Groundnut (Arachis
hypogaea L.)
Groundnut is a self-pollinated, allotetraploid (2n=4x=40)
with genome 1C=2891 Mbp.
Developing countries account for over 97.6% of world
groundnut area (21.7 m ha) and about 95.5% of total production (33.0
m t) with average yield of 1522 kg ha-1. Production is concentrated
in Asia and Africa, where the crop is grown mostly by smallholder farmers
under rain-fed conditions with limited inputs.
Asia accounts for:
- 56% of global groundnut area
- 67% of production
Africa accounts for:
- 40% of global groundnut area
- 26% of production
Groundnut is currently grown on nearly 22.2 m ha worldwide
with a total production of 35 m t and average yield of 1554 kg ha-1.
Between 1995 and 2006 annual growth rates worldwide
(Figure 1) were:
- 0.06% for area (21 m ha to 24 m ha)
- 1.71% for production (29 m t to 38 m t)
- 1.65% for yield (1315 kg ha-1 to 1614
kg ha-1)
Figure 1. Three-year moving average for groundnut
area, production, and pod yield; and number of varieties released (3
- year total) globally.
In
Asia (Figure 2), they were:
- 0.06% in area (12 m ha to 13 m ha)
- 1.76% in production (19 m t to 26 m t)
- 1.70% in yield (1571 kg ha-1 to 1911
kg ha-1)
Figure 2. Three year moving average for groundnut
area, production, and pod yield and number of varieties released (3-
year total) in Asia.
The major gains in growth rates in Asia came from
China, India, Vietnam and Indonesia.
In
Africa (Figure 3), during the period
1997 to 2006, and unlike in the 1980’s, the rates became positive
with annual growth rates of:
- 0.37% for area (8.6 m ha to 9.1 m ha)
- 2.04% for production (7 m t to 9 m t)
- 1.66% for yield (835 kg ha-1 to 1019
kg ha-1)
Nigeria , Sudan, Senegal, Chad, Congo, and Ghana contributed
to positive growth rates in Africa.
Figure 3. Three year moving average for groundnut
area, production, and pod yield; number of varieties released (3- year
total) in Africa.
Cultivars released
Since 1986, our partners in the National Agricultural
Research Systems have released from ICRISAT-derived material:
- 61 improved cultivars in 15 countries in Asia,
including 20 in India
- 62 improved cultivars in 20 countries in Africa
A large number of improved varieties are being tested
on-farm in several countries.
Impacts in Asia
- With the introduction of improved varieties
in new autumn-winter cropping season, groundnut area and productivity
increased from 142,000 ha and 1.55 t ha-1 in 2002 to 186,000
ha and 1.77 t ha-1 in 2005.
- Improved bacterial wilt resistant varieties, Zhonghua
6, Yuanza 9102 and Yueyou 200 (developed from ICRISAT's advanced breeding
lines) are slowly replacing their local varieties in 65% area in Hubei
province in China.
- A new drought tolerant groundnut variety, ICGV
91114, is becoming very popular in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh,
India, where it is now replacing a 7- decade old variety TMV 2. ICGV
91114 has also been released in Orissa and is doing very well in Karnataka,
India.
- Spring season cultivation of groundnut is
expanding in North India. In Uttar Pradesh alone 85,000 ha are reported
to be under the crop. In Punjab SG 84 (ICGS 1) and SG 99 (ICGV 89280)
and in Uttar Pradesh ICGV 93468 (‘Avatar’) are the popular
varieties for spring season cultivation.
