Pusa Composite 701
An open-pollinated (composite) variety from ICAR-IARI — unlike a hybrid, seed saved from this season's crop can be resown next season without a sharp yield drop. Not yet individually researched for a detail page.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Bajra (Pearl Millet)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 78–82 days
- Expected yield
- 20–23 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Release
- Bred by the Division of Genetics, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi; officially released in 2016 for India's A-zone dryland belt
About this variety
Pusa Composite 701 is an open-pollinated (composite) pearl millet variety bred by the Division of Genetics at ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, and officially released in 2016 for India's A-zone dryland belt, per two directly-fetched IARI pages (its own iari-varieties database and its ZTM-BPD technology-transfer listing). Both agree it is recommended for Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi, reaches medium maturity in around 80 days, is highly resistant to downy mildew, and was specifically bred to perform under limited-irrigation, water-deficit growing conditions. The ZTM-BPD page additionally credits it as a dual-purpose variety valued for both grain and stover (fodder) yield, records an average grain yield of about 2.3 t/ha (23 q/ha) across trials, and states resistance extends to blast as well as downy mildew.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
78–82 days
Expected yield
20–23 q/ha
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Highly resistant to downy mildew and separately reported resistant to blast too, two of pearl millet's most damaging diseases in dryland zones, per IARI's own variety pages
- As an open-pollinated composite rather than a hybrid, farmers can save and resow seed from their own harvest without the sharp yield collapse a hybrid would show — useful where buying fresh hybrid seed every season isn't affordable
- Bred specifically for limited-irrigation ("water-deficit") growing conditions and recommended across all seven A-zone states (Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi), giving it wide adaptability
- Dual-purpose: valued for stover (fodder) yield alongside grain, useful where a farmer also keeps livestock
Things to consider
- Duration, yield and states above were corrected (2026-08-15) to match IARI's own variety pages (iari-varieties database and ZTM-BPD technology-transfer page, both directly fetched) — about 80 days to medium maturity, ~2.3 t/ha (23 q/ha) average trial yield, and the full seven-state A-zone recommendation, replacing the earlier lower figures and shorter state list that were carried over from an unverified pass.
- No source found in this pass gives the specific parent lines that make up the composite, an exact seed rate, or a sowing-window/spacing recommendation particular to this variety, as distinct from generic pearl millet practice — left unstated rather than guessed.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Rajasthan
- Haryana
- Gujarat
- Madhya Pradesh
- Uttar Pradesh
- Punjab
- Delhi
Frequently asked questions
Can I save seed from Pusa Composite 701 and resow it next year?
Yes — that's the point of an open-pollinated composite variety: unlike a hybrid, farm-saved seed doesn't drop sharply in yield the way hybrid seed does. IARI's own release material recommends it partly for this reason.
Which states is Pusa Composite 701 officially recommended for?
Per IARI's own variety pages, the full A-zone: Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi — wider than the three states (Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat) sometimes quoted for it.
Is Pusa Composite 701 resistant to downy mildew?
Yes — IARI describes it as "highly resistant" to downy mildew, and separately notes resistance to blast as well, two of pearl millet's major disease pressures.
How long does Pusa Composite 701 take to mature?
IARI's own pages list it as "medium maturity," about 78–82 days.
Is Pusa Composite 701 suited to rainfed or low-irrigation farming?
Yes — IARI specifically developed and recommends it for limited-irrigation, water-deficit growing conditions, which is part of why it is grown across dry western and northern India.
Sourced from: IARI Varieties — Pearl Millet (Pusa Composite 701) — ICAR-IARI, Pearl Millet Varieties/Hybrids — ZTM-BPD Technology Transfer Unit, ICAR-IARI. editorial policy.