Pusa Ujjwal
An IARI (New Delhi) release with oblong-to-ellipsoid fruit, a distinctive greenish-white rind and white flesh, each fruit weighing around 3 kg — smaller and more manageable than the largest named varieties, with good yield.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- ~120 days
- Seed rate
- 2–2.5 kg/ha for open-pollinated varieties
- Expected yield
- 23–25 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released by ICAR-IARI, New Delhi
About this variety
Pusa Ujjwal is an ash gourd variety released by ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, producing oblong-to-ellipsoid fruit with a distinctive greenish-white rind and white flesh. At around 3 kg per fruit it is considerably smaller and easier to handle than the largest named varieties such as Kashi Dhawal or CO 1, while still giving a good yield of 23–25 t/ha over a 120-day crop. This more manageable fruit size makes it a practical choice for growers targeting the fresh-vegetable market specifically, where a smaller, easier-to-sell unit is often preferred over the very large fruit grown mainly for storage or processing.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Seed rate2–2.5 kg/ha for open-pollinated varieties
- SpacingPits roughly 2 m between rows, 1–1.5 m within the row
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
~120 days
Expected yield
23–25 t/ha
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- No special resistance widely documented
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- More manageable fruit size than the largest named varieties, suiting the fresh-vegetable market.
- Good yield (23–25 t/ha) for a moderate-sized fruit.
Things to consider
- Smaller fruit than varieties like Kashi Dhawal or CO 1 make it less suited to the large-format petha trade.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Uttar Pradesh
- Delhi
- Haryana