Soil requirements, field preparation, and varieties
Groundnut pods mature underground, making light, friable topsoil essential.
- Soil Type: Well-drained sandy loam or red loamy soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5; avoid heavy sticky clays that impede peg penetration and make harvesting difficult.
- Field Preparation: Plough 2 to 3 times to achieve a fine, pulverised tilth; incorporate 8 to 10 tonnes of well-decomposed FYM per hectare during summer tillage.
- Bunch (Erect) Types: Mature in 100 to 110 days (varieties like TG 37A, TAG 24, Kadiri 6); well-suited for mechanization and summer farming.
- Spreading / Semi-Spreading Types: Mature in 120 to 135 days (varieties like GG 20, Girnar 4, Girnar 5); popular for Kharif rainfed belts.
Sowing seasons, seed rate, and seed treatment
Proper seed selection and biological treatment protect seedlings from collar rot and boost nodulation.
- Sowing Window: Kharif sowing with the onset of monsoon (June to July); Summer sowing in January to February under assured irrigation.
- Seed Rate: 100 to 120 kg kernels per hectare for bunch varieties; 80 to 100 kg kernels per hectare for spreading varieties.
- Seed Treatment: Treat kernels with Thiram or Mancozeb (3 g/kg seed) followed by Trichoderma viride to prevent seed and collar rot.
- Rhizobium Inoculation: Inoculate treated kernels with cowpea miscellany Rhizobium culture and Phosphobacteria using jaggery water.
- Spacing: Maintain 30 cm between rows and 10 cm between plants on flat beds or broad bed and furrows (BBF).
Critical inputs: Gypsum application and pegging stage care
Calcium is essential for kernel filling inside underground pods.
- Gypsum Application: Apply 400 to 500 kg gypsum per hectare at the flowering/pegging stage (40 to 45 days after sowing); calcium prevents 'pops' (empty pods) and sulfur boosts oil synthesis.
- Do Not Disturb Soil During Pegging: Stop all mechanical inter-cultivation and weeding once pegs enter the soil to avoid breaking developing pods.
- Critical Irrigation Stages: Flowering, peg penetration, and pod development; avoid water stress during pegging.
- Harvesting: Harvest when leaves turn yellow, inner pod shell develops dark brown/black coloration, and kernels separate cleanly from the shell.
Official source
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ICAR - Directorate of Groundnut Research (DGR) ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
Why is gypsum application mandatory in groundnut farming?
Gypsum supplies readily available calcium directly into the pod-forming zone, preventing empty pods ('pops') and ensuring fully filled kernels with high oil content.
What is the best spacing for bunch type groundnut varieties?
A row-to-row spacing of 30 cm and plant-to-plant spacing of 10 cm is ideal for bunch (erect) groundnut varieties.
How can a farmer check if groundnuts are ready to harvest?
Pull a few sample plants; if 75% to 80% of pods show a dark brown or black interior vein pattern inside the pod shell, the crop is mature for harvest.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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