Groundnut (Arachis hypogea)is the major oilseed crop in India and is bridging the vegetable oil deficit in the country. Groundnut is considered as an important crop due to its high nutritional value and availability throughout the year with a two-crop cycle harvested in March and October but mostly under rain-fed conditions.
Varieties: The following varieties are recommended for Rabi and pre-summer season in Odisha.
| Variety | Duration (days) | Av.yield (q/ha) | Special Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| AK 12-24 | 105 | 16.0 | Resistant to leaf spot |
| TG 37 A | 115 | 20.0 | Drought tolerant |
| Kissan (OG13-3) | 110 | 16.0 | Seed color rosy |
| PhulePragati (JL 24) | 95 | 18.0 | Seed color rosy |
| TAG 24 | 110 | 25.0 | Resistant to leaf spot |
| TG 3 | 110 | 18.0 | Drought resistant |
| Devi (ICGV 91114) | 100 | 16.0 | Tolerant to thrips |
| TMV 2 | 115 | 16.0 | Late leaf spot |
| TG 38 | 110 | 20.0 | Tolerant to stem rot |
| Smruti(OG52-1) | 110 | 25.0 | Resistant to color rot |
| TG 38 B | 95 | 28.0 | Resistant to rust, aphid and leaf miner |
| TG 51 | 115 | 17.0 | Drought tolerant |
| Kadiri 6 | 95 | 20.0 | Bunch variety |
| Dharani(TCGS 1043) | 105 | 30.0 | Drought tolerant |
Soil Type:
Groundnut is growing on well-drained sandy and sandy loam soils as light soils. In Odisha, such soils are found in flood receded river valley of coastal district. The soil pH for groundnut is 6.0 to 6.5 for the best growth and yield. Crop rotation is very important in groundnut farming (not recommended to grow groundnut after groundnut, tobacco or cotton). Optimum soil temperature for good germination of groundnut is 30oC.
Field preparation:
- Plough with a tractor or rotavator the land 3 to 4 times and optimum soil moisture to secure good surface to depth a 0-15cm.
- Apply FYM or compost 5 t/ha before final field preparation.
Seed treatment:
- Use Trichodermaviride @ 5-10 gms/kg of seed just before sowing.
Sowing time:
Seed Rate and Spacing:
- Small seeded varieties (per acre): 50-55 kg,
- Large seeded varieties (per acre): 55-60 kg
- Adopt spacing in 25 cm × 10cm
Fertilizer Management:
- Apply 20kg N, 40kg of P2O5/ha andK2O/ha before sowing the seed.
- 500 kg/ha lime application 3-5 weeks before sowing is recommended for higher yields.
- Apply 25 kg ZnSO4/ha as basal dose once in a year and for boron deficiency apply Borax 10 kg/ha after sowing.
- Apply gypsum @ 200 – 300 kg/ha near pegging zone as top dressing to improve number of pods and pod filling
Weed Management:
- One hoeing and earthing up at 25 DAS followed by hand weeding at 35 DAS. Application of Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC @200 ml/ha within 2-3 days after sowing as pre-emergence herbicide.
Water Management:
- Pre-sowing the crop irrigation and one post sowing irrigation required for better germination.
- Irrigation for 10-15 days’ interval depending open soil moisture condition
- Rice straw can be used as a mulch to conserve soil moisture and improve soil carbon.
- The critical growth stages for irrigation are flowering, pegging and pod formation.
Plant Protection:
- For tikka disease of groundnut spraying of Chlorothalonil 75% WP @2gms/lit of water after 4-5 weeks of sowing is recommended.
- The problem of root grub in the groundnut can be checked by applying 40 kg/ha of BHC 2% at the time of final land preparation.
Harvesting:
- Harvest the crop when plants turn yellow and 70-80% of the pods are mature
- Pull out a few plants at random and shell the pods.
- Irrigate before harvest, if the soil is dry, as this will facilitate easy harvesting.
