Arka Abhay
A newer IIHR release bred for combined resistance to yellow vein mosaic virus and enation leaf curl virus — the two viral diseases now hitting okra together — on a medium-tall plant with attractive green pods.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Bhindi (Okra)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- First pick ~50–55 days
- Seed rate
- 8 kg per hectare as an open-pollinated variety. The Tamil Nadu guide lists Arka Abhay among its recommended bhendi varieties
- Expected yield
- 15–18 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Resistant to YVMV and to enation leaf curl virus
- Release
- Released by ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Arka Abhay is an open-pollinated okra from ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru, developed as older YVMV-resistant varieties began to be overtaken by a second whitefly-borne disease, enation leaf curl virus. It carries resistance to both viruses at once, which is why it matters in areas where leaf curl has broken the resistance of varieties like Pusa Sawani. The plant is medium-tall with attractive dark green pods and reaches the first pick at about 50–55 days.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick Arka Abhay if your okra gets both yellow vein mosaic and enation leaf curl — it is the only variety here with resistance to both, which is why it matters where leaf curl has broken older varieties like Pusa Sawani. ICAR-IIHR Bengaluru released it for Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and Tamil Nadu; the plant is medium-tall with attractive dark green pods, first pick at 50–55 days and 15–18 t/ha. Still control whitefly from the seedling stage, because resistance holds up only with that behind it. Choose Arka Anamika if only YVMV is present, Kashi Kranti in the eastern plains, or Hisar Unnat in the hot north-west.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeJune–August and February
- Seed rate8 kg per hectare as an open-pollinated variety. The Tamil Nadu guide lists Arka Abhay among its recommended bhendi varieties
- Spacing45 x 30 cm, three seeds per hill thinned to two after 10 days
- Sowing methodPlough four to five times and form ridges and furrows 45 cm apart. Sow treated seed on the ridge; gap filling is best done by the seventh day
- IrrigationWeekly irrigation after germination
- Fertilizer25 t/ha farmyard manure, 20 kg N, 50 kg P and 30 kg K per hectare as basal, plus 20 kg N/ha at 30 days after sowing (Tamil Nadu guide)
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Resistant to both yellow vein mosaic virus and enation leaf curl virus — the two together are what break older varieties
- Attractive dark green pods with good market acceptance
- A safer choice than a YVMV-only variety where leaf curl is present
Things to consider
- Virus resistance still needs backing up with whitefly control, especially at the seedling stage
- Newer than the established varieties, so grafted-plant supply and local performance data are still building
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Karnataka
- Andhra Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Telangana
- Tamil Nadu
Two viruses in one variety — the whitefly still matters
Most okra varieties compared here resist yellow vein mosaic virus alone. Arka Abhay resists enation leaf curl virus as well, and that second one is the disease that has been spreading in okra fields and leaving even YVMV-resistant crops crippled, with thickened, warty, curled leaves.
Resistance to the viruses is not resistance to the insect that carries them. Whitefly still sucks sap, still builds up in hot dry weather, and still moves to your next crop. So keep scouting the undersides of leaves, keep the field and bunds free of weed hosts, and avoid planting a new okra crop right next to an old, infested one. Where whitefly is heavy, ask your KVK which sprays are cleared and rotate the groups. What this variety buys you is that an outbreak costs leaf area, not the whole crop.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This is an open-pollinated variety, so seed from a healthy crop of your own can be sown again. Keep seed only from disease-free plants, dry it properly, store it cool and dry, and bring in fresh certified seed every three to four years so the variety does not drift.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Bhindi (Okra) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arka Abhaythis page | Fields hit by leaf curl as well as yellow vein mosaic | First pick ~50–55 days | 15–18 t/ha | Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu |
| Arka Anamika | Rainy-season okra with spineless, long-tender pods | First pick ~55 days | 12–18 t/ha | Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha |
| Hisar Unnat (HRB-108) | The hot, dry north-west summer crop | First pick ~50 days | 12–15 t/ha | Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh |
| Kashi Kranti (VRO-22) | Early, glossy straight pods across the eastern and central plains | First pick ~45–50 days | 15–18 t/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal |
| Kashi Pragati (VRO-6) | A tall, early, virus-resistant okra with 20–25 dark green pods per plant, from ICAR-IIVR | First pick in 44–46 days | Average 16 t/ha, potential 18 t/ha | Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh |
| Parbhani Kranti | A long-proven rainy-season okra for Maharashtra and nearby states | First pick ~55 days | 9–12 t/ha | Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana |
| Pusa A-4 | Long tender pods with a lighter spray load in the northern plains | First pick ~45 days | 13–16 t/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi |
| Pusa Sawani | A familiar pod type, only where whitefly is under firm control | First pick ~50 days | 10–15 t/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal |
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 Bhindi (Okra) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Bhindi (Okra) 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 Bhindi (Okra) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Bhindi (Okra) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Bhindi (Okra) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Bhindi (Okra) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Bhindi (Okra) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell leaf curl from yellow vein mosaic?
Yellow vein mosaic turns the leaf veins yellow in a net pattern while the leaf stays flat; enation leaf curl twists and curls the leaf, with small bumpy outgrowths on the underside and a stunted plant. Both come from whitefly, and where you see the curling kind, a YVMV-only variety will not save the crop.
Is Arka Abhay seed easy to get?
It is newer than the established varieties, so supply and local performance data are still building. Book seed early through an IIHR outlet, your KVK or an authorised dealer, and if you cannot get it in time, Arka Anamika covers YVMV while you keep whitefly down.
Can I save seed from Arka Abhay?
Yes, it is open-pollinated, so pods left to dry on a healthy, true-to-type plant give usable seed. Keep it only from virus-free plants with good dark green pods, and go back to fresh certified seed if the stand starts showing mixed plant types.
What spacing does Arka Abhay need, and how many seeds per hill?
45 x 30 cm, with three seeds per hill thinned to two after 10 days. Thinning on time matters: three plants in a hill crowd each other, and okra that is crowded early stays short and sets fewer pods all season.
What yield does Arka Abhay give, and when can I start picking?
15–18 t/ha, with the first pick around 50–55 days. Sowing is June–August or February, and the crop needs weekly irrigation once it is up. Pick every two or three days from the first flush, because okra turns fibrous in a day or two in the heat.
Sourced from: Crop Production Guide (Horticulture), TNAU and Department of Horticulture, Tamil Nadu: bhendi seed rate, field preparation, spacing, season, irrigation and fertiliser. editorial policy.