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Seed treatment in groundnut

To obtain a full stand, use undamaged seed with intact seed coats and treat shelled seed with an approved seed protectant prior to planting. The seed treatment is done manually for small amount of seeds. Large amount of seeds can be treated using a seed treating drum

Well nodulated (left) and poorly nodulated (right) plants.

Groundnut seed is treated with Captan or Thiram at 3 gm/kg of the seed to prevent any infestation from soil borne diseases. Chlorpyriphose is used @ 250 ml/45 kg of seed to prevent the seed damage from soil insects at initial stages. Groundnut seed hardening treatment with calcium chloride solution of 0.5 per cent induce drought tolerance and increased the yield. If groundnuts are planted in a field which has not been planted to groundnut crop within 4 to 5 years or the previous groundnut crop in the field has not produced a well nodulated, nitrogen fixing crop, inoculating the seed with Rhizobium culture will help in improving nitrogen fixation by the crop.