GG-20
A Gujarat semi-spreading bold-seeded variety that became the backbone of the Saurashtra groundnut belt.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 110–120 days
- Seed rate
- 120–125 kg of kernels per hectare for a bunch groundnut, going to about 175 kg/ha where the seed is bold
- Expected yield
- 20–25 q/ha (pods)
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Disease resistance
- Field-tolerant of tikka leaf spot; moderate rust tolerance
- Release
- Released 1992 · Junagadh Agricultural University, Gujarat
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
GG-20, released in 1992 by Junagadh Agricultural University, is a semi-spreading Virginia bunch groundnut that became the most widely grown local variety of Gujarat's Saurashtra region, valued for stable pod yield across a wide range of soil and rainfall conditions and 50.7% oil content.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick GG-20 if you farm Gujarat, especially Saurashtra, and want the variety the belt trusts. This semi-spreading Virginia bunch type spread because pod yield holds steady across different soils and rainfall, not because it tops any trial: 19.6–25 q/ha sits below Kadiri Lepakshi's 35–40 and the Girnar pair's 23–35, and level with TAG 24's 20–25. What you buy is an oil content the crushing mill pays for, in 110–120 days. It is field-tolerant of tikka leaf spot with moderate rust tolerance, so watch the crop but you are not starting from zero. Choose ICGV 91114 if a mid-season dry spell is your main risk, Girnar-4 or Girnar-5 if a confectionery buyer wants high-oleic kernels.
Sowing & cultivation
- Seed rate120–125 kg of kernels per hectare for a bunch groundnut, going to about 175 kg/ha where the seed is bold
- Spacing30 x 10 cm. Tighten to 15 x 15 cm in areas where bud necrosis shows up every year — a fuller stand carries the loss better
- Sowing methodDibble the kernels 4 cm deep. Shelling damage is the quiet yield thief in a bold-kernel variety, so shell close to sowing and keep broken kernels out of the lot
- FertilizerNPK on soil test, and gypsum at 400 kg/ha between the 40th and 70th day for pod filling. Gypsum is wasted on calcareous soils and only pays where calcium or sulphur is short (TNAU)
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- The sourced pod yield (1,960 kg/ha, about 19.6 q/ha) and kernel yield (1,439 kg/ha) sit just under the 20–25 q/ha shown above.
- GG-20 has since been used as a breeding parent (crossed with JVB HPS 2 to produce the large-seeded Virginia variety GG HPS-2), a sign of its standing in Gujarat groundnut breeding.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Gujarat
Digging on time on rainfed land
GG-20 is the backbone of the Saurashtra rainfed belt, and on rainfed land the harvest date decides a good part of the yield. Dig early and the kernels are immature and light; dig late and the pods start detaching in dry soil, so what you lift is less than what the plant grew.
Judge maturity on the crop, not the calendar alone. Around 110–120 days, lift a few plants from different parts of the field and open the pods: the inside of the shell should have darkened and the kernel skin taken its colour. If the soil has gone hard and dry, a light irrigation before digging, where water is available, saves pods from being left behind. Dry the lifted crop with the pods shaded by the haulms rather than in open sun on bare ground, and strip the pods once dry, because damp pods heaped up go mouldy, and mouldy groundnut is docked or rejected.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This is an open-pollinated variety, so seed from a healthy crop of your own can be sown again. Keep seed only from disease-free plants, dry it properly, store it cool and dry, and bring in fresh certified seed every three to four years so the variety does not drift.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Groundnut (Peanut) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GG-20this page | Saurashtra's steady rainfed groundnut with bold, oil-rich kernels | 110–120 days | 20–25 q/ha (pods) | Gujarat |
| Girnar-4 (high oleic) | High-oleic kernels for a confectionery or export buyer | 115–120 days | 23–35 q/ha (pods) | Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| Girnar-5 (high oleic) | The second high-oleic option, when Girnar-4 seed is short | 115–120 days | 23–35 q/ha (pods) | Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| ICGV 91114 | Low, erratic rainfall land where a dry spell hits mid-season | 100–105 days | 22–26 q/ha (pods) | Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh |
| Kadiri Lepakshi (K-1812) | The highest pod yield here, for the southern peninsula | 110–115 days | 35–40 q/ha (pods) | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra |
| TAG 24 | Confectionery-grade kernels from a short, compact plant | 105–110 days | 20–25 q/ha (pods) | Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh |
| TG 37A | A better-shelling TAG 24 with collar-rot tolerance and seed dormancy | 110–115 days | 22–28 q/ha (pods) | Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Groundnut (Peanut) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Groundnut (Peanut) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Germination CalculatorTest 100 seeds from the bag before sowing and see whether the lot is fit to sow.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Groundnut (Peanut) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Groundnut (Peanut) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Groundnut (Peanut) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Groundnut (Peanut) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Groundnut (Peanut) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
When and where was GG-20 released?
Released in 1992 by Junagadh Agricultural University, Gujarat.
Why is GG-20 so widely grown in Saurashtra?
It offers stable pod yield across a wide range of soil and rainfall conditions, so it is a safe pick where the rain is uneven and there is no canal.
What is the oil content of GG-20?
50.7%, a strong figure for an oilseed groundnut variety.
Has GG-20 been used in developing newer varieties?
Yes — it was crossed with JVB HPS 2 to develop GG HPS-2, a large-seeded Virginia bunch variety.
What type of groundnut plant is GG-20?
A semi-spreading Virginia bunch type, bred for adaptability across varied Saurashtra soils and rainfall.
What does 50.7% oil mean for my sale?
Crushers buy on oil recovery, so a high-oil variety fetches a better rate per quintal than a low-oil lot of the same weight. Keep pods dry and free of mould before you sell, because damp or discoloured kernels lose that advantage fast.
GG-20 or TAG 24 on light sandy land?
Both are 1992 releases of similar yield. GG-20 is the Gujarat semi-spreading type bred for Saurashtra's variable soils and rainfall. TAG 24 is a semi-dwarf Spanish bunch from BARC with confectionery-grade kernels and a high harvest index. In Saurashtra, GG-20; where a snack-trade buyer pays for kernels, TAG 24.
Can I keep my own GG-20 seed?
Yes, it is an open-pollinated variety, so pods kept from a healthy crop come up true. Store them unshelled in a dry place, shell only shortly before sowing, and test germination on a sample — groundnut seed loses vigour quickly in damp storage.
How long does GG-20 take, and what pod yield should I plan for?
110–120 days, for 20–25 q/ha of pods. On rainfed Saurashtra land plan nearer the lower end, because the pod yield turns on whether there is moisture at pegging and pod filling, not on the variety alone.
Is GG-20 listed for states outside Gujarat?
No. It is listed for Gujarat, and it came out of Junagadh Agricultural University in 1992 for that belt. Elsewhere, ask your KVK what your state recommends, because groundnut varieties are matched closely to rainfall and soil type.
Sourced from: Crop Production Guide (Agriculture), TNAU and Department of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu: groundnut seed rate including the bold-seeded rate, spacing, sowing depth and gypsum. editorial policy.