RHB 177
A downy-mildew-resistant hybrid for arid and semi-arid tracts, with bristled earheads that help deter bird damage on the grain.
Quick facts
- Type
- Hybrid
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 78–80 days
- Expected yield
- 25–28 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Disease resistance
- Downy mildew resistant
- Release
- Notified 25 March 2011 (S.O. 632(E)) by RARI, Durgapura (SKN Agriculture University, Jobner)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
RHB 177 is a pearl millet hybrid from the cross ICMA 843-22 × RIB 494, bred at the Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute (RARI), Durgapura (Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University, Jobner) and notified on 25 March 2011 (S.O. 632(E)). It is an early-maturing, medium-tall hybrid with cylindrical, bristled earheads that deter bird damage on grain, and carries resistance to downy mildew. It is recommended for the AICRP-designated arid and semi-arid tracts of Western Rajasthan and the drier parts of Gujarat and Haryana.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick RHB 177 if yield is what you are after and birds take a share of your grain every year. It is rated 25–28 q/ha, the highest of the bajra varieties here, matures in 78–80 days, resists downy mildew, and its cylindrical, bristled earheads physically discourage birds from the grain. It came from RARI Durgapura and was notified in 2011 for the arid and semi-arid tracts of western Rajasthan and the drier parts of Gujarat and Haryana. It is a hybrid, so seed has to be bought every year — if that is the problem, Pusa Composite 701 is the open-pollinated alternative at 20–23 q/ha. If your rains are too short for 78–80 days, drop to HHB 67 Improved at 65–70 days.
Sowing & cultivation
Pest & disease considerations
Major pests
- Cylindrical, bristled earheads are noted as a physical deterrent against bird damage to the grain — a practical field advantage independent of the disease-resistance rating
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Rajasthan
- Haryana
Bristled earheads and birds: what they do and do not stop
Bird damage is one of those losses that never shows up in a variety table, and on a small bajra field near trees it can take a real share of the grain. RHB 177's cylindrical earheads carry bristles that make the grain harder for birds to reach, and this is recorded as a practical field advantage of the hybrid, separate from its downy mildew resistance.
Be clear about the size of the help. Bristles are a deterrent, not a net. A field standing alone next to a roost, a tree line or a village will still lose grain. Heavy pressure needs the arrangements you already use. Watch the crop through grain filling. Scare birds at the hours they come. Sow with your neighbours, so no single field is the only ripe one in the area. Where bird pressure is light, the bristles may be enough on their own, and you also get the highest yield rating of the bajra varieties here, 25–28 q/ha in 78–80 days.
Where the planting material comes from
This is a hybrid, so seed kept from your own harvest will not breed true. The next crop comes up uneven in height, maturity and yield. Buy fresh certified seed every season and keep the bag tag until harvest.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Bajra (Pearl Millet) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HHB 67 Improved | The shortest rains — grain in under 70 days | 65–70 days | 20–25 q/ha | Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat |
| Pusa 1201 | Grain plus fodder, and a second summer crop | 75–78 days | 18–20 q/ha | Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan |
| Pusa Composite 383 | Keeping your own seed in the dry tracts | 70–75 days | 16–20 q/ha | Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh |
| Pusa Composite 701 | Downy mildew and blast cover, with seed you can resow | 78–82 days | 20–23 q/ha | Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi |
| RHB 177this page | The highest yield here, with bird-resistant earheads | 78–80 days | 25–28 q/ha | Rajasthan, Haryana |
| RHB 273 | The widest disease cover — once the seed reaches you | 78–80 days | ~22 q/ha average (2,230 kg/ha) in multi-location trials; up to ~28 q/ha implied by the reported 13–27% advantage over regional checks, though no trial explicitly reports that upper figure | Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Bajra (Pearl Millet) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Bajra (Pearl Millet) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Germination CalculatorTest 100 seeds from the bag before sowing and see whether the lot is fit to sow.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Bajra (Pearl Millet) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Bajra (Pearl Millet) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Bajra (Pearl Millet) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Bajra (Pearl Millet) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Bajra (Pearl Millet) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Do the bristles on the earhead really stop bird damage?
They are a deterrent, not a fence. The bristles make the grain harder for birds to get at, which is recorded as a practical field advantage of this hybrid, but a field standing alone next to a roost or a tree line will still lose grain. Keep watching the crop through grain filling, and use your usual bird-scaring arrangements where pressure is heavy.
RHB 177 or RHB 273 — both are from Jobner?
Yes, both came through the AICRP pearl millet work at RARI, Jobner. RHB 177 was notified in 2011 and is a seed you can actually find: 78–80 days, 25–28 q/ha, downy mildew resistance. RHB 273 is the January 2026 three-way hybrid with wider disease cover — downy mildew, blast and smut — but its seed supply is unconfirmed. Sow RHB 177 this season and watch RHB 273 for later.
Which areas is RHB 177 recommended for?
The AICRP-designated arid and semi-arid tracts of western Rajasthan, plus the drier parts of Gujarat and Haryana. If your rainfall is higher than that belt, the hybrid will still grow, but the varieties bred for your own zone are the safer comparison — ask your KVK what the local recommendation is before you sow a big area.
RHB 177 or HHB 67 Improved if my rains are short?
If the rains stop early, HHB 67 Improved finishes in 65–70 days, against 78–80 days for RHB 177. RHB 177 gives more, 25–28 q/ha against 20–25 q/ha, and its bristled earheads discourage birds. Pick RHB 177 when the rains last long enough for 78–80 days; pick HHB 67 Improved when the season is shorter.
Can I save seed from RHB 177 for the next season?
No. RHB 177 is a hybrid, so seed kept from the crop does not repeat the parent's yield or its disease cover. Buy fresh certified seed every year. Sell or eat the grain you harvest. If you want to resow your own seed, take an open-pollinated bajra such as Pusa Composite 701.