GROUND NUTS

NAME:M.MAHESH BABU

CLASS: FINAL YEAR

GROUP: B.COM [C.A]

ROLLNO: SSBN185274

MEDIUM: ENGLISH

SUBJECT: COMMERCIAL GEOGRAPHY

PROJECT: GROUND NUT

3RD B.COM[C.A]2019-20 Page 1

Introduction:-

The peanut, also known as the groundnut, goober (US), or monkey nut (UK),
and taxonomically classified as Arachis hypogaea, is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible
seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, being important to both small and large
commercial producers. It is classified as both a grain legume and, due to its high oil content, an
oil crop. World annual production of shelled peanuts was 44 million tonnes in 2016, led by
China with 38% of the world total. Atypically among legume crop plants, peanut pods develop
underground (geocarpy) rather than above ground. With this characteristic in mind, the
botanist Linnaeus named the species hypogaea, which means "under the earth".

As a legume, the peanut belongs to the botanical family Fabaceae; this is also known as
Leguminosae, and commonly known as the bean, or pea, family. Like most other legumes,
peanuts harbor symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules. This capacity to fix nitrogen
means peanuts require less nitrogen-containing fertilizer and also improve soil fertility, making
them valuable in crop rotations.

Peanuts are similar in taste and nutritional profile to tree nuts such as walnuts and almonds, and
as a culinary nut are often served in similar ways in Western cuisines. The botanical definition of
a "nut" is a fruit whose ovary wall becomes hard at maturity. Using this criterion, the peanut is
not a typical nut. However, for culinary purposes and in common English language usage,
peanuts are usually referred to as nuts.

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Ground nut history:-
Cultivated peanuts (A. hypogaea) arose from a hybrid between two wild species of peanut,
thought to be A. duranensis and A. ipaensis. The initial hybrid would have been sterile, but
spontaneous chromosome doubling restored its fertility, forming what is termed
an amphidiploid or allotetraploid. Genetic analysis suggests the hybridization may have occurred
only once and gave rise to A. monticola, a wild form of peanut that occurs in a few limited
locations in northwestern Argentina, or in southeastern Bolivia, where the peanut landraces with
the most wild-like features are grown today. and by artificial selection to A. hypogaea.

The process of domestication through artificial selection made A. hypogaea dramatically

different from its wild relatives. The domesticated plants are bushier and more compact, and
have a different pod structure and larger seeds. From this primary center of origin, cultivation
spread and formed secondary and tertiary centers of diversity in Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Paraguay,
and Uruguay. Over time, thousands of peanut landraces evolved; these are classified into six
botanical varieties and two subspecies (as listed in the peanut scientific classification table).
Subspecies A. h. fastigiata types are more upright in their growth habit and have shorter crop
cycles. Subspecies A. h. hypogaea types spread more on the ground and have longer crop cycles.

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The oldest known archeological remains of pods have been dated at about 7,600 years old,
possibly a wild species that was in cultivation, or A. hypogaea in the early phase of
domestication. They were found in Peru, where dry climatic conditions are favorable for the
preservation of organic material. Almost certainly, peanut cultivation antedated this at the center
of origin where the climate is moister. Many pre-Columbian cultures, such as the Moche,
depicted peanuts in their art. Cultivation was well-established in Mesoamerica before the
Spanish arrived. There, the conquistadors found the tlālcacahuatl (the plant's Nahuatl name)
being offered for sale in the marketplace of Tenochtitlan. The peanut was later spread worldwide
by European traders, and cultivation is now widespread in tropical and subtropical regions.
In West Africa, it substantially replaced a crop plant from the same family, the Bambara
groundnut, whose seed pods also develop underground. In Asia, it became an agricultural
mainstay and this region is now the largest producer in the world.

In the English-speaking world, peanut growing is most important in the United States. Although
it was mainly a garden crop for much of the colonial period, it was mostly used as animal
feedstock until the 1930s. The United States Department of Agriculture initiated a program to
encourage agricultural production and human consumption of peanuts in the late 19th and early
20th centuries.

