Did you know that Groundnuut is one of the most popular and universal crops cultivated in more than 100 countries in six continents, including Indian subcontinent?
Did you know that Groundnut, which is called 'Poor Man's Almond", is believed to be originated from South America, and is one of the most important crops in the world, both for vegetative oil and as a protein source?
Groundnuut, with botanical name Arachis hypogaea, is a species in the legume or "bean" family. It is also known as earthnuts, ground nuts, goobers, goober peas, pindas, jack nuts, pinders, manila nuts and monkey nuts; the last of these is often used to mean the entire pod. Botanical name 'Arachis hypogaea' is derived from two Greek words, Arachis means a legume and hypogaea means below ground, referring to the formation of pods in the soil. The groundnut or peanut is a very commonly used food plant, valued mainly for its edible seed and oil, but also having medicinal and other uses. It is widely cultivated throughout the tropics and sub-tropics for its seed.
In India, it is the single largest source of edible oils and constitutes roughly about 50% of the total oilseed production. Groundnut is known in vernacular languages in India as: Kadalekaayi ಕಡಲೆಕಾಯಿ in Kannada; Chinabadam, Mungphali in HIndi; Magaphali, Singdana in Gujarati; Kappalanti, Nilakatala in Malayalam; Badamchini, Bhuimuga in Marathi; Manila-k-kottai, Manila-p-payaru in Tamil; and Nelakadale in Telugu.
The groundnut or peanut was probably first domesticated and cultivated in the valleys of Paraguay in South America. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing 30 to 50 cm (1.0 to 1.6 ft) tall. It is a legume of the botanical family Fabaceae, also known as Leguminosae, and commonly known as the legume, bean, or pea family. Like most other legumes, peanuts harbor symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their root nodules. The leaves are opposite and pinnate with four leaflets (two opposite pairs; no terminal leaflet); the leaves are nyctinastic; that is, they have "sleep" movements, closing at night. The flowers are 1 to 1.5 cm across, and yellowish orange with reddish veining; actually appears like a highly elongated floral cup. Peanut fruits, pods, develop underground, an unusual feature known as geocarpy. Parts of the peanut include: shell – outer covering, in contact with soil; Cotyledons (two) – main edible part; Seed coat – brown paper-like covering of the edible part; Radicle – embryonic root at the bottom of the cotyledon, which can be snapped off; and Plumule – embryonic shoot emerging from the top of the radicle.
Traditionally, peanuts are pulled and inverted by hand. After the peanuts have dried sufficiently, they are threshed, removing the peanut pods from the rest of the bush. It is particularly important that peanuts are dried properly and stored in dry conditions to avoid fungus growth
Groundnuts (peanuts) are of great economic importance internationally; an important oilseed and food crop.There are many peanut cultivars grown around the world. The varieties under cultivation fall into three groups in respect of the habit of growth, namely bunch (Spanish), semi-spreading (Virginia bunch) and spreading (Virginia runner).
Peanut oil, also known as groundnut oil or arachis oil, is a vegetable oil derived from peanuts or groundnut and is widely used throughout the world. The oil usually has a mild or neutral flavor but, if made with roasted peanuts, has a stronger peanut flavor and aroma.; it is he world's largest source of vegetable oil.
Peanut oil is 17% saturated fat, 46% monounsaturated fat, and 32% polyunsaturated fat. Dry-roasting peanuts is a common form of preparation. Boiled peanuts are a popular snack in India. A distinction is drawn between raw and green peanuts. A green peanut is a term to describe farm fresh harvested peanuts that have not been dehydrated.
Peanut plant tops and crop residues can be used for hay. The protein cake (oilcake meal) residue from oil processing is used as an animal feed and as a soil fertilizer. Groundnut cake is a livestock feed, mostly used by cattle as protein supplements. It is one of the most important and valuable feed for all types of livestocks and one of the most active ingredient for poultry ration.
In the Indian subcontinent, peanuts are a light snack, usually roasted and salted (sometimes with the addition of chilli powder), and often sold roasted in pods or boiled with salt. They are also made into dessert or sweet snack of peanut brittle by processing with refined sugar and jaggery. One particualr variety popualr in South India is the Kovilpatti sweet peanut chikki or peanut brittle. Peanuts are also used in sweets and savory items in South India and also as a flavor in tamarind rice.
Its medicinal uses are due its high nutritional value and is also used to treat Rheumatism and blood disorders.
There is plethora of of peanut or groundnut dishes and foods in the world that are prepared using peanuts or peanut butter as a primary ingredient. In Canada and the United States, peanuts are used in candies, cakes, cookies, and other sweets. Individually, they are eaten dry-roasted with or without salt. Ninety-five percent of Canadians eat peanuts or peanut butter, with average consumption of 3 kilograms (6+1⁄2 lb) of peanuts per person annually, and 79% of Canadians consume peanut butter weekly. In the United States, peanuts and peanut butter are central to American dietary practices, and are typically considered as comfort foods.
Peanut oil has a variety of industrial end uses such as paint, varnish, lubricating oil, leather dressings, furniture polish, insecticides, and nitroglycerin.
- Narasipur Char
