PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY OF GROUNDNUT

SOWING, CULTURAL PRACTICES TO POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGY OF GROUNDNUT AND USES

1. GROUNDNUT

2. Scientific name : Arachis hypogea Family : Fabaceae other names : earth nuts, monkey nuts, peanuts, goober nuts, pig nutsnuts, kingpin of oilseeds, pygmy nuts Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is derived from two Greek words "Arachis" meaning to legume and "hypogea" meaning below ground , referring to the formation of pods in the soil. It is one of the most important food and oilseed crop cultivated and consumed in most parts of the world. It is widely accepted as an excellent source of nutrition due to its high protein content(22-33%), vitamins, A,B. and some of B2 .Brazil in South America is the center of origin of this plant. It has oil content of 47-49% INTRODUCTION

3. BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION: Groundnut is a herbaceous annual with more or less upright central stem with numerous branches that vary from prostate 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.

4. CLASSIFICATION OF GROUNDNUT According to Waldron or Growth habits: a) The erect or bunch type : include Arachis hypogea sub species fastigiata short duration (95-105), early maturing, and high yielding and almost free from dormancy, high germination percentage (90-95). b) The spreading or trailing type : include Arachis hypogea sub species procumbens. Lal. Long duration (110-120 days), late maturity, high yielding ability and have dormancy (60-75%), low germination per cent (85-90). Commercial classification of groundnut: a) Coromandal type: It bears smaller pods, with thin husk, Oval shape smaller seeds. b) Big Japan or Bombay bold type : The pods and seeds of this type are bigger than coromandal type

5. SOIL AND CLIMATE: 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 with pH of 6.0-7.5. It is sensitive to salinity.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.Planting in cold wet soil is therefore unsuitable. Planting in warm soils results in fast germination and healthy seedlings.Do not plant in dry soil and irrigate with cold water.

6. FIELD PREPARATION The groundnut is a deep rooted crop , but looking to its underground pod forming habit, deep ploughing should be avoided, because it encourages development of pods in deeper layers of soil which makes harvesting difficult. Adequate rains at sowing are necessary for proper germination and good plant growth and well-distributed rainfall during the crop period ensures normal vegetative growth, increased flowering and proper development of pods. One ploughing with soil turning plough followed by two harrowing would be sufficient to achieve a good surface tilth up to 12-18 cm depth .

7. SOWING Bold and filled pods should be selected.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.Usually groundnut sowing is undertaken with the onset of monsoon .Seeds should be sown about 5 cm deep with the help of country seed drill or they are sown behind the country plough with spacing of 60 x 10 cm(spreading type) and 45 x 10 cm(bunch type).For seed purposes, pods should be shelled by hand 1 week before sowing time. Seed rate: Spreading type: 80-100 kg/ha Bunch type:100-125 kg/ha

8. WATER MANAGEMENT Groundnut being a rainy season crop, it does not require irrigation unless the dry spell period prolonged and irrigation facilities are available. Flowering, peg formation and pod development stages are critical for irrigation in groundnut.Generally, 600-650 mm of water is sufficient; Quality of irrigation water can affect groundnut productivity; Limits for saline water for groundnut are EC (Electrical Conductivity) < 4.0 mmhos/cm and RSC (Residual Sodium Carbonate) < 2 meq/L.

9. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT FYM or Compost: 10-12 t/ha , 25-30 days before sowing NPK= 8-20:16-80:0-75 kg/ha as basal application Ca: 200-400 kg/ha of gypsum at the peak flowering stage as side placement (Calcium is essential for good seed development) Introducing green manuring in crop rotation also helps in increasing the organic matter content of the soil and improving its structure. It also improves nodulation and enhances the availability of P to the crop.

