Question

Which types of soils are suitable for groundnut cultivation?
(A). Loose friable sandy loam soil well supplied with calcium
(B). Clayey or heavy soils
(C). Alkali soil
(D). Adequate drainage facility
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• (A) and (D) only
• (B) and (D) only
• (B) and (C) only
• (A) and (C) only

Hint:

Groundnut pods develop underground.
Any soil that becomes hard or poorly drained (like clayey or alkaline soils) restricts peg entry and pod extraction, making loose sandy loam (A) and well-drained soil (D) the logical choices.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) develops its fruit (pods) underground.
Therefore, physical soil properties such as texture, compaction, and drainage directly influence the plant's reproductive success and harvesting efficiency.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us evaluate the soil conditions:
- (A). Loose friable sandy loam soil well supplied with calcium: This is highly suitable.
Loose, sandy loam soils allow the specialized gynophores (pegs) to easily penetrate the soil surface to form pods.
Furthermore, groundnut is a high-calcium-demanding crop; adequate calcium in the podding zone prevents "pops" (empty pods).
- (B). Clayey or heavy soils: These are unsuitable.
Heavy clay soils become hard and compacted upon drying, which prevents pegs from penetrating.
Additionally, wet clay soils stick to the pods, making harvesting difficult and causing pod loss.
- (C). Alkali soil: These are unsuitable because groundnut is sensitive to high salinity and alkalinity, which induces iron chlorosis and limits nutrient uptake.
- (D). Adequate drainage facility: This is highly suitable.
Groundnut is highly sensitive to waterlogging, which causes root rot, limits nitrogen fixation in nodules, and degrades pod quality.
Therefore, conditions (A) and (D) are ideal.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The suitable soil conditions are (A) and (D) only.