Peanut Gene Pools and Genetic Resources:-

The genus Arachis consists of 80 described species (Krapovickas and Gregory
1994 , 2007 ; Valls and Simpson 2005 ) and is divided into nine taxonomic sections:
Trierectoides , Erectoides , Procumbentes , Rhizomatosae , Heteranthae , Caulorrhizae ,
Extranervosae , Triseminatae and Arachis (Fig. 12.1 ). These divisions were m made

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based on sexual compatibilities, morphological and cytogenetic features and
geographic distributions (Krapovickas and Gregory 1994 ). The sexual compatibility
data available from a large number of crossing experiments is very informative as
to the barriers between gene pools in the genus (Krapovickas and Gregory 1994 ).
The section Arachis contains the primary gene pool of cultivated peanut with
two tetraploids, A. hypogaea and A. monticola . (2 n = 4 x = 40; genome AB) and the
secondary gene pool with the most closely related wild species.
Arachis hypogaea presents considerable morphological variation, and two
subspecies, hypogaea and fastigiata , have been described (Krapovickas and
Gregory 1994 ). Subspecies hypogaea has spreading growth habit with side
branches procumbent to decumbent, a long growth cycle, no fl owers on the cen-
tral stem and regularly alternating vegetative and reproductive side stems. This
subspecies is divided into two botanical varieties hypogaea and hirsuta , the latter
being distinguished by more hirsute leaflets and even longer cycle. These variet-
ies, respectively, exemplify “Runner” and “Peruvian Runner” agronomic classes.
The subspecies fastigiata Waldron has a more erect growth habit with side branches
erect to procumbent, a shorter cycle, fl owers on the central stem and reproductive
and vegetative stems distributed in a disorganised fashion. This subspecies is
divided into four botanical varieties, fastigiata , vulgaris , aequatoriana and
peruviana . The former two are by far the most economically important and exem-
plify the agronomic classes “Spanish” and “Valencia”, respectively (Krapovickas
and Gregory 1994 ).
Within the agronomic classes, modern cultivars are relatively uniform compared
to landraces. Especially in South America, but also in Africa and Asia, landraces are
spectacularly diverse. This diversity provides a source for constant study, such as
the recent interesting description of 62 distinct landraces in Bolivia (Krapovickas
et al. 2009 ). Also, new collections of landraces continue to be made. For instance,
in the Xingu Indigenous Park in the Central-West of Brazil, the Kayabi people cul-
tivate peanuts which are morphologically very diverse, displaying combinations of
unusual characters which make them unique. Some types form very large plants and
have a very long cycle; some have extremely large seeds. The different types also

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display diverse seed colours and patterns, purple, brown, red or white, variegated or
uniform in colour (Freitas et al. 2007 ; Bertioli et al. 2011 ).
Morphological diversity is so high that a different origin for the two subspecies
was proposed. This hypothesis was supported by the partial reproductive isolation
of the two subspecies (Singh and Moss 1982 ; Lu and Pickersgill 1993 ). However,
molecular data has fi rmly contradicted this hypothesis. Genetic variability observed
among commercial cultivars and landraces of peanut is so low that it is generally
accepted that peanut is an allotetraploid of recent and single origin (Halward et al.
1993 ; Kochert et al. 1996 ; Raina et al. 2001 ; Milla et al. 2005 ).
The secondary gene pool includes A. hypogaea ’s most closely related wild
species that can be used for peanut crop improvement. Most of these species are
diploid (2 n = 2 x = 20) with metacentric chromosomes of similar size (genomes A, B,
F and K); one species ( A. glandulifera ) is diploid with an asymmetric karyotype
(genome D); three can be considered dysploid (2 n = 2 x = 18) (Krapovickas and Gregory

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Food:-
Whole peanuts

Roasted peanuts as snack food

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Dry-roasting peanuts is a common form of preparation. Dry peanuts can be roasted in the shell or
shelled in a home oven if spread out one layer deep in a pan and baked at a temperature of
350 °F or 177 °C for 15 to 20 min (shelled) and 20 to 25 min (in shell).

