Groundnut Seed Production Manual

Seed is the basic input in agriculture. The quality of seed used by farmers determines the status of agriculture they practice. However, for maximum gain in productivity the use of both improved varieties and improved integrated crop management practices are required. Not only do they contribute to increasing productivity individually, but they also act synergistically. Seed of improved varieties is a costly input; more so in the case of groundnut, where the non-availability of improved variety seed is a major constraint in most of the groundnut growing countries. The private sector has little interest in the groundnut seed enterprise – there is the low seed multiplication ratio, bulky nature of the produce, quick loss of seed viability, high cost of transportation, low profit margin and the self pollinated nature of the crop – therefore the task of making the seed of improved groundnut varieties available to farmers in required quantities and at the right price lies with the public sector seed services. Unfortunately, services have not been able to meet the demand of good quality seed of improved varieties of groundnut in many countries. There remains a large gap between the seed demand and seed supply resulting in low area coverage by improved varieties. This manual aims to provide information on groundnut seed production practices and attendant crop management practices. It targets both technicians and producers to ensure high quality seed production. It also briefly describes the current seed systems in West Africa. Groundnut is the sixth most important oilseed crop in the world. It contains 48-50% oil and 26-28% protein, and is a rich source of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Groundnut is grown on 26.4 million ha worldwide with a total production of 37.1 million metric t and an average productivity of 1.4 metric t/ha (FAO, 2003). Over 100 countries worldwide grow groundnut. Developing countries constitute 97% of the global area and 94% of the global production of this crop. The production of groundnut is concentrated in Asia and Africa (56% and 40% of the global area and 68% and 25% of the global production, respectively). Cultivated groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) belongs to genus Arachis in subtribe Stylosanthinae of tribe Aeschynomenea of family Leguminosae. It 2 is a self-pollinated, tropical annual legume. At locations where bee activity is high, some cross-pollination can occur (Nigam et al., 1983). Cultivated groundnut has two subspecies, hypogaea and fastigiata, which in turn …