4.1 Ground Nut (Arachis hypogaea)
Arachis hypogaea, commonly known as the groundnut or peanut, is an annual
herbaceous legume (belongs to the Fabaceae family). It was originally farmed in
Central and South America 3500 years ago, but now owing to its high demand for oil
and as a food product, its cultivation has spread to temperate and tropical regions
around the globe. A. hypogea seeds are nutritionally rich in fats and proteins, and a
single cup (146 g) may contain up to 800 calories (Arya et al. 2016). The name of the
peanut can be misleading as it is not a nut. However, technically it is a legume just
like lentils, chickpeas, and pulses as it grows in a pod below the ground. As
A. hypogea is a legume, its roots harbor nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules
and add valuable nitrates to the soil (Sharma and Bhatnagar-Mathur 2006). This
chapter covers the history of peanut cultivation, health, and nutritional benefits.
4.1.1 Origin and History
A. hypogaea was originally cultivated in the New World, where early explorers
discovered archeological evidence of its agriculture in South and Central America.
Carbon dating of the peanut fruit hull (known as remnant pericarp) from
archeological sites in Peru places its agricultural activity between 3700 and
3900 years old. It has been difficult to trace the exact origin of the major peanut
plant cultigen, A. hypogaea L. (Kochert et al. 1996). RFLP (restriction fragment
length polymorphism) and cytogenetic analyses revealed that wild-type Arachis
duranensis and Arachis ipaensis hybridized their genomes to constitute the domesticated tetraploid A. hypogaea L. This genome hybridization event took place in
Argentina or Southern Bolivia according to RFLP and cytogenetic data (Kochert
et al. 1996).
Portuguese, Spanish, German, and Dutch explorers revealed that peanuts were
being cultivated in the Antilles region, coastal areas of Brazil, and temperate areas of
Rio de la Plata basin (Smith 2002). During the colonial period, A. hypogaea was
considered as an ornamental garden plant and was cultivated in farmlands for animal
feed up till the 1930s. Large-scale cultivation of A. hypogaea for human consumption began in the early nineteenth century in America and was later overtaken by
Asia, which is currently the largest producer of peanuts (Arya et al. 2016; Shu-bo
2009).
4.1.2 Production
Peanuts are largely cultivated in tropical and temperate regions around the globe
(Table 4.1). Ideal conditions for peanut cultivation are warmer temperatures,
94
F. Syed et al.
Arachis hypogaea, commonly known as the groundnut or peanut, is an annual
herbaceous legume (belongs to the Fabaceae family). It was originally farmed in
Central and South America 3500 years ago, but now owing to its high demand for oil
and as a food product, its cultivation has spread to temperate and tropical regions
around the globe. A. hypogea seeds are nutritionally rich in fats and proteins, and a
single cup (146 g) may contain up to 800 calories (Arya et al. 2016). The name of the
peanut can be misleading as it is not a nut. However, technically it is a legume just
like lentils, chickpeas, and pulses as it grows in a pod below the ground. As
A. hypogea is a legume, its roots harbor nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules
and add valuable nitrates to the soil (Sharma and Bhatnagar-Mathur 2006). This
chapter covers the history of peanut cultivation, health, and nutritional benefits.
4.1.1 Origin and History
A. hypogaea was originally cultivated in the New World, where early explorers
discovered archeological evidence of its agriculture in South and Central America.
Carbon dating of the peanut fruit hull (known as remnant pericarp) from
archeological sites in Peru places its agricultural activity between 3700 and
3900 years old. It has been difficult to trace the exact origin of the major peanut
plant cultigen, A. hypogaea L. (Kochert et al. 1996). RFLP (restriction fragment
length polymorphism) and cytogenetic analyses revealed that wild-type Arachis
duranensis and Arachis ipaensis hybridized their genomes to constitute the domesticated tetraploid A. hypogaea L. This genome hybridization event took place in
Argentina or Southern Bolivia according to RFLP and cytogenetic data (Kochert
et al. 1996).
Portuguese, Spanish, German, and Dutch explorers revealed that peanuts were
being cultivated in the Antilles region, coastal areas of Brazil, and temperate areas of
Rio de la Plata basin (Smith 2002). During the colonial period, A. hypogaea was
considered as an ornamental garden plant and was cultivated in farmlands for animal
feed up till the 1930s. Large-scale cultivation of A. hypogaea for human consumption began in the early nineteenth century in America and was later overtaken by
Asia, which is currently the largest producer of peanuts (Arya et al. 2016; Shu-bo
2009).
4.1.2 Production
Peanuts are largely cultivated in tropical and temperate regions around the globe
(Table 4.1). Ideal conditions for peanut cultivation are warmer temperatures,
94
F. Syed et al.