ABSTRACT
Improving cultivation of groundnuts S. N. Nigam, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India; D. L. Jordan, North Carolina State University, USA; and P. Janila, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India
1 Introduction
2 Limitations of present agronomic recommendations
3 Choice of variety/cultivar
4 Field preparation and soil resources management
5 Seed preparation, planting and weed and water management
6 Plant protection practices
7 Harvesting, drying, curing and storage
8 Precision cultivation
9 Seed systems
10 Conclusion
11 Where to look for further information
12 References
Groundnut (also known as peanut) (Arachis hypogaea L.), a native of South America, has often been referred to as an unpredictable legume in the past (Gregory and Gregory, 1979; Hammons, 1994). The genus Arachis contains 81 described species, categorized into nine taxonomic sections, and includes both diploids and tetraploids belonging to either annual or perennial type. The classification is based on morphology, geographical distribution and cross-compatibility among the species (Valls and Simpson, 2005). The only cultivated groundnut, Arachis hypogaea L., is further divided into two sub-species ‘hypogaea’ and ‘fastigata’ based on the branching pattern and the distribution of vegetative and reproductive axes. Although it has been known to humankind for many centuries, its commercial cultivation started only in early 1900, when it began receiving research attention.
