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Groundnut Is A Herbaceous Annual With Amore Or Less Upright Central Stem With Numerous Branches That Vary From Prostrate To Almost Erect Depending Upon The Variety. It Has A Taproot; Stem Is Cylindrical, Hairy And Become More Or Less Angular With Age. The Leaves Of Groundnut Are Pinnate With Two Pairs Of Leaflets Borne On A Cylindrical And Grooved Petiole. The Flowers Are Yellow, Complete, Papilonate And Sessile. Usually Flowering Takes Place Between 24-30 Days After Sowing, Which Is Little Earlier In Bunch Type Than Spreading. The Flowers Open Between 6-8 Am And Fertilization Is Completed Before Mid Day. The Gynophore Is Commonly Referred To As Peg. The Peg Carrying The Ovary Pushes Itself Into The Soil. It Is Only After Entering The Soil That Ovary Begins To Develop And Takes Up Horizontal Position. At The Same Time, The Pod Begins To Enlarge. The Fruit Is A Indehiscent Pod Containing 1-5 Seeds. The Shall Of The Pod Which Contains The Seed Is Morphologically The Pericarp And The Thin Skin That Covers The Seed Or Nut Is The Test. The Nut Is Composed Of 2 Cotyledons, Which Contain Oil And Other Food Materials |
Area And Distribution | ||
· World Production Of Groundnut Reached A Record Of About 21 Million Tonnes. The Most Important Groundnut Producing Countries In The World Are India, China, USA, West Africa, Sudan, And Nigeria Etc. India Ranks First In The World In Area (8.5 Million Hectares Contributes About 40 % Of The Total World’s Area) And Production (8.4 Million Tonnes Contributes About 33 % Of The Total World’s Production). The Average Productivity Of India Is Only About 988 Kg/Ha As Against 2995 Kg/Ha In USA, 2688 Kg/Ha In China, 1379 Kg/Ha In Brazil, 1360 Kg/Ha In Indonesia And 1145 Kg/Ha In Nigeria. | ||
· Area And Distribution World Production Of Groundnut Reached A Record Of About 21 Million Tonnes. The Most Important Groundnut Producing Countries In The World Are India, China, USA, West Africa, Sudan, And Nigeria Etc. India Ranks First In The World In Area (8.5 Million Hectares Contributes About 40 % Of The Total World’s Area) And Production (8.4 Million Tonnes Contributes About 33 % Of The Total World’s Production). The Average Productivity Of India Is Only About 988 Kg/Ha As Against 2995 Kg/Ha In USA, 2688 Kg/Ha In China, 1379 Kg/Ha In Brazil, 1360 Kg/Ha In Indonesia And 1145 Kg/Ha In Nigeria. | ||
Area | Production | Productivity |
Gujarat | Gujarat | Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh | Tamil Nadu | Gujarat |
Karnataka | ANDHRA PRADESH | Punjab |
Maharashtra | Karnataka | ANDHRA PRADESH |
Tamil Nadu | Maharashtra | Uttar Pradesh |
Commercial Classification Of Groundnut | |||||
· Coromandal Type: It Bears Smaller Pods, With Thin Husk, Oval Shape Smaller Seeds. | |||||
· Big Japan Or Bombay Bold Type: The Pods And Seeds Of This Type Are Bigger Than Coromandal Type. | |||||
Main And Laterals | Erect | Bunch | Spreading | Semi Spreading | Trailing |
Main Axis | Short And Erect | Long And Erect | Very Short And Erect | Intermediate Between Bunch And Spreading | Medium Length And Erect |
Laterals | Erect,Slightlyoblique Tomain Axisbut Almostparallel To It. | Obliqueto Mainaxis | Spreadhorizontallyalong The Groundusually An Inchabove Groundexcept The Tips. | Prostrate Up To Afew Internodesand Then Beginto Ascend In Abow Shapedpattern. | Trail Alongthe Groundthey Are Flaton Theground Up Tothe Extremetip. |
Climatic Requirement |
· Groundnut Is A Tropical Plant Requires A Long And Warm Growing Season. It Grows Well In Areas Receiving 50 To 125 Cm Of Well-Distributed Rainfall During Growing Season, Abundance Of Sunshine And Relatively Warm Temperature. Soil Temperature Is An Important Factor And Its Effects Are Critical On Seed Germination, Emergence Of Seedlings, Early Plant Growth, Rate Of Flowering, And Pod Development. When Soil Temperature Goes Below 19 ºc, Emergence Of Seedlings Is Low. The Optimum Temperature For Vegetative Growth Of Groundnut Is Ranging In Between 26 To 30 ºc Depending On The Cultivar. Reproduction Growth Is Maximum At 24-27 ºc. The Maximum Rate Of Growth Of Pods Between 30 To 34ºc As It Requires About A Month Of Warm And Dry Weather. Light Influences Both Photosynthesis And Respiration In Groundnut. The Opening Of Flowers And Number Of Flowers Both Depend On Light. |