Boiled peanuts are a popular snack in the southern United States, as well as in India, China, and
West Africa. In the US South, boiled peanuts are often prepared in briny water, and sold in street
side stands.

A distinction can be drawn between raw and green peanuts. A green peanut is a term to describe
farm fresh harvested peanuts that have not been dehydrated. They are available from grocery
stores, food distributors and farmers markets, during the growing season. "Raw" peanuts are also
uncooked but have been dried/dehydrated and must be rehydrated before boiling (usually in a
bowl full of water overnight). Once rehydrated, the raw peanuts are ready to be boiled.

 Peanut oil

Peanut oil is often used in cooking, because it has a mild flavor and a relatively high smoke
point. Due to its high monounsaturated content, it is considered more healthful than saturated
oils, and is resistant to rancidity. The several types of peanut oil include: aromatic roasted peanut
oil, refined peanut oil, extra virgin or cold-pressed peanut oil, and peanut extract. In the United
States, refined peanut oil is exempt from allergen labeling laws.

 Peanut butter

Peanut butter is a food paste or spread made from ground dry roasted peanuts. It often contains
additional ingredients that modify the taste or texture, such as salt, sweeteners or emulsifiers.
Peanut butter is served as a spread on bread, toast or crackers, and used to make sandwiches
(notably the peanut butter and jelly sandwich). It is also used in a number of confections, such as
peanut-flavored granola bars or croissants and other pastries. The United States is a leading
exporter of peanut butter, and itself consumes $800 million of peanut butter annually.

Useful and therapeutic properties of peanut 1. Peanuts is a very nourishing product. Protein and
vegetable fats contained in the fruit, are easily digested by the body. In addition, groundnuts are
rich in content of the whole set of vitamins and minerals. For example, the content of magnesium
and phosphorus in 100 grams of peanuts corresponds to half the daily value of these
macronutrients for humans. It should be noted that cholesterol is no longer listed. This makes the

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peanut product perfect for healthy nutrition. 2. Part of the peanut linoleic acid is known fact that
prevents the development of sclerosis. A sufficient quantity of this acid in the human body
promotes self-synthesis of other important unsaturated fatty acids: arachidonic. These substances
reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood and protect the body cells from stress. 3. The ability
of peanut to improve blood clotting making it useful in the disease hemophilia, and also reduces
the chance of hemorrhages. 4. Discussion on the topic "peanuts: benefits and harms" is
constantly conducted among dieticians. Undoubtedly, the antioxidant properties of this product is
priceless for the body. Groundnuts are useful in the prevention of atherosclerosis and
cardiovascular diseases, it can slow the aging and growth of cancers. Peanuts also promotes the
breakdown of fat, it makes the peanut diet is very popular among women. 5. Peanut helps the
body to fight infections by improving the immune system. Contained in earthen walnut natural
amino acid tryptophan to synthesize the human hormone serotonin. An increased amount of this
hormone can bring the patient out of severe depression, cure phobias, to recover after stress.
Therefore, regular consumption of fruits peanut a positive effect on the human nervous system.

Harmful properties of peanut 1. According to many scientists, the benefits and harms of peanuts
is approximately equal. For example, the kernel skin peanut can cause allergies. This can result
in redness and itching of the skin, as well as heartburn, vomiting and laryngeal edema.
Therefore, young children should not be given more than 7-10 nuts at a time, even if they are
fresh. 2. The large protein content of peanuts makes it an undesirable product for patients with
arthrosis, arthritis and gout. 3. Violation of technology of cultivation, processing, and improper
transport and storage peanut leads to the accumulation in it toxic substances — aflatoxins. To use
peanuts don't cause allergies and other diseases, you should carefully inspect it upon purchase.
The shells should be free of mold, musty smell not allow. It is best to buy peanuts at the store,
but not in the spontaneous markets. 4. For many people who prefer the peanuts, the benefits and
harms at the same time is its caloric content: 100 grams of product have as much as 550 calories.
Therefore people who dream of a slim figure, you should limit its use to a minimum. 5. Because
of its ability to make blood more thick peanut banned people with diseased blood vessels and
varicose veins. 6. According to scientists who have studied the roasted peanuts, the benefits and
harms of this product are on one side of the scale. This treatment peanut deprives him of many

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useful vitamins. In addition, purchased roasted this product is able to infect humans with
tuberculosis, salmonellosis, E. coli and other nasty diseases. So fry the peanut better on their
own.

