Girnar-4 (high oleic)
A high-oleic variety from ICAR-DGR Junagadh whose oil resists rancidity longer, bred for confectionery and export, recommended in five states.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 115–120 days
- Seed rate
- This variety's 100-kernel mass is about 43 g, which is on the bold side, and the guide asks for roughly 175 kg of kernels per hectare for bold seed against 120–125 kg for ordinary seed. Budget for the higher figure
- Expected yield
- 23–35 q/ha (pods)
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Disease resistance
- Comparable to standard checks; grown for kernel quality, not disease escape
- Release
- Identified for release in 2019 · ICAR-Directorate of Groundnut Research, Junagadh, with ICRISAT (the formal state-level notification year is not confirmed)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Girnar-4, bred from the genotype ICGV 15083 by ICAR-Directorate of Groundnut Research (DGR), Junagadh in collaboration with ICRISAT, is one of India's first two indigenous high-oleic groundnut varieties (identified 2019) — its oil carries roughly 79–81% oleic acid, nearly double the 40–50% of ordinary groundnut, giving it a much longer shelf-life against rancidity. Its 100-seed mass runs around 43 g.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick Girnar-4 if a confectionery or export buyer wants high-oleic groundnut and will pay for it. ICAR-DGR Junagadh bred it with ICRISAT from the genotype ICGV 15083, identified in 2019 as one of India's first two indigenous high-oleic varieties: its oil runs about 79–81% oleic acid against 40–50% in ordinary groundnut, so products made from it stay fresh far longer. Kernels are bold, around 43 g per 100 seeds, with 23–35 q/ha of pods in 115–120 days, and it is recommended in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It is not bred for disease escape, so manage leaf spot and rust as usual. Without a high-oleic buyer, GG-20 or Kadiri Lepakshi pays more.
Sowing & cultivation
- Seed rateThis variety's 100-kernel mass is about 43 g, which is on the bold side, and the guide asks for roughly 175 kg of kernels per hectare for bold seed against 120–125 kg for ordinary seed. Budget for the higher figure
- Spacing30 cm between rows, 10 cm between plants; 15 x 15 cm where bud necrosis is common
- Sowing methodDibble 4 cm deep with the fertiliser, seed treated with Trichoderma viride at 4 g/kg or thiram at 4 g/kg against root rot and collar rot
- FertilizerNPK by soil test, with gypsum at 400 kg/ha beside the plants between the 40th and 70th day. On a high-oleic variety grown for processing contracts, even pod filling is what the buyer grades on, so do not skip it (TNAU)
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- Multi-location trials gave 2,321–4,462 kg/ha (about 23–45 q/ha across 5 sites). The 23–35 q/ha shown above is a cautious range within that spread, not its top.
- Reported maturity (110–115 days) is a touch shorter than the 115–120 days shown above, a small gap.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Gujarat
- Rajasthan
- Andhra Pradesh
- Karnataka
- Tamil Nadu
High-oleic oil only pays if the buyer is paying for it
Girnar-4 is a high-oleic groundnut from ICAR-DGR Junagadh: its oil resists going rancid for longer, which is why confectionery and export buyers want it. That trait is invisible in the heap. An ordinary trader weighing your pods will pay the ordinary rate for it.
So fix the market before the seed. Ask the confectionery unit, exporter or FPO in your area whether they buy high-oleic lots, at what premium, and in what quantity — and whether they want pods or shelled kernels. Then keep the lot identifiable: sow certified seed, keep it away from other groundnut at harvest and drying, clean the sheller, and bag and store it separately. Once your high-oleic kernels are mixed with ordinary ones, there is no way to show a buyer which is which.
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-20 | Saurashtra's steady rainfed groundnut with bold, oil-rich kernels | 110–120 days | 20–25 q/ha (pods) | Gujarat |
| Girnar-4 (high oleic)this page | 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
What makes Girnar-4 a "high oleic" variety?
Its oil is roughly 79–81% oleic acid, nearly double the 40–50% found in ordinary groundnut — a monounsaturated fat that resists rancidity much longer, extending shelf-life.
What is Girnar-4's parentage/genotype?
It is bred from the genotype ICGV 15083 by ICAR-DGR Junagadh in collaboration with ICRISAT.
How does Girnar-4 differ from its sibling Girnar-5?
Girnar-4 comes from a different parent genotype (ICGV 15083 vs ICGV 15090 for Girnar-5), has a slightly larger 100-seed mass (~43 g vs ~41 g), and a marginally higher oleic-acid range in sourced trial data — otherwise the two are very similar in duration and yield.
Which states is Girnar-4 officially recommended for?
Five major groundnut-growing states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Is Girnar-4 disease-resistant?
It is grown for kernel and oil quality rather than for disease escape, and is comparable to standard checks.
Will the mandi pay extra for high-oleic groundnut?
An ordinary mandi sale will not, because nobody tests oleic acid at the gate. The premium comes from a confectionery, snack or export buyer who contracts for it. Fix that buyer before you sow, or the extra quality earns you nothing over a normal variety.
Girnar-4 or Girnar-5?
They are siblings and very close. Girnar-4 comes from ICGV 15083 with a slightly bigger kernel, about 43 g per 100 seeds, and its trial yield range ran marginally higher at the same sites. Girnar-5 is from ICGV 15090 at about 41 g. If your buyer grades on kernel size, Girnar-4; otherwise take whichever seed is actually available.
Why is the yield range given above lower than the trial figures?
Multi-location trials recorded 2,321–4,462 kg/ha, about 23–45 q/ha across five sites. The 23–35 q/ha shown here is a cautious range inside that spread, not the top of it, because the best sites had conditions most fields will not match.
How long does Girnar-4 take?
115–120 days, the same as Girnar-5 and a little longer than TAG 24 at 105–110 days. If your rain usually stops early, those extra days are the risk you are taking on for the high-oleic kernel.
What soil does Girnar-4 need?
Light, well-drained sandy land. Groundnut sets its pods underground, so the soil has to stay loose enough for the pegs to enter and for you to lift the crop whole. Hard, crusted or waterlogged ground costs you pods you never see.
Sourced from: Crop Production Guide (Agriculture), TNAU and Department of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu: groundnut seed rate for ordinary and bold seed, spacing, sowing depth, seed treatment and gypsum. editorial policy.