Evaluation of Groundnut Core Collection to Identify Sources of Tolerance to Low Temperature at Germination

Abstract

Groundnut {Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oilseed crop cultivated in about 96 countries of the world. In the year 2000, it was cultivated on 23.84 million hectares with 34.52 million tonnes output of groundnut in shell. Arachis hypogaea is divided into two subspecies, fastigiata and hypogaea. The subspecies fastigiata is subdivided into four botanical varieties, fastigiata, peruviana, aequatoriana, and vulgaris and subspecies hypogaea into two botanical varieties, hypogaea and hirsuta. The crop is grown under wide range of climatic conditions, from warm tropical to humid temperate, although all the production environments can be characterized by a warm,