Bajra (Pearl Millet)KharifHybridUpdated 20 October 2026

RHB 273

The world's first three-way pearl millet hybrid, bred by ICRISAT and ICAR for disease resistance and yield. Released January 2026; seed supply unconfirmed.

SeasonKharif

Maturity period78–80 days

Expected yield~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

Suitable soilSandy / light soil

Quick facts

Crop: Bajra (Pearl Millet)
Type: Hybrid
Season: Kharif
Maturity period: 78–80 days
Expected yield: ~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
Suitable soil: Sandy / light soil
Disease resistance: Resistant to downy mildew, blast and smut
Release: Bred by ICRISAT and ICAR via the AICRP Pearl Millet centre at RARI/SKNAU Jobner (work begun 2019); formally released and notified on 4 January 2026 for India's A1 dryland zone (parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana)

Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.

About this variety

RHB 273 was developed by ICRISAT with ICAR. The work ran through the All India Coordinated Research Project on Pearl Millet (AICRP) centre at the Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute (RARI), part of Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University (SKNAU), Jobner. Breeding on this three-way hybrid began in 2019. ICRISAT calls it the world's first three-way pearl millet hybrid. Unlike the usual two-parent hybrids, it combines three parental lines. Its breeders say that gives better buffering against both disease and drought stress. It was formally released on 4 January 2026. On that day the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, notified 184 new varieties across 25 crops. RHB 273 was approved specifically for India's A1 dryland zones — parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana, where annual rainfall is below 400 mm. Across three years of trials (2022–2024, 30 sites in three states) it averaged about 2,230 kg/ha (~22.3 q/ha). That is 13–27% above regional varieties, and roughly 28% above the widely grown check HHB 67 Improved. It also showed resistance to downy mildew, blast and smut. As a dual-purpose hybrid, it gave better fodder quality for livestock in these dry belts. The release is only months old, so details such as days to maturity and plant height were not found published. The Ministry frames getting all 184 new varieties to farmers as a three-year goal. So seed availability in the market could not be confirmed.

Should you pick this variety?

Pick RHB 273 only after you have confirmed seed in hand. It is the first three-way pearl millet hybrid, released on 4 January 2026 for the A1 dryland zone — parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana where rainfall is under 400 mm — and it resists downy mildew, blast and smut, the widest cover of any bajra variety here. Three years of trials at 30 sites averaged about 22 q/ha, roughly 28% above HHB 67 Improved. But it was notified in a batch of 184 varieties that the Ministry itself expects to take three years to reach farmers, and no seed listing was found anywhere. Until your state seed corporation or SKNAU Jobner confirms stock, sow RHB 177 at 25–28 q/ha or Pusa Composite 701, and keep this one in mind for later.

Sowing & cultivation

Full Bajra (Pearl Millet) growing guideSowing time, nutrients, irrigation, pests, costs and prices for Bajra (Pearl Millet) as a whole crop. This is the advice that holds for every variety.

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

World's first three-way pearl millet hybrid — combining three parent lines instead of two for, per its breeders, better buffering against both disease and drought stress
Confirmed resistance to downy mildew, blast and smut, three of pearl millet's major disease pressures in dryland zones
Across 2022–2024 multi-location trials (30 sites, 3 states), averaged ~22.3 q/ha — a reported 13–27% advantage over regional varieties and ~28% over the widely grown HHB 67 Improved — plus improved fodder quality for livestock in drought-prone belts

Things to consider

Seed is the first thing to settle. RHB 273 was released only on 4 January 2026 in a batch of 184 varieties, and the Ministry's own press release frames getting that batch to farmers as a three-year goal, not an immediate one. No seednet.gov.in listing, State Seed Corporation stock entry, or private-multiplier sale listing was found. Do not present this as seed a farmer can currently buy without checking current-season multiplication status directly with SKNAU Jobner, the Rajasthan State Seed Corporation, or ICRISAT.
The confirmed yield is the trial average: about 2,230 kg/ha, that is roughly 22.3 q/ha. The higher 28 q/ha reading follows from the reported 13–27% advantage over regional varieties, but no trial states it. Plan on about 22 q/ha.
The three parent lines and the plant height are not given in any source we could reach, so they are left out.
The notified area is the full A1 dryland zone — parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana — and not Rajasthan alone, going by the ICRISAT and ICAR release announcement.

