Usually, the application of only N and P is resorted to, since most of the Indian soils are rich in K. The application of N in two equal split doses, one before sowing and the other 30 days after sowing, is found to increase the yield. In virgin lands, when groundnut is newly introduced, the application of a culture of Rhizobium as seed treatment is beneficial in increasing nodulation and nitrogen fixation. The application of gypsom at 500 kg per ha at the pegging stage will enhance pod formation.

Healthy and well developed pods should be hand shelledor shelled with a suitable groundnut_sheeer about fornight before sowing. Well defilled kernels should be selected and treatedwith 5 gm of thiram or 3 g of Captanper kg of kernels. The kharif crop is sown with a speed-drill or with a suitable planter at a depth of 8 to 10 cm. specings adopted differ from place to place. For the rainfed bunch groundnut the inter-raw specings vary between the adjuscent rows varies from 20 and 30 and intra-raw specings between 10 and 20 cm. The quantity of well developed seeds required per hectarewith the above specings will be about 110 kg for semi-spreading and spreading varieties and 120 kg for the bunch varities.

Weeds cause considerable reduction in yield. A reduction of 20 to 45% in yield due to weeds has been recorded. For controlling weeds, and also to keep the soil in a friable condition, the crop should generally receive a hand-weeding and one or two hoeings, with bulllock-drawn implements, the first about three weeks after sowing and the second and the third about a fortnight and a month later. No interculture would be done after the pegs have commmenced going underground. Earthing up can be done in the case of bunch and semi-spreading types to fascilitate the maximum penetration of the pegs into the soil. Weeding can also be done quickly and efficiantly with a wheel hand-hoe, if the soil is light. It should be run before weeds make excessive growth. Weeds can also be controlled effectively with Lasso or Tok-E-25 weedicides at the rate of 5 litres in 500 litres of water per hectare as a pre-emergence soil spray within two days of sowing groundnut. If the Kharif crop is cought in a long spell of draught, especiallyat the pod formation stage, supplimental irrigation is given, if water is available.For the irrigated groundnut,the frequency of irrigation depends on soil texture.and interval between irrigation ranges fro 8 to 12 days. Studies on the water requirment of indicate that the prriod between the fifty first and fifty seventh day(i.e. at peg formation stage) the crop depends on timely irrigation to it during this period.

The prominant symptoms of maturity are the yellowing of leaves, the shedding of older leaves,the development of oroper color of the testa and the dark tint inside the shellThe bunch and semispredading varieties are usually harvested by hand pullingwhen there is adequate moisture in a soil. The spreading types, on the other hand, are harvested by digging with a mammity or by ploughing or working a blade harrow.The pulled out plants are stacked for a few days for drying and stripped afterwards.

The stripped pods are cleaned and dried to a safe moisture content of not more than 5%. Damp nuts, if stored, will ferment and allow the development of poisonus moulds, e.g. aspergillus flavus in the Kernels, leading to contamination with aflatoxin--a health hazard both bor human beings and livestock. The oil express from such produced will be rancid and the cake. When fed to poultry results in a heavy mortality of the birds.It is desirable to store groundnut in gunnt bags are stacked in a storeroom in tires comprising not more in each in such a way that the air keeps circulating planks to aviod damage from dampness, rats, etc. The 4store rooms should be priodically inspected to ensure that there is no storage pest or to decompose of the stock immediatly after proper cleaining.

PESTS AND DISEASES. Aphids(Aphis craccivora Koch-), Leaf miner (Stomopteryx subseciva Zell)., the red hairy cater piller (Amsacta albistriga Walk., and A moorei Bltr.) and the white grub(Lachnosterna consanguiea) are the serious pests of the groundnut crop. Dusting B.H.C 10% on the young larve or spraying Metasystox )0.05% on grown up catrepillers is recomended for controlling the red hairy caterpiller. Spot-treatment with Phorate or Mephospholan granules at the rate of 1.5 kg a.i. per ha into the soil before planting is recomended for controlling the white grub.

The tikka leaf-spot (Cercospora arachidicola and C. personata) and the coller- rot(Aspergillus niger and A. pulverulentum) are important diseases of groundnut. Rust(Puccinia arachidis) has been occuring in a serious form in recent years in certain groundnut growing areas.It is desirable to store groundnut in gunnt bags are stacked in a storeroom in tires comprising not more in each in such a way that the air keeps circulating planks.Dry seed dressing with Thiram or captan @ 4g/kg of seed is recomended for controlling collar-rot. Yet spraying with Hinosan at the rate of 0.02% is recommended to check the spread of the Pathogen.