Growth Of Ground Nut Plant

There are 4 types of groundnut plants based on the growth habit:

• Spanish (bunch),
• Virginia (bunch),
• Virginia (runner) and
• Valencia (bunch)

In the Spanish (bunch) group, the plants

• grow erect,
• possess light-green leaves,
• have round, plump non-dormant seeds, with light-rose testa,
• small pods, rarely have more than 2 seeds/pod,
• produce pods in clusters at the base of the plant, and
• popularly cultivated type.

In Virginia bunch and runner types,

• the branches crawl either partially or completely on the surface of the soil,
• produce large pods all along them,
• possess dark-green foliage,
• have oblong, dormant brownish seeds, and
• late maturing but yield higher than bunch types.

In Valencia bunch types,

• very sparse branching habit,

• dark green foliage,
• seeds long or short,
• seed coats purple, red, russet, or tan,
• many pods may have 3-4 seeds,
• are relatively unimportant.
Observe branches and pod setting in the two types

After sowing, seedlings emerge in 5-10 days, depending on sowing depth and soil moisture.
Bunch types do not possess seed dormancy.
But seed of spreading types have a dormant period of 1-6 months, after harvest, depending on temperature
and storage conditions.
However, the dormancy can be broken by heat treatment or ethylene treatment.

The plants usually grow slowly until about 40 days after planting.
Peanut plants start flowering about 25 to 40 days after planting (Fig).
Growth is more rapid between 40 to 100 days. During this period a four- to five-fold increase in peanut
foliage occurs.
Groundnuts can flower (orange yellow) over a long period (20-60 days), depending on moisture
availability, and temperature.
The flowering period is considerably shorter in bunch type of cultivars than in spreading types.

The flowers are born mostly near the base of plant. It is a self pollinated crop i.e its own pollen fertilizes
the ovules.
After fertilization, stalk of ovary elongates and forms peg which contains fertilized ovules at the tip.
The pegs penetrate the soil up to a depth of 7 cm and then grows horizontally when the ovary starts
developing as a pod containing seeds.

1. Growing ovary.
2. Aerial peg, 5 to 7 days.
3. Peg soil penetration, 8 to 12 days.
4. Beginning of pod enlargement, 14 to 21 days.
5. Early stage in pod development.
6. Immature pod.

Normally 60-80 days are required for pod development from flowering to maturation in spreading types
and slightly less than that (50-60 days) in bunch types.
Vegetative development declines During pod filling.
With this, the Lesson 2 on Growth of Ground Plant, and also this Module I - About Groundnut concludes.
Next, Module is about economically important insect pests in groundnut crop.

Select Module II from course contents

Bunch type takes 85 to 100 days to mature and spreading cultivars mature in 110 to 130 days under warm
conditions.
Next, is about economically important insect pests in groundnut crop.
Groundnut center of origin (solid line), area of intensive cultivation (dotted line) and areas of maximum
Cultivation (colored).

Economically Important Insect Pests:

1. Tobacco Caterpillar or Armyworm: The adult moths are light brown with mottled forewings.

Eggs are laid in clusters of several hundreds, usually on the upper surface of leaves.

The caterpillars are light green. As they grow, they become dark green to brown on their backs, lighter
underneath, and have prominent black spots (Fig.) near the mouth region.

Newly hatched caterpillars can be detected by the 'scratch' marks they make on the leaf surface (Fig.).
The older ones are night-feeders and are usually found in the soil around the base of plants during the day.

Crop damage

The larvae feed on the foliage particularly on young leaves and buds and cause heavy damage to the
foliage (Fig.)

They chew large areas of the leaf, and can, at high population densities, strip a crop of its leaves (Fig.).

