GROUNTNUT CULTIVATION

           
hello

hope you had a wonderful independence day ..

This week we will be taking a look at GROUNDNUT CULTIVATION..

groundnut plant

                                                                  GROUNDNUT 
    BOTANICAL NAME: Arachis hypogaea

 Groundnut is mostly called PEANUT by the Americans , the main reason it is called (HYPOGAEA) is because IT IS A CROP THAT STORES ITS  FRUIT  IN ITS ROOT(root crop) .
IT IS A LEGUME


hypo-UNDER
gaea- GROUND

harvested groundnut fruits

Groundnut is a food crop and also a cash crop exported mainly because of THE OIL gotten from the fruit.   

                                                                                          








                                         CLIMATE AND SOIL REQUIREMENT
Groundnut grows mostly in the TROPICS REGION
 RAIN FALL : 510-1270mm rain fall must be well distributed )
 SUNLIGHT  : it is a sun loving plant
 SOIL TYPE  : A well drained SANDY LOAM SOIL will help in  burning the fruit in soil very 
                            before and during germination , also soil should be rich in LIME.


                                                                  CULTIVATION
  Groundnut is cultivated by SEED 
    Seeds are sown in 4-5cm deep holes 
    SPACING:  25cm  along rows and 90cm between rows  
     PLANTING 
Early planting:  MARCH-APRIL( because of the rain)
Late planting  :   SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 
         
                                                                   GERMINATION 
 It undergoes EPIGEAL GERMINATION ( the seed is been pushed out of the soil during germination, it takes place above the soil)

EPIGEAL GERMINATION

Germination takes place after 4-5days of planting 

MATURITY STAGE: 3-5months 
CULTURAL PRACTICES: weeding , fertilizer application, fumigation , drip irrigation .
                             
                                   WHAT HAPPENS DURING GERMINATION
1) The first visible evidence of growth you see is the RADICLE( the first part of a seed to shoot downwards into the soil to form root during germination) ,

2)  then the HYPOCOTYLEDON (the first tender stem formed during the process of germination which pushes up the leaves seedlings from the soil out wards) 
                                                          

GERMINATION STAGES

 

                                                                        HARVESTING
   Groundnut matures from 90-130days depending on the type of climate and seed planted
    Leave turns yellow 
    harvesting is done manually by uprooting or  digging out plant from the root it has to be         
    done carefully to avoid fruit loss

                                                                                    

harvested groundnut

                                                                                          

ripe groundnut plant ready for harvest

STORAGE

         Harvested ground nut is dried and dusted with insecticides to avoid distruction by insects
          it is put in sac for export, in bins, air tight containers , rat proof baskets , silos,

industrial silo

          local silos.

dried nut

                                                                                         
                                                                             DISEASES

1 Groundnut Rosette: Caused by virus
                                    casual organism: aphids
                                    symptom : yellowing of leaves,  stunted growth
                                    control:      early planting, control of organism

leaf affected by rosette

2   Aspergillus        : caused by fungi
                                  symptom:   williting of fruit
                                  control:    rapid   drying groundnut

aspergillus

3   Leaf spot          :    caused by fungi
                                    symptom:  brown ring forms on leaf
                                    control:   crop rotation

                                                                  PEST

1 BEETLE
2 APHIDS
3 TERMITES  
                                                 GENERAL CONTROL

       FUMIGATION WITH INSECTICIDE (CARBON DISULPHATE)


                                                         EXPORTING COUNTRIES
   CHINA
   AMERICA
   NIGERIA 


                                            NUTRITONAL VALUE

PROTIEN - 25%-30%
OIL           - 50%
CARBOHYDRATE-  5%



REFRENCES:    LANDMARK UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FARM
                            GROWTH AND MINERAL NUTRITION OF FIELD CROP(NAND KUMAR     
                                                                                                                                     FAGERIA)




                   WE SHOULD ALL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR  PRACTICE OF THE WEEK
                                 IT WILL BE POSTED ON THE BLOG ON THURSDAY
                                              THANK YOU  READ AND SHARE
                                NOT JUST READ , PLEASE PRACTICE AGRICULTURE
                                                                  PO9