Cultivation

The peanut grows in tropical, subtropical and temperate warm climate regions. This bean type is primarily cultivated in India, China, the USA and Nigeria. In 2008, about 38,2 million tons were produced globally.

Utilisation

The peanut has a high nutritional value with a protein content of 25 per cent. With 180 mg magnesium per 100g peanuts, they belong to the food products rich in magnesium.

The peanut is consumed or processed into:

• salty snacks
• spreads, such as peanut butter
• groundnut oil, peanut oil (vegetable oils)
• animal feed (the seeds as well as the greens)

Gene technology: aims in research and development

Agronomic traits

Disease resistance

• Fungal resistance: resistance to fungal pathogens such as Sclerotinia or Aspergillus flavus.
  Under special storage conditions, Aspergillus can infest peanuts. In this manner, the peanut may become contaminated with aflatoxin, a potent toxin.

• Viral resistance: resistance to various viruses such as the  Peanut Clump Virus (PCV)

Pest resistance

• Insect resistance: usually by application of the Bt concept

Weed management

• Herbicide tolerance

Adaptation to climate and location factors

• In Süd-Afrika wurden gv-Erdnüsse mit einer Trockentoleranz im Freiland getestet. Within the scope of a corporate/ research project, India and Japan aim towards the development a genetically modified peanut that needs less water and can grow in salty soil.

Plant development

• Earnings increase/ economies of scale

Quality traits

Modified composition of ingredients

• Peanuts in which the allergen-causing protein is repressed (antisense technique, RNA- interference)

Enrichment with health-promoting ingredients

• In India, a genetically modified peanut is being developed that contains beta-carotene, which is a preamplifier of vitamin A. Peanuts naturally contain neither beta-carotene nor vitamin A. In many developing and emerging countries, a vitamin A deficiency leads to health problems.

Field trials with GM peanuts