Allergies

Some people (0.6% of the United States population) report that they experience allergic
reactions to peanut exposure; symptoms are specifically severe for this nut, and can range from
watery eyes to anaphylactic shock, which is generally fatal if untreated. Eating a small amount of
peanut can cause a reaction. Because of their widespread use in prepared and packaged foods,
the avoidance of peanuts can be difficult. The reading of ingredients and warnings on product
packaging is necessary to avoid this allergen. Foods that are processed in facilities which also
handle peanuts on the same equipment as other foods are required to carry such warnings on
their labels. Avoiding cross contamination with peanuts and peanut products, (along with other
severe allergens like shellfish) is a promoted and common practice which chefs and restaurants
worldwide are becoming aware of.

The hygiene hypothesis of allergy states that a lack of early childhood exposure to infectious
agents like germs and parasites could be causing the increase of food allergies.

Studies comparing age of peanut introduction in Great Britain with introduction in Israel showed
that delaying exposure to peanuts in childhood can dramatically increase the risk of developing
peanut allergies.

Peanut allergy has been associated with the use of skin preparations containing peanut oil among
children, but the evidence is not regarded as conclusive. Peanut allergies have also been
associated with family history and intake of soy products.

Some school districts in the United States and elsewhere have banned peanuts. However, the
efficacy of the bans in reducing allergic reactions is uncertain. A recent study in Canada has
shown that there is no difference in the percentage of accidental exposures occurring in schools
prohibiting peanuts than in schools allowing them.

Refined peanut oil will not cause allergic reactions in most people with peanut
allergies. However, crude (unrefined) peanut oils have been shown to contain protein, which may
cause allergic reactions. In a randomized, double-blind crossover study, 60 people with proven

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peanut allergy were challenged with both crude peanut oil and refined peanut oil. The authors
concluded, "Crude peanut oil caused allergic reactions in 10% of allergic subjects studied and
should continue to be avoided." They also stated, "Refined peanut oil does not seem to pose a
risk to most people with peanut allergy." However, they point out that refined peanut oil can still
pose a risk to peanut-allergic individuals if oil that has previously been used to cook foods
containing peanuts is reused.
INDUSTRIAL USE-

Peanuts have a variety of industrial end uses. Paint, varnish, lubricating oil, leather dressings,
furniture polish, insecticides, and nitroglycerin are made from peanut oil. Soap is made
from saponified oil, and many cosmetics contain peanut oil and its derivatives. The protein
portion is used in the manufacture of some textile fibers. Peanut shells are used in the
manufacture of plastic, wallboard, abrasives, fuel, cellulose (used in rayon and paper),
and mucilage (glue).

Land Husbandry and Crop Management

9.1. Cropping System

Groundnut is a versatile crop that can easily be incorporated in various cropping systems.
Groundnut is commonly grown in rotation with wheat, barley, chickpea, and lentil in northern
India, while in south India it thrives on residual soil moisture after rice harvest. About 90% of
the total groundnut production is in the rainy season. In West Africa it is grown in the rainy
season either as a sole crop or mixed with sorghum or millets (see also: Growth and Production
of Sorghum and Millets). It is generally recommended that groundnuts be rotated with cereals,
whereby the latter crops (maize, sorghum, cotton, or millet) can take advantage of nitrogen
fixation from groundnut and also benefit from the earlier fertilizer applications. Crop rotation
also reduces the effects of pests and diseases from insects, nematodes and weeds. In addition, it
provides better management and more profits by minimizing costs of weed control and pest
management.

