PLANTING
Propagation: by seed; normally sown direct ie not transplanted.
Soil: Bambara groundnuts tolerate very poor and sandy soils that are unsuitable for
groundnuts. The optimum pH is 5–6.5. Ideally the seed is inoculated if it is planted
for the first time into a particular area, unless it is known that Cowpea rhizobia are
present—inoculation of seed is discussed in 1Fe, page 54. The flower stalks cannot
penetrate a hard soil crust. The plant cannot tolerate waterlogging.
Seed rate: the average is 30–60 kg/ha, depending on seed size, to produce about
150,000 plants per hectare. The maximum is about 190 kg/ha, for closely spaced
plants grown in a pure stand. There are about 1300–2000 seeds per kg.
Spacing: either in single rows about 45 cm apart with 5–15 cm between plants, or in
double rows 8 cm apart on flat ridges about 90 cm apart.
Depth: 5–7.5 cm
Intercropping: sometimes with pearl millet, root crops or other legumes.
Seed treatment: Thiram or an equivalent is recommended for shelled seed.
Sometimes the whole pod is planted.
GROWTH CONDITIONS
Growth period: 90–120 days for bunch types, 120–150 days for spreading types.
The entire plant is pulled up and dried in the sun and wind, the pods being attached
with tough, wiry stalks.
Temperature: the optimum is 20–28°C. Bambara Groundnuts prefer hot sunny
climates and need a frost-free period of 100–120 days.
Rainfall: Bambara Groundnuts are one of the most drought resistant of the legumes.
The optimum rainfall is about 900–1200 mm/a., though they can grow with 600–750
mm/a. They also tolerate heavy rainfall unless this occurs when the plants are
mature.
Altitude: 0–1600 m
Rotation: often planted as the first crop in a rotation, followed by cassava, or after
groundnuts or other legumes when their yields become very low.
Pests: very few, though root-knot nematodes, leaf-hoppers, crickets and rodents can
sometimes cause some damage.
Diseases: also very few, though wilt, leaf spot and leaf virus can sometimes reduce
yields, especially in humid conditions.
YIELD
Normal yields of Bambara Groundnuts are about 550–850 kg/ha, but in ideal
conditions 3–4 MT/ha are possible.
The FAO estimate for the average global yield in 2004 was 779 kg/ha, the
highest national average being recorded in Burkina Faso (1 MT/ha) and the lowest
average in Mali (400 kg/ha).