Erdnuss

Prefers a light humus-rich well-drained soil in a warm sunny sheltered position, though it will tolerate heavier soils. Plants prefer hot dry conditions when the crop is ripening. Peanuts are quite tolerant of acid soils, and aluminium, requiring a minimum of lime for acceptable yields. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.3 to 8.7. Plants are not frost-hardy and most cultivars require too long a growing season to make them a viable crop in Britain. Some cultivars, however (listed below), have a shorter growing season and are worthy of more research in this country[K]. The peanut is widely cultivated in the tropics and sub-tropics for its edible seed and oil contained in the seed, there are many named varieties. It grows best between latitudes 40° south and 40° north. Yields average about 1 tonne of unshelled nuts per hectare, about 80% of this weight is edible seeds (erect forms) and 60 - 75% (running forms). Crops can be grown at further distances from the equator but yields are likely to be poor. There are three main groups of cultivars:- 'Virginia' has large seeds, 'Valencia' has four seeds per pod and 'Spanish' has the smallest seeds. There are running and erect forms in each group. The erect forms mature more quickly and are therefore more likely to succeed in colder areas. 'Early Spanish' matures in 105 days and has cropped reliably as far north as Canada. 'Spanish' matures in 110 days and crops in Canada if grown in a light sandy soil with southern exposure. Plants are, in general, self-pollinating, though occasional outcrossing by bees occurs. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.

Edible Parts: Leaves Oil Oil Seed Seedpod Edible Uses: Coffee Oil Oil Seed - raw, cooked or ground into a powder. Peanuts are a staple food in many tropical zones and are widely exported to temperate area of the world. The seeds have a delicious nutty flavour and can be eaten on their own either raw or roasted[K]. The seeds are commonly ground up and used as peanut butter in sandwiches etc. They can also be cooked in a variety of dishes and are also ground into a powder when they can be used with cereals to greatly improve the protein content of breads, cakes etc[K]. The seed is very rich in protein and oil, it is also a good source of minerals and vitamins, especially the B complex. A nutritional analysis is available. A non-drying edible oil is obtained from the seed. This is one of the most commonly used edible oils is the world. It is similar in composition to olive oil and is often used in cooking, making margarines, salad oils etc. The oilseed cake is said to be a good source of arginine and glutamic acid, used in treating mental deficiencies. The roasted seed makes an excellent coffee substitute. Young pods may be consumed as a vegetable. Young leaves and tips are suitable as a cooked green vegetable. Javanese use the tips for lablab, and germinating seeds to make toge.

Biomass Oil Oil The seeds yield a non-drying oil that has a wide range of uses including the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, soaps, cold creams, pomades and lubricants, paints, emulsions for insect control, and fuel for diesel engines. Peanut hulls are used for furfural, fuel, as a filler for fertilizers or for sweeping compounds.

Heimisch: Bolivia Eingeführt: Alabama, Angola, Assam, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Bulgaria, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Caroline Is., Central African Republic, Central European Russia, Chad, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Colombia, Comoros, DR Congo, East European Russia, East Himalaya, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Galápagos, Galápagos Islands, Gambia, Ghana, Great Britain, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Hainan, Illinois, India, Inner Mongolia, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jawa, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Korea, Krym, KwaZulu-Natal, Laccadive Is., Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Malaya, Mali, Manchuria, Marianas, Maryland, Mauritania, Mexico Southwest, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, North Caucasus, Northern Provinces, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Queensland, Rwanda, Santa Cruz Is., Senegal, Sierra Leone, Society Is., South European Russia, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Sumatera, Tadzhikistan, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Transcaucasus, Trinidad-Tobago, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine