Chemical compounds representing seed treatments, soil-applied systemic insecticides, contact and systemic corrective sprays were tested on the groundnut pest complex for three seasons in the South African Highveld Region. The efficacy of the compounds was evaluated by determining the effect of the compounds on plant population, leaf feeding injury, incidence of subterranean insects, pod damage, yield, grading quality and shelling percentage. Despite a favourable cost/benefit ratio achieved with all the compounds tested, none of the chemicals gave consistent results for all the parameters evaluated. Groundnut seed treatment with liquid-based compounds cannot be recommended on a commercial scale since these treatments caused testa damage, resulting in split seed.