RD 2660
Bred for rainfed and drought-prone conditions in Rajasthan, with malt-suitable grain quality where water is genuinely short for an irrigated malt crop. Not yet individually researched for a detail page.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Barley
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- 110–115 days
- Expected yield
- 25–30 q/ha (rainfed)
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
About this variety
RD 2660 is a rainfed, malt-suitable barley variety developed for drought-prone tracts of the North-Western Plains Zone in Rajasthan. ICAR-IIWBR Karnal's own Barley Improvement page, fetched directly this phase, did not mention this variety by name, so the following is drawn from several independently-worded secondary sources reached via WebSearch and corroborated across them, rather than from a single fetched primary page: a rainfed, timely-sown, dual food-and-fodder release with good drought tolerance and malt-suitable grain quality, averaging about 24.30 q/ha under rainfed, timely-sown conditions — close to this record's own 25–30 q/ha (rainfed) yieldPotential. One frequently-repeated adoption figure puts average area under RD 2660 at about 3.70 acres per farmer in Rajasthan, suggesting real on-farm uptake rather than only trial-plot performance.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
110–115 days
Expected yield
25–30 q/ha (rainfed)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- Good drought tolerance; moderate disease tolerance
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Malt-suitable grain quality combined with rainfed drought tolerance is unusual — most malt barley programmes target irrigated conditions, so RD 2660 fills a niche for genuinely rainfed tracts of Rajasthan
- A repeated adoption figure of about 3.70 acres average area per farmer in Rajasthan (secondary sources, not independently fetched) suggests real on-farm uptake, not just trial-plot results
Things to consider
- No page specifically covering RD 2660 could be independently fetched and read this phase — ICAR-IIWBR Karnal's own Barley Improvement page, fetched directly, lists other varieties (including DWRB 182 and RD 2552) but does not mention RD 2660 by name; the facts above rest on corroborated WebSearch summaries rather than a directly-verified primary source
- Exact release/notification year and pedigree were not found in any source checked this phase
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Rajasthan
Frequently asked questions
Is RD 2660 suitable for malt use?
Yes, per secondary sources corroborated across multiple independent hits (not independently fetched this phase) — it is described as malt-suitable grain quality bred for rainfed conditions, unlike most malt barley programmes which target irrigated tracts.
Where is RD 2660 grown?
This record lists Rajasthan only, and secondary sources consistently tie it to drought-prone, rainfed tracts of the North-Western Plains Zone within Rajasthan specifically.
How does RD 2660's yield compare to irrigated barley varieties?
Lower, as expected for a rainfed variety — secondary sources cite about 24.30 q/ha under rainfed, timely-sown conditions, close to this record's own 25–30 q/ha (rainfed) band, versus 40+ q/ha for many irrigated NWPZ varieties in this registry.
Was RD 2660 confirmed on ICAR-IIWBR Karnal's own website this phase?
No — the institute's own Barley Improvement page, fetched directly, did not mention RD 2660 by name; the facts here rely on corroborated secondary sources instead.
How widely is RD 2660 actually grown by farmers?
A repeated secondary-source figure puts average area under the variety at about 3.70 acres per farmer in Rajasthan, suggesting genuine on-farm adoption, though this figure was not independently verified this phase.