Sunday, October 24, 2010

Peanut (Groundnut)

Peanut is an important oil and food crop; and being a 3rd major oil seed of the world, next to soybean and cotton.

It's seeds contains 25 to 32% protein and 42 to 52% oil. One Kilo gram of peanut is high enough in food energy and provides approximately the same energy value as 2 kilo grams of beef, 1.5 kilo grams of Cheddar cheese, one litre of milk, or 36 medium sized eggs.

The vines with leaves are an excellent high protein hay for horses and are used as ruminant livestock. The pods or shells serve as high fiber roughage in livestock feed, fuel, mulch, and are used in manufacturing fertilizer.

Peanuts are called in many local names, like earth-nuts groundnuts, goober peas, monkey nuts, pygmy nuts and pig nuts.


(Peanuts on it's plant)