Suitable regions

States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.

Rajasthan
Gujarat
Haryana

Before you go looking for RHB 273 seed

This hybrid is new in a way that matters for your sowing plan. It was released on 4 January 2026 in a batch of 184 varieties across 25 crops, and the Ministry's own announcement treats getting that batch to farmers as a three-year job. We found no listing on seednet.gov.in, no state seed corporation stock entry and no private multiplier selling it. So the first question is not whether RHB 273 is good — it is whether anyone can sell you the seed this season.

If you want to try it, ask in this order: SKNAU Jobner or the RARI centre that bred it, then your state seed corporation, then ICRISAT. Ask specifically whether seed of RHB 273 is being multiplied for sale this season and in what quantity, and be careful with any shop that offers it under a similar-sounding name. Until you have an answer in hand, sow a variety you can actually buy. RHB 177 gives 25–28 q/ha, and Pusa Composite 701 also lets you resow your own seed. Keep the's trial figure — about 22 q/ha with resistance to downy mildew, blast and smut — as the thing to compare against when the seed does arrive.

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 177	The highest yield here, with bird-resistant earheads	78–80 days	25–28 q/ha	Rajasthan, Haryana
RHB 273this page	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.

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

What makes RHB 273 different from other pearl millet hybrids?

It's a three-way hybrid, combining three parent lines instead of the usual two. According to its breeders, this gives it better buffering against both disease and drought stress than conventional two-parent hybrids.

Can farmers buy RHB 273 seed right now?

That's not yet confirmed. It was officially released in January 2026, and the government's own announcement treats getting newly released varieties to farmers as a multi-year process — so check current seed availability with SKNAU Jobner, your State Seed Corporation, or a licensed dealer before planning around it.

Is RHB 273 really a 28 q/ha hybrid?

The confirmed figure is the trial average: about 2,230 kg/ha, that is roughly 22 q/ha, across 30 sites over 2022–2024. The higher 28 q/ha reading follows from the reported 13–27% advantage over regional varieties, but no trial result states it directly. Plan on about 22 q/ha and treat anything above that as a good year.

What does a three-way hybrid mean for me in the field?

It means three parent lines went into the seed instead of the usual two, and its breeders say that gives the crop better buffering against disease and drought stress. For you, the part you can act on is not the breeding method but what it measured: resistance to downy mildew, blast and smut, and about 22 q/ha in trials. Judge it on those, the way you would any other hybrid.

How many days does RHB 273 take to mature?

The 78–80 days given above is in line with the other A1-zone hybrids, but no primary source we could reach states the days to maturity for this hybrid, because the release is only months old. Treat the figure as approximate, and when you do get seed, note the actual date of maturity in your own field for next year.

Can I grow RHB 273 where rainfall is above 400 mm?

RHB 273 was notified for the A1 dryland zone, where rainfall is under 400 mm. No trial data exists for wetter areas, so do not assume it will behave the same. In a higher-rainfall district, ask your KVK or state university which bajra they recommend before sowing.

RHB 273 or HHB 67 Improved — which should I plan on this season?

Plan on HHB 67 Improved unless you already hold RHB 273 seed. HHB 67 Improved has been grown across Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat since before 2011, so seed and advice are easy to find. RHB 273 averaged about 22 q/ha over three years of trials at 30 sites, roughly 28% above HHB 67 Improved, but its seed supply is unconfirmed.

Sourced from: ICRISAT and ICAR Announce Release of the World's First Three-way Pearl Millet Hybrid — ICRISAT Press Room, श्री शिवराज सिंह चौहान ने आईसीएआर की विकसित 25 फसलों की 184 नई किस्में राष्ट्र को समर्पित कीं। स्रोत: Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (किसानों तक पहुँचाने का 3 साल का लक्ष्य और 4 जनवरी 2026 की रिलीज़ तारीख़ यहीं से), World's First Three-way Pearl Millet Hybrid RHB 273 by ICRISAT and ICAR — Global Agriculture. editorial policy.