9.2. Cultivar Selection

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As indicated earlier there are different types of groundnuts, mainly linked to the two botanical
types Hypogaea and Fastigiata. Hypogaea holds two market types: Runner and Virginia;
Fastigiata has also two market types: Spanish and Valencia. The selection of cultivars is
location-specific and depends upon the growing season and market types. There are several
choices of cultivar within each group. Cultivar selection should also be based on tolerances to
both biotic and abiotic stresses.

9.3. Seedbed Preparation

Seedbed preparation is an essential part of crop management to improve soil properties, decrease
weed pressure, conserve moisture, improve soil water holding capacity, and improve germination
percentage. Seedbed preparation of groundnut depends upon rainfall and soil type. In regions
where tillage is a common practice, soils are plowed and harrowed soon after harvest of the
previous crop or done before the rains to facilitate water harvesting. In parts of the United States
strip tillage is being adopted. In the strip tillage method land is not turned but is subsoiled and
only a strip of soil is tilled (about 20 – 30 cm), while the soil between the rows remains
undisturbed.

9.4. Planting Date

Planting date is highly locality- and region-specific. The best planting date depends largely upon
soil temperature, available soil moisture and availability of land within the given growing
season. In India, groundnuts can be grown in three seasons, i.e.: the rainy, post rainy or summer
seasons. Most groundnuts in India are sown in the rainy season and are planted with the onset of
rains in May to June; the crop is then rain fed. In the post rainy season and where cool
temperature does not limit production, the crop GROWTH AND PRODUCTION OF
GROUNDNUT http://greenplanet.eolss.net/EolssLogn/mss/C10/E1-05A/E1-05A-19/E1-... 10 of
26 2/19/2011 7:13 PM is sown in September-November. During this post-rainy season crop
growth and development is dependent upon stored soil moisture. However, providing 2 to 3
irrigations during critical stages of crop development (flowering and early seed growth) might
well increase productivity. In some regions where irrigation facilities are available groundnut can
also be cultivated as a summer crop; it is then sown in January. In most of Africa groundnut is a
rainy season crop and is planted between May and July. In the southeastern United States the
typical planting time ranges between March and early April.

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9.5. Plant Population and Spacing

Groundnut is propagated through seeds directly sown in the soil. In developed countries (United
States and Australia) a tractor operated seed drill is commonly used, while in developing
countries sowing is done manually or with animal drawn seed drills. The crop is generally
planted in rows either on flat beds or raised beds and furrows. Raised beds and furrows help
conserve soil moisture, minimize soil erosion, and aid in easy cultural operations (see also: Soil
Engineering and Technology). Although recommended plant population in Asia and Africa is
about 330,000 plants/ha for bunch types and 250,000 plants/ha for spreading types, the actual
planting densities used by farmers are much lower. This is either due to the high cost of planting
material or to poor seed quality and related poor germination. The distance between rows and
plants varies with cultivars. In general, 30cm between the rows and 10cm between the plants
within rows is recommended for bunch types; for spreading types, this is 40cm between rows
and 10cm between plants within rows. In the United States recommended plant population is
250,000 plants/ha for short season Spanish cultivars and 215,000 plants/ha for long season
Virginia types. In the United States, most groundnuts are planted in single rows about 90-100 cm
apart with about 20 seeds per meter in the row. The standard twin row system (two rows spaced
20 cm apart on 90 cm centers) is becoming common, as the twin row system often has less
incidence of the tomato spotted wilt virus. Optimum planting depth for groundnut is about 5 cm
for heavy soils and 6 cm for light soils. Planting deeper than 7.5 cm decreases emergence
percentage. If soil moisture is limited, irrigation before planting is recommended. In addition, in
some places it is recommended to treat the seeds with Rhizobia to help nitrogen fixation. If
groundnut are being sown either for the first time in a new field, or after a long period, it is
recommended to treat the seed with a proper strain of Rhizobia.