The caterpillars bore into the pods when groundnut is grown on light soils (Fig.).
Management

• During the first 50 days of the crop if the defoliation is over 25%, or if more than one larva per
plant is observed, then only one should initiate the recommended plant protection measures.
• Set up pheromone traps at 2 traps/ha to monitor the adult (moth) populations.
• Grow castor or sunflower along the border and irrigation channels as an indicator or trap crop.
• Collect the gregarious early stages caterpillars in clusters (which manifest the lace-like leaves by
their feeding) on castor or sunflower and destroy them.
• Avoid migration of caterpillars by digging a trench 30 cm deep and 25 cm wide with perpendicular
sides around the infested fields.
• Apply nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) at 250 LE (larval equivalents)/ha with sugar 2.5 kg/ha in
the evening hours. Sugar acts as a sticker and as a stimulant.
• Prepare bait with the following materials to cover one hectare.
• Rice bran 12.5 kg, molasses 2.5 kg and Carbaryl 50 WP 1.25 kg.
• Mix the ingredients to a homogeneous mixture, sprinkle water gradually and bring the bait to a
dough consistency.
• Distribute the above bait on the soil, around the field and inside in the evening hours immediately
after preparation.
• This is mostly practiced in irrigated and high-input-use areas.
• A number of recommended pesticides are available to control the pest.
• But, the farmers are advised to select the pesticide which is less expensive among the
recommended chemical.

Apply any one of the following insecticides to control early stages of caterpillar:

• Carbaryl 10 D-25 kg/ha;

• Carbaryl 50 WP 2.0 kg/ha;
• Quinalphos 20 EC-750 ml/ha;
• Endosulfan 35 EC- 1.0 liter/ha;
• Dichlorvos 76 WSC – 750 ml/ha;
• Indoxacarb 14.5 SC- 250 ml/ha;
• Spinosad 45 SC – 125 ml/ha.

2. Hairy Cater Pillars;

• Several species of hairy caterpillars attack groundnut.

 • Two species of red hairy caterpillars are important. While one species is found in south India, the
other one in the northern states.
• Both species can be devastating, but are highly sporadic.
• Earlier they were key pests of groundnut. Now they are unpredictably important in isolated
pockets.

The adults are white moths with brownish forewings (Top Fig.).

The adults emerge from the soil at the onset of the southwest monsoon (usually in June).
Females lay 800-1000 eggs in clusters of 50-100 on groundnut and other host plants.
The larvae are initially light brown, but turn reddish as they grow.
Their 'hairiness' makes them conspicuous, especially the larger ones.

They devastate groundnut foliage and then migrate to the next groundnut field.
About Bihar Hairy Caterpillars
Bihar hairy caterpillar is widely distributed in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bengal, Bihar, Haryana, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh in India.
The adult is a brown moth. The forewings have black spots and the abdomen is red.
Eggs are laid in clusters of 50-100.

The larvae (which can measure up to 5 cm) are covered with long yellowish to black hairs (Fig.).

Their damage to groundnut foliage is similar to that of other species of hairy caterpillars.

Crop Damage

Hairy caterpillars scarp the under surface of the leaf in their early stages.
The scrapped patches of the leaves can be easily detected.
Full-grown larvae devour the entire foliage, flowers and growing points.
Management

• Hand picking of larvae, and collection and destruction of egg masses are effective in reducing the
larval population.
 • Planting of barnyard millet around the groundnut field may act as strong physical barrier. Such a
barrier reduces the cost of insecticide use.
• Use of light traps soon after the monsoon for 20-45 days and collecting and killing of adult moths
are effective.
• Migrating larvae of hairy caterpillar from one field to another can be checked by digging trenches
across the direction of their march, and destroy them.
• Distribute small balls of poison bait in the field preferably during evenings. The poison bait is
prepared by mixing 10 kg rice bran,1 kg jaggery and one liter Quinolphos.
• Dusting of Carbaryl or Quinolphos at 25-30 kg/ha controls young larvae.
• Use of 200 ml Dichlorovos 100 EC dissolved in 400 liters of water/ha may be used to control
grown up caterpillars. or
• Spray Endosulfan 2 ml or Dimethiate 2 ml or Monocrotophos 1.6 ml/liter of water.