In India, Groundnut Is Generally Sown In Four Seasons · Kharif: About 85 % Of The Total Groundnut In India Is Sown In The Kharif Season Under Rainfed Conditions. · Rabi: Groundnut Is Grown In Rabi Season On A Limited Area Where Winter Is Not Severe And Night Temperature Do Not Go Below 15 ºc. This Crop Is Usually Cultivated In Rice Fallow Field And Utilizes The Residual Moisture After Harvest Of Rice Or With Minimal Irrigation (5-9). Rabi Groundnut Is Raised On Coastal Regions, River Deltas Of Krishna, Godavari And Kaveri And Other Irrigated Areas In Part Of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh And Karnataka. · Summer: Summer Cultivation Of Groundnut Is Mainly Taken In The States Of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka Gujarat And Maharashtra States (9-12 Irrigations). · Spring: Spring Cultivation Of Groundnut Is Taken In The States Of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab And West Bengal Etc. (March To May) |
Soil |
Groundnut Does Well In The Well Drained, Light Textured, Loose, Friable And Sandy And Sandy Loam Soils Which Helps In Easy Penetration Of Pegs And Their Development And Also Harvesting. Clay Or Heavy Soils Are Not Suitable For This Crop As They Interfere In Penetration Of Pegs And Make Harvesting Quite Difficult. Groundnut Is Sensitive To Soil Salinity. It Gives Good Yields In The Soil Having The Ph Between 6.0 To 7.5, Well Supplies With Calcium And A Moderate Amount Of Organic Matter. |
Seeds And Sowing |
Bold And Filled Pods Should Be Selected And Shelled By Using Either Hand Or Power Operated Decorticator Just Before Sowing. Form The Shelled Seeds, Small, Shriveled, Damaged And Broken Seeds Should Be Removed And Only Bold Ones Should Be Used For Sowing. |
Seed Treatment |
· For Control Of Seed Borne Diseases, Treatment Of Groundnut Seeds With Thiram (3 G/Kg Of Seeds), Mancozeb (3 G/Kg Of Seeds) Or Carbendazim (2 G/Kg Of Seeds) Is Recommended. Thereafter, Seeds Should Be Inoculated With Proper Strain Of Rhizobium Culture Particularly In Those Fields Where Groundnut Is To Be Grown First Time. Seed Are Treated With Quinalphos 25 EC @ 25 Ml Or Chlorphyriphos 20 EC @ 25 Ml/Kg Of Kernels For Control Of White Grubs. To Break The Seed Dormancy Of Spreading Type Varieties, Give The Seed Treatment Of Etharel. |
· Some Times Rodents And Crows Are Noticed To Take Away The Seed From The Field; Therefore, Use Of Repellent Like Pinetar And Kerosene For Seed Treatment Are Recommended To Keep The Intruders Away But The Care Should Be Taken To Avoid Any Injury To The Kernels. |
Sowing |
Usually Groundnut Sowing Is Undertaken With The Onset Of Monsoon. But Where Irrigation Facilities Are Available, Pre-Monsoon Sowing Should Be Done In The Last Week Of May Or In The First Week Of June With Pre-Sowing Irrigation, Which Increased The Yield By 46 % In Gujarat And In Punjab, Shifting Of Sowing Date From Normal Time Of First Week Of July To 20th June Increase The Pod Yield Of About 19 %. Early Sowing Helps In Best Utilization Of Monsoon By The Crop Because Germination Of All Seeds Will Take Place Before Rains Start And The Field Is Also Vacated In Time For The Sowing Of The Winter (Rabi) Crop. Rabi Crop Is Sown From September To December Depending Upon Vacate Of The Rice Fields. The Summer Crop Is Sown In The Last Week Of January (Second Fortnight Of December To First Week Of February Depending Upon The Temperature Prevails In The Regions) To First Week Of February. The Spring Crop Is Sown From The Second Fortnight Of February To First Week Of March After Harvest Of Toria And Potato Crops. |
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Sowing Method |
· Seeds Should Be Sown About 5 Cm Deep With The Help Of Country Seed Drill Or They Are Sown Behind The Country Plough. Dibbling Of Seeds By Keeping 60 Cm Distance In Row To Row And 10 Cm Distance In Plant To Plant For Spreading Type And 45 Cm X 10 Cm In Bunch Type Helps In Saving The Seed Requirement And Also Increased The Yield As The Sufficient Space Is Provided Around The Plant For Its Better Growth And Development. |
· Groundnut Is Generally Sown In Flat Beds With 30 Cm X 10 Cm Spacing. In Saurashtra Region Of Gujarat, Set Furrow System Of Groundnut Cultivation Is Still Practice By The Farmers. In Set Furrow System, Farmers Use Same Furrows (90 Cm) Year After Year For Groundnut Cultivation. |
