Abstract

Of the several crops introduced at various times into India, the groundnut must be said to have been of the greatest benefit to the South Indian farmers. All the world over, the United States of America not excepted, it is found, that the groundnut cultivation is only in the hands of the small farmer. The main commercial product, namely the oil, removes no plant food, and, being a legume, the crop has been found to get all its nitrogen, about 90 lb. on the average per acre, entirely from the air. Recent research (unpublished) of Mr. T. Rajagopala Iyangar, M. Sc., has proved beyond doubt that by ino- culation with a special organism it is not only possible to increase the nitrogen fixation but also to definitely increase the yield of the crop and improve the quality. This discovery opens up a vast field for increasing the acre-yield of the crop which in Madras, is much above the world average. Madras produces over 1,000 lb. of pods per acre, while the world average is only 700 lb. To get the benefit of the increased production, we should, in addition to widening our market.

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