Question

What is the rank of India in the production of groundnut in the world?
A. First
B. Second
C. Third
D. Fourth

Answer 1

Hint:
Groundnut, or peanut, is generally referred to as the poor man's nut. It is a major oilseed and food crop today. This plant has never been found uncultivated and is native to South America. Groundnut is an annual crop that is upright or prostrate.

Complete answer:
Groundnut is currently grown worldwide on about 21.8 million hectares. Global production amounted to 38.6 million tonnes, 95% of which was in developing countries (FAO 2011). China, India, Nigeria, the USA, and Myanmar are major producers. The output is, however, concentrated in Asia (50 percent global area and 68 percent global production) and Africa (46 percent global area and 24 percent of global production).

During the main rainy season, in India, it is mainly grown (83 percent of the total groundnut area) under rainfed conditions and the remaining 17 percent is irrigated mainly in the postrainy season. Whereas India has the world's largest area under groundnut (6,36 million ha), its production (6,5 million tonnes) and productivity (1,022 kg ha−1) have remained low.
There are several abiotic and biotic stresses unique to the region that restricts groundnut productivity in Asia and Africa. Early and late leaf spot, rust, and bacterial wilt are the principal diseases. The crop is extremely susceptible to the Aspergillus flavus fungus caused by aflatoxin. Sucking insect pests and foliar feeding insect pests are other important biotic stresses (groundnut leaf miner, red hairy caterpillar, and pod borers). Significant abiotic stresses and drought, high temperatures, lack of soil nutrients.

Therefore, the correct answer is B

Note:
Together, China and India generate over 50 percent of the world's total. Arachis hypogaea Linn., the botanical name for groundnut, is derived from two Greek terms, Arachis meaning a legume, and hypogaea meaning below ground, referring to the soil-forming of pods.