A field trial was conducted on drying and storage methods to prolong viability of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seed (in-shell) harvested in the summer season of 1997 and 1998. In 1997, pods were stored at 2 locations, Bhubaneshwar and Bargarh in the state of Orissa and in 1998 in Bhubaneshwar only. Pods were dried by either the conventional farmer's method, or by the method developed by the Directorate of Oilseeds Research (DOR) and then stored either in polythene-lined gunny bags or ordinary gunny bags and either with or without a desiccant such as CaCl2 and silica gel. Drying of groundnut pods by the DOR method, and storage in polythene-lined gunny bag with a desiccant could maintain germinability of up to 95% at Bhubaneshwar and 92% at Bargarh, even after 6 months of storage, ie until the sowing for the next summer season. The seed dried and stored by the conventional method lost germinability completely within 6 months of storage. The seedling-vigour index was higher (886) in seed dried by the DOR method and stored with CaCl2 than the seed dried by the same method and stored with silica gel (638) in polythene-lined gunny bags.