9.6. Nutrition and Fertilizer

Use Nutrient requirements for groundnuts are lower than for most other crops, like corn or
soybean for example. In the United States groundnut is commercially grown and fertilized; in
parts of Africa and Asia where most of the crop is used for local consumption, fertilizer
application is not a common practice. The crop responds rather well to fertilizers. In general,
groundnut requires about 20kg N/ha, 50-80kg P/ha, and 30-40kg K/ha. For a yield of 3000kg pod
and 5000 kg of vine (biomass) per hectare, nutrient removal is estimated at about 120kg N, 11kg

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P, and 18kg K per hectare for pods, and 72kg N, 11kg P, and 48kg K per hectare for vines. This
makes a total of about 192kg N, 22kg P, and 66kg K/ha, respectively. GROWTH AND
PRODUCTION OF GROUNDNUT http://greenplanet.eolss.net/EolssLogn/mss/C10/E1-
05A/E1-05A-19/E1-... 11 of 26 2/19/2011 7:13 PM In addition, the crop also responds well to
the application of organic matter or farm yard manure. Groundnut requires more Ca during
flowering and pod formation, as the Ca taken from the roots cannot be used by pods, and has to
be absorbed directly by the pegs and pods. The mineral nutrition aspects of groundnut are
discussed in later sections.

9.7. Water Use and Irrigation

The amount of moisture needed to produce an acceptable yield of groundnut is approximately

500 to 600 mm. Groundnut can be grown in regions receiving more (800 mm) or less rainfall
(about 350 mm), provided rainfall is well distributed. The amount of irrigation depends on the
soil type. Light textured soils need about 600-700 mm of water (about 10 irrigations), and
medium to heavy soils need about 500-600 mm (6-7 irrigations). If only limited irrigation
facilities are available, then priority should be given to irrigate at critical stages of development,
i.e. flowering and pod development. Irrigation in developing countries is currently by furrow
irrigation, which is more efficient than flood irrigation.

9.8. Weed Management -

As for other crops proper weed control is essential for improving crop productivity. Weeds do
not only compete with crops for nutrients and water, but also reduce seed quality. Both annual
grasses and broad-leaved weeds are common in groundnut cropping. The types of weeds are
regional-specific and should be removed as necessary. In developing countries of Asia and
Africa weed control is done manually by hand pulling or by using hoes and/or animal drawn
small equipment. Some commercial producers and large farmers also apply herbicides for weed
control. Proper field preparations during planting and intercultural operations after planting help
establish and obtain initial crop vigor. Early season weed control is very important as groundnut
is highly sensitive to weeds during the first 25-30 days after planting. Early weed control is
beneficial for yield. However, weeds can also emerge later in the season and be controlled at that
moment. In developed countries (e.g. United States) the use of herbicides is common. Pre-
emergence and post-emergence herbicide options are available for effective control. Either pre-

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plant incorporation or pre-emergence herbicides options are available for groundnut. Most of the
times only pre-plant or pre-emergence application is not enough to control weeds, and one to two
applications of post emergence herbicides are also recommended. Environmental conditions,
either extremely dry or wet will influence the efficacy of herbicide application. Proper scouting
of weeds, their identification and prior knowledge of potential weeds is the key to design an
effective weed control strategy. The selection of herbicides should depend on the mixture of
weed population and weed intensity (see also: Weed Science and Management).

