Peanut Agriculture and Production Technology

Integrated Nutrient Management

Zafar Abbas, Arvind Kumar, Anoop Kumar

• Publisher: Apple Academic Press
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781351681285
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Science General
• Index: Biological Sciences

Peanut Agriculture and Production Technology: Integrated Nutrient Management focuses on agricultural techniques and integrated nutrient management of peanuts ( Arachis hypogaea L.). Peanuts are the second most important oil crop of India, occupying 5.7 million hectares, with an average production of 0.8 ton/ha, which is 23.5% of the India's total oil seed production. Worldwide annual production of shelled peanuts was 42 million metric tons in 2014. It is the world's 4th most important source of edible oil and the 3rd most important source of vegetable protein.

The volume includes basic and advanced information on production, agrotechniques, and integrated nutrient management of Arachis hypogaea L. crop plant. It studies the physiology of the peanut, looking at the proper environmental conditions for optimal growth as well as under various subnormal conditions. It explores the methods of nitrogen application as well as the influence of different sowing dates and population densities to harvest its full yield potential. The book covers methods to achieve balanced nutrition, including using organic manures in groundnut farming to enhance yielding ability.

The book will be a rich resource for those in agriculture, horticulture, and allied sciences, particularly for agricultural scientists in plant and crop physiology, agronomy, and soil science. Farm owners and managers of peanut crops and production will also benefit from the information provided in this volume.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

CONTENTS

1.1 Agro-techniques: Introduction

1.2 Focus on Crop Production

1.3 Present Scenario of the Research

1.4 Methodology and Plan of Work

1.5 Data Tabulation and Analysis

1.6 Data Interpretation and Justification in Context to Groundnut Agriculture

1.1 AGRO-TECHNIQUES: INTRODUCTION

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.), belonging to family Fabaceae, is an important annual legume in the world for oilseed, food, and animal feed. Being a soil nitrogen-fixing crop, it is safe, cheap, and eco-friendly for the soil environment. It is a good source of vegetable oil and protein for humans. It is an exhaustive crop and therefore, its proper crop husbandry has become a must. In this chapter, we will consider the significance and importance of the crop with different sources and methods of nitrogenous fertilizers as well as sowing dates and population densities (seed rates), based on intensive field experimentations under local conditions.

1.2 FOCUS ON CROP PRODUCTION

In India (during 2013–2014), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is cultivated in an area of 5.53 m ha with a production of 9.67 million tons and a productivity of 1,750 kg/ha. The seeds contain 45–50% edible oil, which is used in the preparation of vanaspati, soaps, cosmetics, and cold creams in addition to common cooking oil. According to Das (1997), groundnut oil is good from both the nutritive and culinary perspective, as it contains high oleic acid (40–50%) and linoleic acid (25–35%). The remaining 50% of the kernel has high quality protein (on an average 25.3%), which is about 1.3 times higher than meat, 2.5 times higher than eggs; carbohydrates (6–24.9%); and minerals and vitamins. The productivity is low as compared to the United States and China due to imbalanced fertilization, uncertainty of monsoons, and poor cultural practices adopted by farmers (Kumar, 2012). Being a leguminous crop efficacy of different sources and methods of nitrogen fertilizers as well as sowing dates and population densities were considered to harvest its optimum yielding ability, as these affect different growth and physiological parameters (Kumar, 2012).

Groundnut is an oilseed crop with 40–50% oil content and grown in nearly 100 countries. The remaining seed protein can be used as a meal for food or feed (25–30% protein) (Ahmed et al., 2007). Groundnut is the thirteenth most important food crop of the world (Hatam and Abbasi, 1994). It is the world’s fourth most important source of edible oil and third most important source of vegetable protein. Groundnut seeds contain high quality edible oil, easily digestible protein, and carbohydrates.

Groundnuts are rich in essential nutrients. Ozcan (2010) explained that among the common cooking and salad oil, the groundnut oil contains 46% of monosaturated fats (primarily oleic acid), 33% of polyunsaturated fats (primarily linoleic acid), and 17% of saturated fats (primarily palmitic acid).

The remaining 50% of the kernel has high quality protein (on an average 25.3%), which is about 1.3 times higher than meat and 2.5 times higher than eggs; carbohydrates (6–24.9%); and minerals and vitamins. The United States Department of Agriculture (2014) provides the following data:

Nutritional value of groundnut per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	2,385 kJ (570 kcal)
Carbohydrates	21 g
Sugars	0.0 g
Dietary fiber	9 g
Fat	48 g
Saturated	7 g
Monosaturated	24 g
Polyunsaturated	16 g
Protein	25 g
Tryptophan	0.2445 g
Threonine	0.859 g
Isoleucine	0.882 g
Leucine	1.627 g
Lysine	0.901 g
Methionine	0.308 g
Cystine	0.322 g
Phenylalanine	1.300 g
Tyrosine	1.020 g
Valine	1.052 g
Arginine	3.001 g
Histidine	0.634 g
Alanine	0.997 g
Aspartic acid	3.060 g
Glutamic acid	5.243 g
Glycine	1.512 g
Proline	1.107 g
Serine	1.236 g
Vitamins
Thiamine (B1)	0.6 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	0.3 mg
Niacin (B3)	12.9 mg
Pantothenic acid	1.8 mg
Vitamin B6	0.3 mg
Folate (B9)	246 ug
Vitamin C	0.0 mg
Vitamin E	6.6 mg
Minerals
Calcium	62 mg
Iron	2 mg
Magnesium	184 mg
Manganese	2.0 mg
Phosphorus	336 mg
Potassium	332 mg
Zinc	3.3 mg
Other constituents
Water	4.26 g

The United States Department of Agriculture (2014),
http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/4831.

Units: ug = microgram, mg = milligram, IU = International Units.

It is grown on 26.4 million ha worldwide with a total production of 36.1 million metric tons, and an average productivity of 1.4 metric tons per hectare (FAO, 2004). China leads in production, followed by India as shown in the following table (Anonymous, 2015).

Rank	Countries	Production
1	China	17.0
2	India	9.5
3	Nigeria	3.0
4	United States	1.9
5	Myanmar	1.4
Total	World	46

In India, groundnut is grown on 5.7 million ha with a production of 4.7 million tons and an average productivity of 0.8 tons/ha during the rainy season. Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh is the largest producer of groundnut with 0.74 million ha of area under cultivation (ICRISAT, 2008). Groundnut haulms (vegetative plant parts) provide excellent hay for feeding livestock, being rich in protein and have better palatability and digestibility than other fodder (Singh et al., 2010). Apart from health care, source of fodder, and improved soil fertility, production of groundnut provides a means of livelihood to scores of people. It is also eco-friendly. Moreover, these crops can be intercropped compatibly with sugarcane (a long-term exhaustive crop), as they increase microbial biomass, control weeds and increase nitrogen (N) availability (Suman et al., 2006). This intercropping will also increase the margin of profit and the economic security of small and marginal farmers in sugarcane-dominant districts a...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• About the Authors
• List of Abbreviations
• Foreword
• Preface
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Integrated Nutrient Management
• References
• Index