Groundnut

Since 1976, ICRISAT has been at the forefront of groundnut (peanuts) genetic improvement, with its headquarters in Patancheru serving as the starting point. The institute's efforts included acquiring germplasm, establishing breeding programs, and collaborating with National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) across diverse countries in Africa and Asia. In response to the needs of the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) and West and Central Africa (WCA) regions, ICRISAT expanded its genetic improvement program to regional locations in Mali (originally established in Niger in 1998 and then moved to Mali in 1998) and Malawi (established in 1982).

Collaborating with NARS from 47 different countries in Africa and Asia, ICRISAT's groundnut team actively engages with the private food and seed industry to deliver demand-led groundnut crop products to stakeholders. The institute has successfully released approximately 225 groundnut varieties for cultivation in 38 different countries, all developed using ICRISAT supplied germplasm. Noteworthy milestones include the release of the world's first early-maturing groundnut variety in 1996 and the world's first variety combining foliar fungal disease resistance and early maturing properties using genomic tools.

As part of the 12-year Tropical Legumes project, ICRISAT has developed 101 improved groundnut varieties tailored for 12 countries, highlighting the institute's commitment to enhancing groundnut research and crop development.

ICRISAT's multi-disciplinary groundnut breeding team is devoted to accelerating the rate of genetic gain within the breeding pipeline while making progress in improving operational and cost efficiencies.

Some key highlights from ICRISAT's groundnut breeding work include:

 High yielding and short-duration varieties: ICRISAT has successfully developed early maturing, high-yielding, and large kernel-sized groundnut varieties using hybridization, which have been widely adopted in India, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, and Burkina Faso.

 High oleic groundnut varieties: Pioneering the development of India's first high oleic acid (HOA) groundnut varieties, Girnar 4 (ICGV 15083) and Girnar 5 (ICGV 15090), ICRISAT collaborated with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Directorate of Groundnut Research (ICAR-DGR) and later released two Spanish-type HOA groundnut varieties, GG 40 (ICGV 16668) and GG 39 (ICGV 16697) in partnership with Junagadh Agricultural University (JAU-Gujarat). These HOA lines are currently under testing for commercialization in Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, South Africa, Mali, and Malawi.

 Disease Resistance: ICRISAT's groundnut researchers are focused on improving existing popular varieties and introducing improved varieties that are resistant to common diseases like groundnut rosette and leaf spot virus. The Tropical Legumes project has driven efforts to develop high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties, reducing productivity risks for farmers.

 Aflatoxin Management: Aflatoxin contamination poses a significant challenge to groundnut export. ICRISAT has extensive experience in aflatoxin management and has developed various technologies to mitigate risks, including tolerant cultivars, optimal harvesting and drying techniques, and the use of control agents. Through ICRISAT's intervention on aflatoxin management, Malawi's groundnut exports to South Africa and the European Union have been successfully revived.

ICRISAT remains committed to advancing groundnut research, enhancing crop productivity, and supporting sustainable agricultural practices that benefit smallholder farmers and contribute to global food security.