3. Gram Pod Borer:

About Gram Pod Borer

The moths have dull brown forewings.

A single female moth can lay 2000 small eggs. Single cream colored eggs are laid on young leaves and
flowers.
 Most larvae are dark greenish brown, but they can also be pink, cream, or almost black.
Larvae are easy to find on the foliage as they do not hide in the soil unlike tobacco caterpillars.
Crop Damage
The larvae damage the foliage similar to tobacco and hairy caterpillars but it prefers to feed on flowers
and buds

Young larvae enter leaf bud by making a pin-hole. These pin-holes form mirror images on the expanded
leaf.

Ten per cent leaf damage is considered as economic threshold level.

Management
Crop rotation with sorghum, maize, pearl millet and sugarcane minimizes the infestation.

Grow sunflower as border or intercrop in groundnut fields to serve as indicator or trap crop.
Defoliated sunflower by Gram Pod Borer in groundnut crop
Distribute poison bait around and inside the field in the evening hours immediately after preparation. The
bait is prepared by mixing 12.5 kg of rice bran, 2.5 kg of molasses or brown sugar with 1.25 kg of
Carbaryl 50 WP.
If defoliation exceeds 10%, or if one or more larva per plant is found during the first 50 days after
seedling emergence, then apply Endosulfan at 350 mL a.i./ha, Monocrotophos at 300 ml a.i./ha, or
Fenvalerate at 100 ml a.i./ha.
Large larvae may not be killed by insecticides. Crop monitoring is advisable.
Monitor the emergence of adult moths by setting up pheromone traps (5 per ac).
Note that the crop can withstand considerable levels of defoliation after the seeds start developing in the
pod without significant reductions in crop yield.
There are a number of ancillary control measures such as monitoring by pheromone traps, encouraging
predators like spiders, bird perches (10/ha).

Application of nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) at 250 LE (larval equivalents)/ha.

4. Ground Nut Leaf Miner:

About Leaf Miner

The adult is a small brownish gray moth.

Each female moth lays about 200 eggs.

Shiny white eggs are laid singly, usually on the underside of the leaflets, close to the midribs, and are just
visible to the naked eye (Fig.).

The young larvae mine into the leaves as soon as they hatch.
If a mine is opened, the minute caterpillar can be seen inside.

The mines enlarge as the larvae grow. When they become too large to occupy the mine, the larvae emerge
and web adjacent leaflets.
Crop Damage
The young larvae mine into the leaves and feed on the leaf tissue. The infestation is usually detected by
the presence of small brown blotches on (or in) the leaf.

A severely attacked field looks 'burnt' from a distance.

Epidemics can result in total crop loss. Leaf miners are favored by the hot dry conditions of the post-rainy
season.
Management
Growing resistant varieties like ICGV 86031.
Consider the role of natural enemies. Minute white specks like parasites can be seen attached to the
outside of the larvae.
Postpone the spray if more than 50% of the larvae are parasitized. Meanwhile closely monitor the
development of the pest population.

Resistant Variety on the right and a susceptible one on the left.

Chemical control is recommended if five or more active larvae per plant are found up to 30 days after
seedling emergence (DAE), 10 larvae per plant at 50 DAE, or 15 larvae per plant at 75 DAE or later.

Dimethoate at 200-250 mL a.i./ha or Monocrotophos at 150-200 mL a.i./ha should be

applied if groundnut leaf miners are observed over the threshold populations.

5. Thrips:

About Thrips
Thrips are small insects (Fig.) that live in the flowers and folded leaflets of groundnut. They are pale
cream in color, and are usually hidden. For these reasons they are not conspicuous.
They can be present at any time of the year but are most numerous in the post-rainy season.

