Cultivation of Groundnut

Cultivation of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea), commonly known as peanut, involves several crucial steps. Here’s a detailed guide on groundnut cultivation, including field preparation, sowing, irrigation, pest and disease management, and harvesting:

General Information About Groundnut (Peanut)

• Botanical Name: Arachis hypogaea
• Family: Fabaceae
• Common Names: Groundnut, Peanut, Earthnut, Monkey Nut

Origin

• Groundnut is believed to have originated in Brazil (South America) and was introduced to India by the Portuguese.
• It is grown extensively in tropical and subtropical regions, with India being the leading country in terms of acreage and production. Groundnut is grown in states like Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.

Distibution

World:

• China: Largest producer (40% of global production).
• India: Second-largest (20-25% of global production).
• United States, Nigeria, Indonesia are also significant producers.

India: 

• Gujarat: Largest producer (40-50% of India’s production).
• Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra are also major producers.

Nutritive Value of Groundnut

• Groundnut is a rich source of proteins and fats.
• The seed contains around 45% oil and 26% protein, with the protein quality being similar to casein.
• It is highly digestible and energy-dense, providing 5.8 kcal per gram, higher than other grains and vegetables.

Climate and Soil Requirements

• Climate: Groundnuts thrive in warm climates with temperatures ranging from 25°C to 35°C. They require a frost-free environment and can tolerate drought conditions to some extent.
• Soil: Sandy loam or well-drained, light-textured soils are ideal. Groundnuts grow best in slightly acidic to neutral soils with a pH range of 6.0-7.0.

Economic Importance

• Groundnut is one of the most important oilseeds in India, contributing to edible oil production.
• It is a major cash crop and provides a livelihood for millions of farmers, especially in dryland farming regions.
• Groundnut is also used in food industries for making products like peanut butter, oil, and snacks.

Uses

• Edible: Groundnuts are consumed in raw, roasted, or boiled form. Peanut butter, a popular spread, is made from groundnut paste.
• Oil: Groundnut oil is widely used for cooking and frying due to its high smoke point and nutritional benefits.
• Industrial: Groundnut is used in the production of soap, cosmetics, and other industrial products due to the oil’s versatile properties.

Field Preparation

• Ploughing: Groundnut has a deep root system, but deep ploughing should be avoided as it can affect pod formation. Shallow ploughing (12–18 cm) followed by harrowing is recommended.
• Weed Control: Summer ploughing helps in controlling weeds and pests before sowing.
• Soil Fertility: Prepare the soil by applying organic manures like compost or farmyard manure (10-15 tons per hectare), especially in poor fertility soils.

Verities

 Bunch-type Varieties

• TG-37A: Early maturing, drought-resistant, high-yielding (25-30 quintals/ha).
• TMV-2: Resistant to pests, high-yielding (20-25 quintals/ha).
• JL-24: Early maturing, suitable for drylands (18-22 quintals/ha).
• AK-12-24: Drought-resistant, suitable for drylands (18-22 quintals/ha).

Spreading-type Varieties

• G-7: High oil content, drought-resistant (25-30 quintals/ha).
• JL-12: Moderate pest resistance, high oil content (22-25 quintals/ha).
• Bhima: High-yielding, disease-resistant (30-35 quintals/ha).
• Sundar: Performs well in both dryland and irrigated conditions (25-30 quintals/ha).

Other Varieties

• Narendra Groundnut-1: Resistant to rust and leaf spots (22-27 quintals/ha).
• K-134: Early maturing, resistant to fungal diseases (28-30 quintals/ha).

High-Oil Varieties

• TGD-6: High oil content, disease-resistant.
• ICGV 91114: High oil content, resistant to foliar diseases.

Seed Selection and Treatment

• Selection: Choose high-quality seeds (free of diseases and damage) and shelled one week before sowing.
• Seed Treatment: Treat seeds with fungicides like Thiram (4g/kg) or Mancozeb (4g/kg) to prevent seed and soil-borne diseases. Inoculate seeds with Rhizobium culture to promote nitrogen fixation, especially in areas where groundnut is grown for the first time.

