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Lesson
05 of 15

🌾 Groundnut Production Technology

Complete production guide for groundnut covering geocarpy, varieties, Rhizobium inoculation, gypsum use, IPM for tikka disease and rosette, and aflatoxin management.

This lesson covers practical groundnut production with field-ready guidance on sowing, nutrition, pegging support, crop protection, and quality-safe post-harvest steps.

Importance of Groundnut

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) is the most important oilseed crop of India, contributing significantly to edible oil production and rural livelihoods. It is also called "peanut", "monkey nut", or "earthnut". Key facts:

  • Oil content: 46–50% (kernel)
  • Protein content: 25–28% (high-quality plant protein)
  • India ranks as the 4th largest producer globally with production of approximately 6.8 MT (2022–23)
  • Gujarat is the top-producing state followed by Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu
  • Groundnut is also an important export commodity — both as raw groundnut and value-added products

Botanical Classification

  • Scientific name: Arachis hypogaea L.
  • Family: Leguminosae (Fabaceae)
  • Chromosome number: 2n = 40 (allotetraploid)
  • Unique feature: Geocarpy — flowers are borne above ground, but after fertilisation the fertilised ovary (peg) grows downward (geotropism) into the soil where the pod develops underground
  • Pollination: Self-pollinated (cleistogamous)

Botanical Types

Type Sub-type Branching Seeding Distribution
Virginia Bunch, Spreading Alternate Bold seed USA, South India
Spanish Bunch Sequential Small seed India (70% area)
Valencia Bunch Sequential 3–4 seeds/pod Limited
Runner Spreading Alternate Uniform medium USA

In India, Spanish-type bunch varieties dominate (~70% of area) due to their early maturity and suitability for Kharif cultivation.

Climate Requirements

  • Temperature: 25–30°C optimum; warm soil essential for pegging (pod formation)
  • Rainfall: 500–1250 mm; uniform distribution during vegetative and pegging phases
  • Dry weather at maturity: Critical — excess moisture at pod maturity causes aflatoxin contamination and pod rot
  • Frost-sensitive: Cannot withstand frost at any growth stage
  • Long days (>13 hours) delay maturity; suited to tropical latitudes

Soil Requirements

  • Soil type: Well-drained sandy loam to light-textured soils — essential for peg penetration and pod development
  • Heavy clay soils impede geocarpy (pod formation underground) and make harvesting difficult
  • pH: 6.0–6.5 (slightly acidic)
  • Calcium (Ca): Adequate calcium in the pod zone is critical for seed fill — deficiency causes "pops" (empty pods) and unfilled kernels
  • Boron: Required for peg development

Varieties

Early-Maturing Varieties

  • TAG-24: Developed at RARS, Tirupati; 105 days; bunch type; recommended for Kharif
  • TG-37A: RARS, Junagadh; 100 days; bunch type; used in Gujarat
  • JL-24: Most popular in Maharashtra; 110 days; Spanish type; high yield under rainfed conditions
  • GG-20: Gujarat; improved Spanish type

Disease-Resistant Varieties

  • ICGV 91114: ICRISAT; resistant to rust (Puccinia arachidis)
  • K-9 (ICGV-86031): Tolerant to late leaf spot (LLS) (Phaeoisariopsis personata)
  • ICGV 03043: High oleic acid (>70% oleic); extended shelf life

New Releases

  • ICGV 15083: ICRISAT; high-yielding; suitable for multiple states
  • Dhanashakti: Biofortified high-iron groundnut

Seed Rate

  • Bold-seeded (Virginia type): 100 kg/ha
  • Spanish type (small seed): 80–90 kg/ha
  • Shells removed before sowing; dehulling done manually or mechanically
  • Broken seeds should not be sown (reduce germination; disease entry points)

Seed Treatment

  1. Fungicide: Thiram 2g + Carbendazim 1g per kg seed (protects against seed rot and seedling blight)
  2. Rhizobium inoculant: Strain NC-92 (Bradyrhizobium sp.); coat seed after fungicide treatment with jaggery slurry as adhesive
  3. PSB (Phosphate Solubilising Bacteria): Improves P availability
  • Note: Apply biofertilizer as last treatment, after fungicide; do not mix fungicide directly with Rhizobium

Sowing

  • Season: June–July (Kharif onset with monsoon)
  • Spacing:
    • Bunch (Spanish) type: 30×10 cm
    • Virginia (spreading) type: 45×15 cm
  • Depth: 5–6 cm; ensure good soil moisture at sowing for uniform germination
  • Mechanized sowing: Groundnut planters available for large-scale sowing