Enlarged Picture of a Thrip

Crop Damage
Nymphs and adults suck sap from the surface of the leaflets initially resulting in white patches on the
upper and necrotic patches on the lower surface of the leaves.
In severe infestations, particularly in the winter crop (November-sown in southern India), leaf distortion
causes stunted plants.
Yield reduction is not serious.
Thrips are more dangerous to the crop as they transmit peanut bud necrosis virus disease, which can cause
widespread plant death (Fig.).

Bud necrosis affected plant on the right and resistant one on the left.
Management
Farmers often apply insecticides to control thrips. This often results in outbreaks of more serious pests.
Insecticide application does not help to reduce levels of bud necrosis disease.
Grow varieties resistance to thrips like Robut 33-1, Kadiri 3, and ICGS 86031 in endemic areas to reduce
the risk of thrips damage and bud necrosis disease.

If there are more than five thrips per terminal (folded) leaf during 30 days after
emergence in the post rainy season, apply Dimethoate at 200-250 ml a.i./ ha.
Thereafter, it is not necessary to use insecticides for thrips control.
6. White Grubs:
The adult beetles feed on the leaves of trees like Neem and Acacia. They are small reddish brown beetles.

The female adults enter into the soil to lay eggs often in clusters.

The young grubs are white and translucent (Fig.).

Fully grown larvae are larger than a thumb.

The larvae feed on soil organic matter for a few weeks and then eat roots. They also damage pods.
Crop Damage
The grubs cut and eat the plant roots, and consequently the plants will wilt and die.
Severely infested fields have large patches of dead plants; the surviving plants are often stunted, and show
signs of wilt.

If the grubs are present at the time of podding, they also damage the pods.

Management
Plants with fibrous roots (sorghum, pearl millet etc.) are able to withstand white grub attack better than
species with tap roots (groundnut etc.).
Hence, crops such as pearl millet planted around the groundnut field act as 'nurseries' for infestation.
In areas where white grub is persistent problem, deep ploughing after harvesting the crop can reduce the
population as birds can pickup the grubs, and destruction of pupae.
Control white grub adults by spraying their feeding trees like neem etc. with Carbaryl 50 WP at 2 g per
liter of water. This spraying need to be repeated 3 to 4 times until mid-July, ideally using community
approach.
Seed dressing with Chlorpyriphose at 2.5 mL a.i. per kg of seed can suppress white grub populations.
Application of Carbofuran at 1 kg a.i./ha in the seed furrows can be effective prophylactic measure.

7. Ground Nut Bruchid:

About Groundnut Bruchid

The adult is a brown beetle (Fig.).

Small translucent milky-white eggs can be seen attached to the pod wall. The larva burrows through the
pod wall, and starts eating the seed.

Fully grown larvae often leave the storage sack and pupate in large numbers at the bottom of the pile of
sacks.

Bruchids Damage
The first sign of attack is the appearance of 'windows' cut into the pod wall by the larva.

The larva burrows through the pod wall, and eats the seeds. Thus, groundnut seeds are too badly damaged
for human consumption or oil expulsion.
Management
Drying the pods to less than 10% moisture before storing.
No live insect pests are present in the produce or in the storage areas.
Spraying the bags with pods with DDVP (Nuvan) at 2 ml/ liter of water or dusting with 5% Malathion.
Fumigation of pods with Aluminum phosphide (Celphos) at 3 g tablets per bag of groundnut (40 kg) and
covering the sacks with polythene sheet for 5 days can effectively control bruchids without affecting the
seed viability.
Fumigation should be done only in well aerated places outside the residential areas or in seed godowns
only.

Defoliators:

1. Ground Nut Bud Borer:

About Bud Borer

This pest occurs in northern India, and is normally considered to be a minor pest.
Fully grown larvae are chocolate brown in color.

Crop Damage
Larvae bore into terminal buds and shoots and prevents further growth of plants.
It can also tunnel into the stems.

As the crop damage is not significant, no management practice is needed.

2. Tussock Cater Pillars:

About Tussock caterpillar
Adults are medium-sized moths.
The caterpillars are easily recognized by the presence of prominent, compact tufts of short hair on the
back and near the head.

Crop Damage
The larvae feed on groundnut leaves, buds, and flowers.
Populations are seldom large enough to warrant pesticide application.

3. Grey Weevils:

About Grey Weevils

Adults are small grayish brown weevils which can be easily identified on leaves of the crop.
These insects are not known to have attained demonstrable pest status in farmers' fields.
Crop Damage
Grey weevils eat groundnut foliage, particularly during the rainy season, notching or scalloping the edges
of leaves.

Root and Pod Feeders

1. White Grubs :

The adult beetles feed on the leaves of trees like Neem and Acacia. They are small reddish brown beetles.
The female adults enter into the soil to lay eggs often in clusters.

The young grubs are white and translucent (Fig.).

Fully grown larvae are larger than a thumb.

The larvae feed on soil organic matter for a few weeks and then eat roots. They also damage pods.
Crop Damage
The grubs cut and eat the plant roots, and consequently the plants will wilt and die.
Severely infested fields have large patches of dead plants; the surviving plants are often stunted, and show
signs of wilt.
If the grubs are present at the time of podding, they also damage the pods.

Management
Plants with fibrous roots (sorghum, pearl millet etc.) are able to withstand white grub attack better than
species with tap roots (groundnut etc.).
Hence, crops such as pearl millet planted around the groundnut field act as 'nurseries' for infestation.
In areas where white grub is persistent problem, deep ploughing after harvesting the crop can reduce the
population as birds can pickup the grubs, and destruction of pupae.
Control white grub adults by spraying their feeding trees like neem etc. with Carbaryl 50 WP at 2 g per
liter of water. This spraying need to be repeated 3 to 4 times until mid-July, ideally using community
approach.
Seed dressing with Chlorpyriphose at 2.5 mL a.i. per kg of seed can suppress white grub populations.

Application of Carbofuran at 1 kg a.i./ha in the seed furrows can be effective

prophylactic measure.

2. Termites:

About Termites or White Ants

Termites are widely distributed in all groundnut growing areas in India. They favor red and sandy soils,
and are less of a problem in post-rice groundnut crops and in clayey soils.

Termites live in colonies and these colonies can extend several feet underground.
Termites are white translucent ant like insects.

Crop Damage
Termites can cause damage to groundnut plants in several ways:

• They enter the root system and burrow inside the root and stem; this usually kills the plant.

• They bore holes in the pods and damage the seed.

 • They remove the soft corky tissue from between the veins of the pods (scarified).
• They do not usually damage the seed. But scarified pods are more susceptible to infestation by
Aspergillus fungus, which produces health hazard aflatoxins.

Pods scarified by termites

Management
Destroy termite nests by clean cultivation.
Seed treatment with Chlorpyriphos.
Drenching of termite nests with Chlorpyriphos solution.

Application of Carbofuran or Chlorpyriphos to the soil using 1 kg a.i. /ha at planting

time can reduce termite incidence.

3. Jewel Beetle:

About Jewel Beetle

The adult beetle is dark but with a jewel-like shine.
Life Cycle of Jewel Beetle
The larvae can easily be identified by a characteristic bulb at the head and thorax region.

The larvae are without legs.

Crop Damage
The larvae bore into the stem and tunnel into the root causing the plant to wilt and die (Fig.).

They often go unrecognized in southern India during both the rainy and post-rainy seasons.
Management
This pest attacks groundnut during the later stages of crop growth (around 50 days). So, application of soil
insecticides such as Carbofuran or Chlorpyriphos at 1 kg a.i. /ha could help in reducing the damage to the
crop. Hence, application of insecticides at 50 days of the crop would be more effective.