Sowing

• Time of Sowing:
  • Rainfed (Kharif): June–July (in sync with the monsoon).
  • Irrigated: Sowing around 20th June with pre-sowing irrigation.
  • Rabi: November–December in the southern parts of India.

• Spacing and Seed Rate:
  • Spreading-type varieties: 80–100 kg/ha, with spacing of 60 x 10 cm.
  • Bunching-type varieties: 100–125 kg/ha, with spacing of 45 x 10 cm.
• Method: Seeds are sown 5 cm deep using a seed planter or dibbler.

Manure and Fertilizer Requirements

• Groundnut meets its nitrogen requirement largely through nitrogen fixation by Rhizobium bacteria. However, an additional 20-40 kg of nitrogen per hectare can be applied in nutrient-poor soils.
• Apply phosphorus (50-60 kg P₂O₅/ha) and potassium (30-40 kg K₂O/ha) based on soil tests. Superphosphate is preferred for phosphorus.
• Calcium: Apply gypsum (125 kg/ha) to improve pod development.

Irrigation Management

• Groundnut is primarily a rainfed crop but may need irrigation during dry spells.
• Irrigation schedule:
  • For rainfed crops, irrigation may not be necessary unless there’s a prolonged dry period.
  • For irrigated crops, give the first irrigation at flowering and subsequent irrigations during the fruiting period, especially at peg penetration and pod development stages.
  • Final irrigation before harvesting helps in pod recovery.

Weed Control

• Manual Weeding: One or two hand weedings, with the first after 3 weeks of sowing and the second before flowering.
• Chemical Weed Control:
  • Pre-sowing: Apply Fluchloralin (2 l/ha) before sowing.
  • Pre-emergence: Apply Pendimethalin (3.3 l/ha) or Fluchloralin (2 l/ha) at sowing.
  • Post-emergence: Spray Imazethapyr (750 ml/ha) when weeds emerge.

Pest and Disease Management

a) Diseases:

Tikka Disease (Cercospora spp.): Symptoms: Small brown spots on leaves leading to defoliation. Control: Seed treatment with Thiram, foliar spray of Zineb or Bavistin.

Sclerotium Rot (Sclerotium rolfsii): Symptoms: White fungal growth near the soil surface. Control: Burn affected debris, soil treatment with Brassicol (3%), and crop rotation.

Rosette Virus: Symptoms: Stunted, bushy plants with mottled leaves. Control: Rogue out infected plants, spray with Metasystox (1 l/1000 l water).

Charcoal Rot (Macrophomina phaseoli): Symptoms: Red-brown lesions on stems, plant death. Control: Deep ploughing, seed treatment with Brassicol, and soil application of Brassicol.

Pests:

Aphids: Symptoms: Leaves curl, stunted growth. Control: Spray Metasystox or Dimethoate.

Spodoptera (Cutworm): Symptoms: Damages leaves and stems. Control: Apply chlorpyrifos or Endosulfan.

Leafhopper:Symptoms: Curling and yellowing of leaves. Control: Apply Imidacloprid or Dimethoate.

Harvesting and Post-Harvest Management

• Harvesting: Groundnut is ready for harvest when the leaves turn yellow, and the pods have matured (8-9 months from sowing). Harvest by pulling the plants carefully to avoid damage to pods.
• Post-harvest:
  • Dry the harvested plants in the sun for 2-3 days.
  • Separate the pods by threshing.
  • Store the pods in cool, dry conditions to avoid moisture-related spoilage and pest attack.

Rotation and Mixed Cropping

• Rotation: Groundnut is often rotated with crops like wheat, gram, peas, barley, and safflower.
• Mixed Cropping: It can be intercropped with crops like bajra, maize, jowar, castor, and cotton.

Yield

Spreading Type; Generally, spreading types tend to have a higher yield compared to bunch types because of their greater number of pods and branches. The yield can range between 1,000 to 1,500 kg per hectare under normal conditions.

Bunch Type: The yield of bunch-type groundnuts is typically lower than that of spreading types due to fewer branches and pods. The yield ranges from 800 to 1,200 kg per hectare under typical conditions.