Technologies for Groundnut Yield Improvement in North Kordofan State-Sudan - TCP/SUD/3802

Abstract

The groundnut Arachis hypogaea L., commonly known as the peanut, is a crucial oil crop in Sudan that is cultivated over an area of 1.5 to 2 million ha, primarily in the rainfed regions of Western Sudan, namely Greater Kordofan and Darfur states. Around 80 percent of this area is cultivated annually, with production in North Kordofan State accounting for 70 percent of the overall groundnut production in Sudan. Despite these figures, North Kordofan State experiences low groundnut productivity due to climate change-induced drought stress. This stress is especially detrimental when it coincides with critical growth stages. To address this challenge, the Joint FAO/IAEA Division for Nuclear Techniques (AGE) collaborated with the Elobeid Research Station (ERS) of the Agricultural Research Corporation (ERS) to initiate a groundnut mutation breeding programme. This research sought to breed drought-resistant and high-yield genotypes. As such, the project introduced a mutant variety, Tafra-1, to Sudanese farmers, alongside an innovative production package that involved comprehensive support from seed to harvesting.