TAG 24
A Spanish bunch type suited to both kharif and irrigated summer sowing on light, well-drained soil.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 105–110 days
- Seed rate
- 120–125 kg of kernels per hectare for a bunch type. Bold-seeded varieties need about 175 kg/ha, roughly 15% more, because fewer kernels make up a kilo (TNAU crop production guide)
- Expected yield
- 20–25 q/ha (pods)
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Disease resistance
- Moderate tolerance to leaf spot
- Release
- Released 1992 · bred at BARC, Trombay, from the cross TGS 2 × TGE 1
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
TAG 24 is a Spanish-bunch, semi-dwarf groundnut variety bred at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay, from the cross TGS 2 × TGE 1, and released in 1992. Its early maturity and high harvest index made it the most widely grown of BARC’s Trombay Groundnut (TG) releases, and it remains one of India’s most familiar groundnut varieties decades later, valued for confectionery-grade kernels as well as oil.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick TAG 24 if you sell kernels to the snack or confectionery trade as well as to the crusher, and you want a familiar variety every dealer stocks. BARC Trombay bred this semi-dwarf Spanish bunch from TGS 2 × TGE 1 and released it in 1992. Its high harvest index means more of the plant's growth goes into pods. It finishes in 105–110 days for 20–25 q/ha, suiting both kharif and irrigated summer sowing on light, well-drained soil. It is an older release and newer varieties have out-yielded it in trials, so check the current district recommendation. Choose TG 37A for higher oil, smoother pods and collar-rot tolerance, or Kadiri Lepakshi in the south for the top yield.
Sowing & cultivation
- Seed rate120–125 kg of kernels per hectare for a bunch type. Bold-seeded varieties need about 175 kg/ha, roughly 15% more, because fewer kernels make up a kilo (TNAU crop production guide)
- Spacing30 cm between rows and 10 cm between plants. Where bud necrosis (ring mosaic) is a regular problem, close it up to 15 x 15 cm instead
- Sowing methodDibble the kernels 4 cm deep along with the fertiliser. Treat the seed with Trichoderma viride at 4 g/kg or Pseudomonas fluorescens at 10 g/kg against root rot and collar rot — do not also use a fungicide on Trichoderma-treated seed
- FertilizerApply NPK on a soil test. Over and above it, gypsum at 400 kg/ha beside the plants between the 40th and 70th day feeds the pegs with calcium and sulphur, which is what fills the pods. Hoe it in and earth up. Skip gypsum on calcareous soils (TNAU)
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Semi-dwarf, early-maturing habit with a high harvest index — more of the plant’s growth goes into pods rather than vegetative bulk
- The most widely grown Trombay Groundnut release, sold across Maharashtra, Odisha, Karnataka, Rajasthan and West Bengal
- Kernels suit the confectionery trade as well as crushing for oil
Things to consider
- An older release (1992) — some newer BARC and DGR groundnut varieties have out-yielded it in multi-location trials since, so it’s worth checking current district-level recommendations rather than assuming TAG 24 is still the top performer
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Gujarat
- Maharashtra
- Andhra Pradesh
Confectionery grade: what the buyer checks
TAG 24 is a Spanish bunch type whose kernels suit the confectionery trade, and that trade buys on the kernel, not the field. A buyer looks at kernel size and uniformity, a clean skin, the shelling percentage, and above all no mould or off smell.
Most of that is decided in drying and storage. Dig at proper maturity, dry the pods down to a safe moisture before heaping — a pod that still feels cool and damp inside is a mould risk — and store off the floor in a dry, airy place rather than in a closed heap on bare ground. Shell close to the date of sale, and grade out shrivelled, split and discoloured kernels into a separate lot. Keep the crop out of the rain after digging: a lot that gets wet once can develop mould that a buyer will reject even if it looks dry later.
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) | 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 24this page | 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
Where was TAG 24 bred?
At the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay — a Department of Atomic Energy institute, not one of the ICAR groundnut centres — from the cross TGS 2 × TGE 1, released in 1992.
Is TAG 24 grown mainly for oil or for table use?
Both — it’s a confectionery-grade Spanish-bunch variety, so kernels can go to the table/snack trade as well as to the crushing mill, unlike varieties bred purely for oil content.
What does a high harvest index mean in the field?
More of what the plant grows ends up as pods rather than leaves and stems. For you that means a compact plant that does not run to vegetative bulk, easier digging, and a better pod-to-plant ratio on the same water and fertilizer.
Is TAG 24 still worth growing after three decades?
It is still widely sold and trusted, and confectionery buyers know the kernel. But newer BARC and DGR varieties have out-yielded it in multi-location trials, so ask your KVK what is recommended for your district now rather than repeating the same variety by habit.
Can I sow TAG 24 in the summer with irrigation?
Yes, it suits both kharif and irrigated summer sowing on light, well-drained land. For a summer crop keep the water steady through pegging and pod-fill, because that is where the yield is made, and watch for leaf spot as the humidity rises late in the season.
How long does TAG 24 take, and what does it yield?
105–110 days for 20–25 q/ha of pods. That is a short crop by groundnut standards, which is part of why it has lasted: it fits a season that ends early, even if newer releases such as Kadiri Lepakshi are listed higher on yield.
Can I keep my own TAG 24 seed?
Yes, it is open-pollinated. Keep pods from the healthiest part of the field, leave them unshelled in dry storage, and shell them only just before sowing. Groundnut kernels lose germination fast once shelled, which is the usual reason a saved lot comes up thin.
Sourced from: Evolution of Trombay Groundnut (TG) Varieties — Agrocrops, Crop Production Guide (Agriculture), TNAU and Department of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu: groundnut seed rate, spacing, sowing depth, seed treatment and gypsum application. editorial policy.