Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding

Taxonomy
Kingdom Plantae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta
Superdivision Spermatophyta
Division Magnoliophyta
Class Magnoliopsida
Subclass Rosidae
Order Fabales
Family Fabaceae
Genus Arachis L.
Species Arachis hypogaea L.
Economic importance
Peanuts are an important legume crop in the warm
climates of the world. The USA produces about 10% of
the world’s peanut crop on about 3% of the total world
peanut acreage. This disproportionate share of the
world’s production is attributable to the high average
yield per acre in the US (2,800–3,000 lb/acre) compared
to the world’s average yield (800–1,000 lb/acre)
(see Appendix 2 for conversion rates of units). Nine
states in the USA account for 99% of the US peanut
crop: Georgia, Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, Florida,
Oklahoma, Virginia, South Carolina, and New Mexico.
Georgia alone produces 39% of the US total production.
In 2001, the US harvested acreage was 1,411,900 acres,
a total production of 4,276,704,000 lb, and an average
yield of 3,029 lb/acre. There are three main peanuts
regions in the US, Georgia–Florida–Alabama (southeast
region), Texas–Oklahoma–New Mexico (southwest
region), and the Virginia–South Carolina–North Carolina
region, with the southeast region accounting for about
55% of all US production.
On the world scene, peanuts are produced in Asia,
Africa, Australia, and the Americas. India and China
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Breeding peanut
together account for more than 50% of the world’s total
production. Other substantial peanut producing nations
include Senegal, Sudan, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa,
Malawi, and Nigeria.
Origin and history
The peanut is native to the Western Hemisphere. It
probably originated in South America, the center of
origin most likely being Brazil, where about 15 wild
species are found. The Spanish explorers are credited
with its spread throughout the New World. They introduced
it to Europe from where traders spread it to
Asia and Africa. Peanuts reached North America via the
slave trade. Commercial production of peanuts in the
USA began in about 1876. The demand for the crop
increased after the Civil War, transforming it from a
regional (southern) food to a national food. Production
came to the Cotton Belt after 1900. The expansion of
the peanut industry was driven by advances in technology
that resulted in the development of equipment
and machinery for planting, harvesting, and processing
the crop.
Market types
There are four basic market types – runner, Virginia,
Spanish, and Valencia.
Runner
Runners have become the predominant peanut type
in the USA following the introduction of the cultivar
“Florunner”, which was responsible for the dramatic
yield increase of the crop in the US. They have uniform
size and are grown mainly in Georgia, Alabama, Florida,