9.9. Harvesting,

Drying and Storage As groundnut pods are developed underground they have to be extracted for
harvest. Moreover, under these conditions it is sometimes difficult to define maturity; as
flowering occurs during long periods, care should be taken in selecting pods for testing maturity.
In practice, plants are ready for harvest when leaves become yellow and begin to fall, the pods
become reticulate, the internal hull color is dark, and the seeds are easy to separate. GROWTH
AND PRODUCTION OF GROUNDNUT http://greenplanet.eolss.net/EolssLogn/mss/C10/E1-
05A/E1-05A-19/E1-... 12 of 26 2/19/2011 7:13 PM Timing of harvest is very critical for
groundnut, as an early harvest decreases yield and crop quality, while a delayed harvest causes
pods to remain in the soil and/or to become prone to diseases and post harvest losses. In
developing countries harvesting is generally done by pulling the plant or digging the plant using
animal-drawn equipment (Figure 4a) or small machines. Uprooted plants are generally dried in
the field or on leveled platforms. Plants should be placed roots up, so that pods dry faster and
uniformly. They should be left in the field for 2-3 days (depending upon the weather conditions).
After drying, pods are separated from the plants either by hand or by using threshers. After
threshing, seeds are separated using mechanical shellers, and stored in a dry and aerated place.
Improper handling while harvesting or storage leads to infections with Aspergillus and aflatoxin
contamination. In developed countries harvesting is done by machines (Figure 4b) which dig the
plants, and picks pods by striping. After drying, pods are shelled with machines and stored in
bins. Figure 4. Harvesting of groundnut with animal drawn equipment in India (Courtesy Dr.
P.Q. Crauford, University of Reading, UK) and mechanical harvesting of groundnut in with
tractor in United States (Courtesy Dr. J. Beasley, University of Georgia, USA).

Nutritional value of ground nuts:-

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The groundnut is particularly valued for its protein content (26%). On equal weight basis (Kg for
Kg), groundnuts contain more protein than meat and about two and a half times more than eggs.

Being an oil seed crop, it contains 40 to 49% oil. In addition to protein, groundnuts are a good
source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and boron. The groundnuts also contains vitamin E and
small amounts of vitamin B complex. High in calories, 5.6 calories nut -1 (calorific value of
567).

Food value of Groundnuts Source:

Content Percentage

Protein 25.2

Oil 48.2

Starch 11.5

Soluble sugar 4.5

Crude Fiber 2.1

Moisture 6

Jambunathan 1991

Nutritional characteristics of groundnut kernel

Characteristics Raw* Roasted*

Calories(g) 564 582

Protein(g) 26 26

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Fat(g) 47.5 48.7

Carbohydrate(g) 18.6 20.6

Calcium(mg) 69 72

Phosphorus(mg) 401 401

Iron(mg) 2.1 2.2

Thiamine (B1)(mg) 1.14 0.32

Riboflavine(B2)(mg) 0.13 0.13

Niacin(mg) 17.2 17.2

* Content 100-1 g; Source: Burn and Huffman, 1975

Chemical composition of groundnut shell, haulms and oil cake (in%)

Characteristics Shell Haulms Oil Cake

Cellulose 65.7 22.11 to 35.35

Carbohydrates 21.2 38.06 to 46.95 22 to 30

Proteins 7.3 8.30 to 15.0 45 to 60

Minerals 4.5 1.39 to 2.88 4 to 5.7

Crude Fiber 22.11 to 35.35 3.8 to 7.5

Moisture 7.13 to 10.0 8 to 10

CONLCUSION:-

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Groundnut is one of the important cash crops in Asia, Africa, South America and United States
of America. It is produced in both subsistence and commercial systems. It is mainly used as a
source of food (edible oil, vegetable protein, boiled or roasted directly or mixed in
confectionary products). Groundnut haulms are in high demand for fodder, and the groundnut
cake after the extraction of the oil is also mixed in animal feeds or organic fertilizers. More
recently due to promotion of bioenergy production, use of groundnut oil in biodiesel
production is also being evaluated. The main production constraints for groundnut include
abiotic stresses (drought, high temperatures, poor fertility, low pH, Ca deficiency, and chlorosis)
and biotic stresses (diseases – rust, leaf spot, and aflatoxin contamination; and insect pests –
pod borers, aphids, thrips and mites). Improved understanding of abiotic stress tolerance,
aflatoxin management, and integrated pest management along with crop improvement for
higher yield, diseases resistance, development new crop management practices and improved
cropping systems for efficient use of resources is essential for increasing profitability and
sustainability of gournd proudction

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