· In Cross Method Of Sowing, Total Seed Lot Is Divided In To Two Parts, First Half Of The Seed Lot Is Sown In One Direction By Adopting Recommended Row To Row Spacing And Second Half Lot Is Used For Perpendicular Sowing Just To First Direction By Adopting Same Row Spacing. This Method Of Sowing Helps In Maintaining Optimum Plant Population And Found Advantageous Where Groundnut Cultivation Is Succeeds By Rice Cultivation. |
Selection Of Seeds |
Quality Of Seeds Is Of Prime Importance For Establishing The Optimum Plant Stand. Pods For Seed Purposes Should Be Stored Unshelled In A Cool, Dry And Well-Ventilated Place. For Seed Purposes, Pods Should Be Shelled By Hand 1 Week Before Sowing Time. Hand Shelling Insures Little Damage To Seeds. Pods Shelled Long Before Sowing Time Are Liable To Suffer From Loss Of Viability And Storage Damages. Discard Shriveled, Small And Diseases Kernels. Only Bold Seeds Should Be Used For Sowing To Get Good Stand. |
Seed Rate |
Seed Rate Is Always Depends On The Spacing, Type Of Seeds And Germination Percentage. Use Of Optimum Seed Rate Is The Key Factor For Maintaining Recommended Plant Population |
Manures And Fertilizers | |||
Manures: 25 CL Well Decomposed FYM Or Compost/Ha | |||
Fertilizers | |||
N Kg/Ha | P2O5 Kg/Ha | K2O Kg/Ha | Stage Of Application |
12.25 | 25 | 0 | As Basal Application |
· The Pod Formation And Development Of Groundnut Is Greatly Influenced By Fertilizer Application. Lime Application Accuses Better Nodulation. | |||
· The Entire Quantity Of Phosphorus Should Be Applied About 4-5 Cm In The Side Of The Seed And 4-5 Cm Below The Seed Level Before Sowing. N May Be Applied Preferably In The Form Of Ammonium Sulphate As It Contains Sulphur, Which Is Directly Involved In Biosynthesis Of Oil. Phosphorus Fertilizer Is Very Much Important As It Promotes Root Growth And Development Of Rhizobium And Helps The Crop To Tide Over Moisture Stress. Single Super Phosphate Is The Best Source Of Phosphorus As It Contains 16 % Phosphorus Besides 19.5 % Calcium And 12.5 % Sulphur. Gypsum Is The Cheapest Source Of Calcium (24 %) And Sulphur (18.6 %). Well Powdered Gypsum May Be Applied To The Crop @ 500 Kg/Ha When It Is In Peak Flowering Stage On The Soil Surface As Close To The Base Of The Plant As Possible Because Calcium Is Picked Up By The Peg And The Developing Pod. Calcium Too Has Pronounced Effect On Proper Development Of Pods And Kernels. Groundnut Being A Legume And Oilseed Crop Has Greater Requirement For Sulphur And Phosphorus. P Is A Constituent Of Enzymes, Phospholipids And Protein, While S Is A Constituent Of S Containing Amino Acids And Helps In Fatty Acid Synthesis. Calcium Is Another Important Mineral For Groundnut Production. Groundnut Has Unique Characteristics Of Absorbing About 75 % Of S And Ca Through Gynophores And Developing Pods. | |||
· Due To Ever Increasing Cost Of Chemical Fertilizers, Greater Emphasis Has Been Given On The Use Alternate And Renewable Source Of Fertilizers. Rhizobium Inoculation Is Found Beneficial In The Areas Where Groundnut Is Introduced First Time. It Has Been Reported That 15-30 % And 15-50 % Yields Can Be Increased In Summer And Kharif Cultivation Of Groundnut By Inoculating The Seeds. | |||
Harvesting |
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· The Prominent Symptoms Of Maturity Are Yellowing Of Foliage, Spotting Of Leaves And Dropping Of Old Leaves. The Pod Is Mature When It Becomes Hard And Tough And When There Is Dark Tint On The Inner Side Of The Cells. Harvesting Before Maturity Lowers The Yield Due To Shrinkage Of Seeds When They Dried.. Delaying In Harvesting Germinate The Seeds In The Filed It Self Due To Dormancy In Bunch Type Of Varieties. In Spreading Varieties, More Pods Remains In Soil Due To Broken Of Roots, Which Reduce Yield And Increase Labour Cost For Picking Up The Pods From The Soil. |
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· In Case Of Bunch Type Of Groundnut, The Plants Are Harvested By Pulling. Harvesting Of Spreading Type Of Groundnut Is Done By Local Plough Or With The Help Of Blade Harrow. Leave The Harvested Crop In Small Heaps For Two To Three Days For Curing And Drying. After Drying, Collect The Crop At One Place And Detach The Pods Either By Hand Or By Using Pucker Or Thresher For Separating The Pods From The Plants. The Dried Fodder, Which Is Also Known As Haulm, Is Used In Cattle Feed. |