Key Points
- Unexpected rain can cause groundnuts (peanuts) to sprout before harvest, causing massive crop losses for farmers.
- Scientists have studied a natural trait called “fresh seed dormancy,” which acts like a biological pause button to prevent early sprouting.
- Researchers identified a perfect dormancy window of 10-21 days that protects the harvest from rain.
- The team identified 9 specific genes that control this protective dormancy trait.
For groundnut farmers, a sudden downpour just before harvest can be a disaster. Unpredictable rains can cause the mature nuts to sprout right in the ground, a problem that can wipe out anywhere from 10% to 50% of an entire crop. This is a significant threat to farmers’ livelihoods, especially since Spanish groundnut varieties, which account for most of the world’s supply, are highly vulnerable.
But now, researchers have found a natural solution hidden in the plant’s own genetics. A new study from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has identified the key to breeding groundnut varieties with “fresh seed dormancy”—a built-in delay that stops the seeds from sprouting too early, even if they get wet.
Scientists examined 184 different types of groundnuts from around the world. They found a wide range of natural variation: some sprouted within a week, while others could stay dormant for over a month.
By focusing on varieties with a “sweet spot” of 10-21 days of dormancy, they were able to protect the harvest without delaying the next planting season.
The real breakthrough came when the team pinpointed nine specific genes that control this valuable trait. This discovery provides plant breeders with a precise genetic roadmap to develop new, climate-resilient groundnut varieties that can withstand unexpected weather events.
“As climate uncertainties continue to challenge farming systems, genomic insights into Fresh Seed Dormancy represent a transformative opportunity,” said Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director General of ICRISAT. He urged breeders everywhere to use these findings to support millions of smallholder farmers worldwide.
Source: Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
