Peanuts are a popular crop that is grown in many parts of the world and have a long history of cultivation and consumption. It is a valuable source of oil, protein isolates, vitamins, and minerals and has the potential to alleviate malnutrition, especially among vulnerable populations, by providing high-quality nutrition. The present study was conducted to examine pod characteristics and crude oil quality of four selected peanut verities i.e., Bari 2011, Golden, China gold, and Choondko local. The study found pods from Bari 2011 having higher values for fat (47.86%), edible portion (63.65%), peanut kernel length (2.00cm), and peanut kernel width (1.00cm). Pods from the Golden variety showed higher values for 100 kernel weight (63.32g), non-edible portion (47.53%), and seed coat (1.02%) while pods from the Choondko local variety had higher values for moisture (4.03%). All differences were statistically significant with a p-value less than 0.05. The results of oil quality revealed that Bari 2011 had the highest values for oil yield (41.49%), pH (6.52), specific gravity (0.92g/ml), total fatty acid content (78.29%), and smoke point (226.2^oC). Oil from the China gold variety showed the highest values for moisture content (1.80%), free fatty acid (1.64%), and peroxide value (4.79 meq O2/kg). The study found that Bari 2011 had the best pod characteristics, followed by Golden and Choondku local. Meanwhile, Bari 2011 also had promising oil quality attributes, followed by China gold and Choondko local variety.

Keywords: Peanut varieties, Pod characteristics, Crude oil quality, Oil yield