Varieties

Pusa Early Synthetic, Himani, Swathi, Pusa Deepali, Early Patna, 74-6-C, Basant, NS 60, Pusa Meghna

Planting

Since it is a cool season crop, sowing is to be done from Oct – Nov. Seeds are to be sown in raised nursery beds of size 3.0 m x 0.6 m and 10-15 cm height.  Seed rate is 600-750 g/ha. Prior to sowing seeds are treated with fungal culture of Trichoderma viride (4 g/ kg of seed) or Thiram (3g/ kg of seed) to avoid damage from damping off disease. Sow the seeds thinly in lines spaced at 5-7 cm distance at a depth of 1-2 cm and the beds are to be covered with dry straw or grass to maintain required temperature and moisture. Irrigate with a rose can daily. Three to five week old seedlings are used for transplanting.

Main field is prepared by three or four ploughings. Seedlings are transplanted at a spacing of 60 x 45 cm. Transplanting should be done preferably in the morning or late evening. Before transplanting, the roots of the seedlings are dipped in a solution of bavistin (2g/litre). Irrigation should be given immediately after transplanting