Crop details

Groundnut/peanut (karanga)

Arachis hypogaea

Family: Fabaceae

Quick stats

Family	Fabaceae
Typical harvest	2.1 t/ha
Varieties	3
Pests & diseases	5
Seasons	3

Crop profile

Growth habit	annual
Days to harvest	110
Main uses	Roasted and boiled nuts, peanut butter, cooking oil and cake for animal feed. Dry haulms are also used as fodder.
Pollination	self
Origin / where it grows	Groundnut/peanut (karanga) is grown in warm, medium to low rainfall areas of East Africa, often on light soils.

Weather, soil & spacing

Best temperature	22–30 °C
Rainfall	500–800 mm/yr
Altitude	0–1700 m
Best pH	6–7
Soil type	Light, well-drained sandy loam to loam. Groundnut/peanut (karanga) needs loose soils so pegs and pods can form easily.
Row spacing	45 cm
Plant spacing	10 cm
Planting depth	4 cm
Seed rate	80 kg/ha
Nursery days	—

Simple notes for farmers

About the crop: This crop is annual. You plant, grow and harvest it in one main season, then plant again. You can normally start harvesting about 110 days after planting, depending on care and variety.

Main use: Farmers mostly grow this crop for roasted and boiled nuts, peanut butter, cooking oil and cake for animal feed. dry haulms are also used as fodder..

Pollination: This crop is mainly pollinated by self. Keeping flowers healthy and having insects like bees in the field helps improve fruit set and yields.

Where it grows: Groundnut/peanut (karanga) is grown in warm, medium to low rainfall areas of East Africa, often on light soils. It is grouped under: Oil & Industrial.

Best climate: This crop does well in warm areas where the temperature is usually between 22 and 30 degrees Celsius. It prefers places that receive around 500 to 800 millimetres of rain in a year. It can grow from near sea level up to about 1700 metres above sea level.

Soil: The crop grows best in slightly acidic to near neutral soils, with a pH of about 6 to 7. It does well in light, well-drained sandy loam to loam. groundnut/peanut (karanga) needs loose soils so pegs and pods can form easily.. Good drainage is important, so avoid waterlogged spots.

Plant spacing: Plant in rows about 45 centimetres apart, and leave about 10 centimetres between plants in the row. This gives each plant enough space for roots and canopy to spread.

Planting depth: Dig planting holes or furrows about 4 centimetres deep so the roots sit firmly in the soil but are not buried too deep.

Seed or planting material: Use around 80 kilograms of seed or planting material per hectare. Spread or plant evenly so the field has a good stand without being overcrowded.

Farmer guide (mwongozo wa mkulima)

Planting: Plant Groundnut/peanut (karanga) at the start of the rains using well-filled seed. Place 2–3 seeds per hole, cover with loose soil and thin to one or two strong plants.

Transplanting: Karanga is direct seeded; do not transplant.

Irrigation: Keep soil moist during germination, pegging (when flowers bend into the soil) and pod filling. Avoid long dry spells at flowering and pegging.

Fertigation: Give a small starter dose of phosphorus and calcium. Because it is a legume, karanga fixes nitrogen and usually does not need extra N fertilizer.

Pest scouting: Inspect fields weekly for leaf spots, rosette, aphids and pod pests. Check lower leaves and stems, and look for plants that yellow or dry too early.

Pruning: No pruning needed. Keep the field weed-free especially in the first 4–6 weeks so the crop can cover the ground.

Harvest: Harvest Groundnut/peanut (karanga) when most leaves turn yellow and inside of pods show a network pattern with firm, filled kernels.

Postharvest: Lift plants, shake off soil and dry them in small stacks or on racks with pods up. After drying, strip pods, dry again until kernels are crunchy, then store in dry, airy, rodent-proof bags.

Nutrient schedule (mbolea kwa hatua)

#	Stage	DAP	Product	Rate	Targets (kg/ha)	Notes
1	Basal at planting	0	NPK with P (e.g., 0-23-19) or TSP + K source + gypsum if available	80 kg/ha	N: 0, P₂O₅: 25, K₂O: 20	Band fertilizer slightly away from the row; apply gypsum around flowering for extra calcium if needed.
2	Optional K / Ca topdress (early pegging)	35	Gypsum or K-rich fertilizer	80 kg/ha	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 15	Broadcast lightly over karanga rows when pegs are entering the soil.

Nutrient requirements

Nutrient	Stage	Amount	Unit
N	Basal	10	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Basal	25	kg/ha
K₂O	Basal	20	kg/ha
N	Topdress_early	0	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Topdress_early	0	kg/ha
K₂O	Topdress_early	20	kg/ha

Name	Country	Maturity	Traits
Early bunch groundnut	KE	95	Short, bunch type, early harvest; good for roasting and boiling.
Virginia-type spreading groundnut	TZ	120	Spreading, higher haulm yield for fodder; good for oil and nuts.
Local karanga landrace	KE	110	Traditional taste and cooking quality; moderate yield and good adaptation.

Stage	Product	Rate (kg/ha)	Notes
Basal	NPK with P (e.g., 0-23-19) or TSP + K source	80	Supplies phosphorus and potassium for Groundnut/peanut (karanga) root growth and pegging.
Topdress (Ca & K)	Gypsum and/or MOP	80	Applied around flowering and pegging to improve pod fill and seed quality.

Name	Type	Symptoms	Management
Aphids	pest	Clusters of small insects on young shoots of Groundnut/peanut (karanga), sticky honeydew and sooty mould; can spread ros...	Use clean seed, control volunteer plants and spray with recommended products only when aphid pressure is high.
Groundnut rosette virus	disease	Severely stunted karanga plants with yellow or green mosaic leaves and poor pod fill.	Plant early, use resistant/tolerant varieties and manage aphids which spread the disease.
Leaf spots (early and late)	disease	Brown to black spots on leaves of Groundnut/peanut (karanga) that may join and cause early leaf drop.	Use tolerant varieties, rotate crops and apply fungicides where disease is severe and economic.
Termites and soil pests	pest	Hollow or damaged pods, eaten shells and weak plants.	Destroy old crop residues, avoid very dry, cracked soils and use seed or soil treatments where needed.
Storage insects (bruchids and beetles)	pest	Holes and powder in stored Groundnut/peanut (karanga) kernels.	Dry nuts well, keep shells intact where possible and store in clean, airtight or treated bags.

System	Typical	Min	Max	Notes
Smallholder rainfed (low input)	1.2	0.7	1.8	Local karanga seed, little fertilizer and basic weeding.
Smallholder rainfed (improved management)	2	1.5	2.8	Improved varieties, good spacing, starter fertilizer and timely weeding and disease control.
High input / irrigated	3	2.5	4	Good varieties, well-prepared loose soil, balanced nutrients and reliable moisture.

Country	Region	Planting	Harvest
KE	Coastal and eastern karanga belt (long rains)	Mar–Apr	Jul–Aug
KE	Coastal and eastern karanga belt (short rains)	Oct–Nov	Feb–Mar
TZ	Central and southern warm zones	Dec–Jan	Apr–May

Country	Region	Suitability
KE	Coastal lowlands and eastern sandy soils	High
KE	Lower eastern mixed crop–livestock areas	High
KE	Very wet, heavy clay highlands	Low
TZ	Central plateau and southern sandy zones	High
UG	Eastern and northern sandy loam areas	Medium