Nutrient Management

  • Recommended NPK: 20:60:40 kg/ha
  • Groundnut is a legume — Rhizobium inoculation fixes 100–150 kg N/ha; additional N rarely needed
  • Starter N (20 kg/ha basal) may be applied in virgin soils where Rhizobium population is low
  • Gypsum (CaSO₄): 500 kg/ha applied at pegging stage (30–35 DAS) — supplies calcium directly in pod zone; critical for full pod development and preventing "pops"
  • Sulphur: Gypsum also supplies sulphur (17% S), improving oil quality

Water Management

  • 4–5 irrigations required in kharif season deficit conditions
  • Critical growth stages:
    • Germination (pre-sowing moisture essential)
    • Pegging stage (30–35 DAS) — most critical for pod set
    • Pod development (60–80 DAS) — determines yield
    • Seed filling (80–100 DAS)
  • Avoid flooding — groundnut is highly susceptible to waterlogging (stem rot, collar rot)

Earthing Up

  • Earthing up at approximately 30 DAS with bullock-drawn or tractor-drawn cultivator
  • Pulls soil towards the base of the plant
  • Benefits: Improves pegging (pegs can penetrate soil more easily); better pod formation; reduces lodging; maintains soil moisture around pod zone

Weed Management

  • Critical period: First 30–40 DAS
  • Pendimethalin 1.0 kg ai/ha as pre-emergence herbicide
  • 2 hand weedings at 20 and 40 DAS
  • Avoid deep cultivation near pegging zone — disturbs pegs and pods

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Major Pests

  • Spodoptera litura (Tobacco Caterpillar): Major defoliator; early-stage gregarious larvae; NPV (nuclear polyhedrosis virus) highly effective; Chlorpyrifos 20EC
  • Thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis): Early-season sucking; vector of bud necrosis disease; imidacloprid seed treatment
  • Jassids and Aphids: Sucking pests; vector of rosette virus
  • Leaf miner (Aproaerema modicella): Mines leaf lamina; Quinalphos spray

Major Diseases

Disease Pathogen Management
Early leaf spot (tikka) Cercospora arachidicola Mancozeb 0.2%; resistant varieties
Late leaf spot Phaeoisariopsis personata Mancozeb or Chlorothalonil; ICGV-86031
Rust Puccinia arachidis Mancozeb; ICGV-91114
Collar rot Aspergillus niger Thiram seed treatment; avoid dense sowing
Stem rot Sclerotium rolfsii Carbendazim soil drench; Trichoderma
Groundnut rosette Luteovirus complex (aphid-transmitted) Imidacloprid seed treatment to control aphid vector

Harvesting

  • Duration: 105–125 days (bunch type); 125–140 days (Virginia type)
  • Harvest indicators:
    • Leaves turn yellow
    • Inner pod wall shows dark coloration (mesocarp darkening)
    • Shake test: Loose pods rattle when plant is shaken
    • Kernel fills 75% of pod cavity
  • Methods: Manual pulling (bunch type); mechanical groundnut lifter/digger (spreading type)
  • Pods sun-dried for 3–5 days after lifting before threshing/storage

Aflatoxin Management

Aflatoxin contamination by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus is a critical food safety issue:

  • Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 — potent hepatotoxins and carcinogens
  • Conditions for contamination: Pre-harvest drought stress at pod fill stage; damage from soil insects; high moisture during storage
  • Management:
    • Harvest at proper maturity (avoid over-maturing in field)
    • Dry pods immediately to <8% moisture before storage
    • Avoid mechanical damage during harvesting and shelling
    • Regular inspection and removal of shriveled/discolored seeds
    • Atoxigenic Aflasafe biocontrol strains (ICRISAT)

Yield Potential

  • Bunch (Spanish) type: 2–3 t/ha pod yield
  • Virginia type (irrigated): 2.5–3.5 t/ha pod yield
  • Oil extraction: 40–45% of kernel weight

Groundnut Varieties — Summary Table

Variety Type State Recommended Yield (t/ha) Special Feature
TAG-24 Bunch/Early AP, Telangana 2.5–3.0 105 days, Kharif adapted
JL-24 Spanish Bunch Maharashtra 2.0–2.5 Most popular in Maharashtra
GG-20 Spanish Bunch Gujarat 2.5–3.0 High-yielding, Gujarat bred
ICGV 91114 Virginia Bunch Pan-India 2.5–3.0 Rust resistant
ICGV-86031 (K-9) Virginia South India 2.5–3.0 Late leaf spot tolerant
ICGV 03043 Virginia South India 2.5–3.0 High oleic (>70%), long shelf life

Summary Cheat Sheet

Area Key Exam Point
Unique trait Geocarpy: pod development occurs underground
Critical input Gypsum and Rhizobium support pod filling and nodulation
Protection focus Tikka, rust, and aflatoxin risk management are essential

References

2 sources • [1] [2]

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