient to achieve a good surfers tilt up to 12 to 18 cm.
• One or two summer cultivation will minimise weeds and insect pests to great extent.
Varieties
Gujrat- Ah.32, Junagadh-II, GAUG-1, GAUG-2, Punjab-I, Ah.334, TMV-2, TMV-3, TMV-4, TMV-6, TMV-7, TMV-8, TMV-9, TMV-10.
Karnataka- S-206, S-230
Maharashtra- AK.12-24, Kopergaon-3, Kopergaon-1,
Madhya Pradesh- KG-61-240, Gangapuri
Punjab- Punjab-I, C-501.
Seed and Sowing
• Treat selected kerbals with 5g Thiram or Captan pet kg of kernels.
• Inoculated with proper strain of rhizobium culture.
Time of sowing:
• First week of June or in 1st week of July.
• In South, where groundnut is shown in Rabi season, it should be sown in month of November and December.
Spacing
Row to row distance: 30 to 40 cm in bunch type
45 to 60 cm in spreading type.
Plant to plant distance is 15 and 20 CM for bunch and spreading type respectively.
• Sowing should be done about 5 cm deep with the help of seed planter or dibbler.
Seed rate: 80- 100 kg of seeds per hectare for bunch type and 60 to 80 kg for spreading type.
Manures and Fertilizers
• 20 to 40 kg nitrogen per hectare as a starter dose.
• If FYM or compost is available, 10 to 15 tonnes may be added per hectare- 15 to 20 days before sowing.
• Apply 50 to 60 kg P2O5 and 30 to 40 kg K2O per hectare.
• Fertilizer should be placed at time of sowing about 45 CM in the side of the seed and 45cm below the seed level.
• For calcium, apply gypsum at the rate 125 kg per hectare
Water management
• Being a rainy season crop, groundnut does not require irrigation. However, if dry spell occurs, irrigation may become necessary.
• One irrigation at pod development stage.
• Field should be well drained.
• In south, where groundnut is grown in Rabi season, 3 to 4 irrigations are necessary.
Weed control and earthing