Peanut is India’s most important commercial oilseed
crop, providing 30–35% of total vegetable oil supplies and
accounting for more than 28% acreage and 32% production
in the country (Anonymous, 2004). India’s share of total
world output is nearly a third. Although India is a world
leader in peanut area, peanut productivity in India has
remained low mainly because the crop is traditionally
grown in the dry land belt of India characterized by poor
soil fertility, erratic rainfall and low input levels.