10. WEED MANAGEMENT It is essential to keep groundnut fields weed free up to 45 days after crop emergence.Application of pre-emergence herbicides such as pendimethalin @ 1.0 -1.5 kg a.i./ha as spray or fluchloralin @ 1.0 -1.5 kg a.i./ha as pre-plant soil incorporation followed by 1-2 hand weeding , as and when needed

11. EARTHING UP AND GYPSUM APPLICATION The earthing up should also be taken up simultaneously with interculturing operations. Basic idea of earthing up is to promote easy penetration of pegs in soil as soil also to provide more area to spread . GYPSUM APPLICATION: Apply gypsum @ 400 kg/ha by the side of the plants on 40th to 70th day depending upon soil moisture.Apply gypsum , hoe and incorporate it in the soil and then earth up.Avoid gypsum in calciferous soils. Application of gypsum encourages pod formation and better filling up of the pods. Application of gypsum at the rate of 50 % basal both in rainfed and irrigated condition reduces Khadhasty malady and pod scab nematode.

12. HARVESTING 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 .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. Drying and storage of pods :The pods for storage must contain moisture less than 9 % and kernels 8 % as the higher moisture level in the produce are congenial for the production of aflatoxin causes for liver cancer in human body.

13. YIELD 1500 to 2000 kg/ha -spreading type 1000 to 1500 kg/ha -bunch type Ratio of the kernels to pods is 70:30 (kernels and shell)

14. Seed (kernel) - Consumed directly raw, roasted and boiled or processed into confections and peanut flour for flavor enhancement or crushed for oil for edible and industrial uses; Source of high quality edible oil (44-56%), easily digestible protein (22-30%), carbohydrates (10-25%), vitamins (E, K and B complex), minerals (Ca, P, Mg, Zn and Fe) and fiber.Whole kernels are also used as table purposes by frying, soaking, roasting, boiling and in different types of namkeen . Roasted Groundnut is a most popular way of eating. Kernels also used as a spice in vegetables and as sprouts for salad Shell –Groundnut shell has great potential for commercial use. It is used as a fuel, filler in cattle feed, hard particle boards, cork substitutes, activated carbon etc. It Used as fuel, animal feed, cattle litter, filler in feed and fertilizer industry and in making particle boards and alcohol and acetone after fermentation. Haulm (above ground vegetative parts) – Used as animal fodder or in manuring: Mainly used as animal feed, fuel and in preparation of compost. The green leaves and stem of plants are used as animal feed. The shell of pods obtained during threshing also used as cattle feed. Roots – Being legume add nitrogen (100 – 152 kg/ha N) and organic matter to the soil.

15. Edible Oil : The groundnut oil has several uses but mainly used as a cooking oil. It is used in many preparations. It is used in soap making, fuel, cosmetics, shaving cream, leather dressings, furniture cream, lubricants, etc. Groundnut oil is also used in making vanaspati ghee and in fatty acids manufacturing. It is also used as medium of preservation for preparation of pickles, chutney and other preparations. Medicinal use: its oil is used in making different types of medicated ointments, plasters, syrups, and in medicated emulsion. Food Preparation: It is also used to make various food preparation like, butter, milk, candy & chocolate, chatni, groundnut pack, laddu, barfi (chukii), etc

16. POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGY Groundnut oil as biofuel : In 1900 World’s Fair in Paris, a diesel engine was run on pure groundnut oil; While in developing countries enhanced oil content is needed to meet the ever increasing demand for high quality edible oil, in the USA it is being targeted to produce peanut biodiesel to run farm machinery to reduce the cost of farm operations (USDA-ARS, 2008; Wright, 2012) Groundnut cake : It is obtained after extraction of oil is used in animal feed industry, in making weaning foods for children and invalid foods for aged people and as fertilizer.If groundnut produce is contaminated with aflatoxin, the cake will also be contaminated. However, groundnut oil would be free from aflatoxin, if it is refined.The contaminated cake should not be used as animal or human food. The secondary product is the residue or cake left after the expression of the oil. It is also purified and used in supplementary mix. The major proteins of groundnut are arachin and conarachine which is lacking in lysine and methionine and its quality can be improved by either adding these amino acids or foods rich in the same.