Seed biology and seed systems for Arachis pintoi
1994
Ferguson, J.E.
Arachis pintoi, a stoloniferous perennial, is geocarpic, and most pods abscise at maturity. With adequate crop management, potential seed yields can reach 5 tons/ha. Harvested seed yields commonly range between 1 and 2 tons/ha at 15-18 months postestablishment, using either manual or mechanical harvesting. Seed quality characteristics include a high pod unit weight and low hard-seededness. Freshly harvested seeds have high levels of dormancy (60-80 percent), which may continue for 6-8 months. Dormancy is not based in the seed pod and can be reduced by predrying (14 days at 40 degrees C). Some seed lots show high loss of viability after 10 months in storage. Seed is susceptible to mechanical damage during harvesting. Technology for packaging and storage in tropical regions is inadequate. Seed has been produced commercially by intensive management and mechanical harvesting at Gympie, Queensland, Australia, and by manual harvesting by small farmers at Yapacani, Bolivia, under contract to a seed enterprise. The principal constraints to effective seed systems are: novelty of the species to farmers, lack of promotion, low demand, low availability, high price, cost of harvesting, lack of relevant storage technology, and lack of seed quality assessment techniques and relevant market standards. Priority research areas include: propagation and establishment methods; intercropping for seed production; seed harvesting equipment; seed quality assessment; seed storage and packaging technology; peg and pod set efficiency; proactive on-farm projects to evaluate A. pintoi within farming systems and promote an expansion of demand; and monitoring both the release process of new cultivars and the experience of pioneer adopters.
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