4. Earwig:

Earwigs are important in some parts of southern India, particularly in clay soils.
The adults can easily be recognized by their unique forked abdominal tip.
About Earwig
Their eggs (Fig.) are laid in clusters of 20-100, usually in the soil, and sometimes inside damaged pods.

Crop Damage
Both nymphs and adults bore into tender developing pods and feed on the seeds.

Infested pods are prone to fungal infection.

Management

This pest appears around pod formation phase.

In areas where this pest is serious, application of soil insecticides such as Carbofuran or Chlorpyriphos at
1 kg a.i./ha could help in reducing the damage to the crop.

Irrigating the fields after the application of the above soil insecticides will provide better protection.

5. Wire Worms And False Wire Worms:

Wireworms and False Wireworms occasionally cause damage to groundnut.

Adult False wireworms (dusky brown beetles) occur on foliage and flowers.
False wireworm larvae are white or cream, shiny, hard-bodied, and virtually indistinguishable, even to
experts.

Crop Damage
The larvae of wireworms and False wireworms feed on groundnut roots.
These larvae also feed on pods and seeds of groundnut.

Management
Wireworms appear around pod formation phase. In areas where this pest is serious, drenching the soil with
Chlorpyriphos or incorporating Carbofuran at 1 kg a.i. can help. This application followed by irrigation
can provide better protection to the crop.

Storage Pests:
1. Red Flour Beetle And Rice Moth:

About Red Flour Beetle and Rice Moth

 These two insects are common pests of shelled groundnuts (kernels or seeds).
However, they are considered as secondary pests as they are not capable of infesting well formed and
undamaged pods.
Adult red flour beetles are 3-4 mm long, oblong, and brown in color. Slender cylindrical larvae start
feeding on the seed after hatching from the egg.

The rice moth has grayish brown forewings. The creamy white larvae start feeding on the seed
immediately after they hatch.

Damage to Groundnut Kernels

The signs of damage can be easily recognized.
The presence of webbing indicates rice moth infestation.
The signs of damage can be easily recognized.
Powdery remnants of kernels (but no webbing) reveal red flour beetle infestation.

Management of Storage Pests

Maintenance of optimum moisture content (not >5%) is always critical in preventing the development of
storage pests.

For protection against these 2 storage pests groundnuts should be stored unshelled.

If groundnuts are stored as seed, care should be taken to avoid breakage. Broken seeds should not be
stored for long periods.

Dusting with an inert substance such as attapulgite-based clay dust (ABCD) can help to minimize storage
insect problems.

2. Pod Sucking Bug:

About Pod Sucking Bug
This insect pest occurs in all groundnut growing areas in India.
The adult is dark brown bug (Fig.). In the field, the females lay their eggs in the soil or on groundnut
haulms. In storage eggs are laid loosely among the groundnuts or on sacks.

All stages of this insect attack pods as well as kernels (seeds).

Damage
This bug feeds on pods left in the field to dry, or on stored pods.
 In storage this bug feed on seeds, perforating the pod with their rostrum. This causes the seeds to shrivel
and increases the free fatty acid content of the oil, producing a rancid flavor. Thus, the quality of
groundnuts, and also the keeping quality of groundnuts are affected.
Management of Storage Pests
Maintenance of optimum moisture content (not >5%) is always critical in preventing the development of
storage pests.
For protection against these 2 storage pests groundnuts should be stored unshelled.
If groundnuts are stored as seed, care should be taken to avoid breakage. Broken seeds should not be
stored for long periods.
Dusting with an inert substance such as attapulgite-based clay dust (ABCD) can help to minimize storage
insect problems.

Fumigation of pods with Aluminum phosphide (Celphos) at 3 g tablets per bag of groundnut (40 kg) and
covering the sacks with polythene sheet for 5 days can effectively control bruchids without affecting the
seed viability.

Fumigation should be done only in well aerated places outside the residential areas or in seed godowns
only, under the supervision of plant protection specialist.