Kashi Kranti (VRO-22)
An ICAR-IIVR (Varanasi) open-pollinated YVMV-resistant variety with straight, dark green, shiny pods and good yield in both seasons; widely recommended for the eastern and central plains.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Bhindi (Okra)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- First pick ~45–50 days
- Seed rate
- 8 kg per hectare, the rate for an open-pollinated bhendi
- Expected yield
- 15–18 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Resistant to yellow vein mosaic virus
- Release
- Released by ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Kashi Kranti (VRO-22) is an open-pollinated okra from ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, carrying resistance to yellow vein mosaic virus. It bears straight, dark green, glossy, five-ridged pods and yields well in both the summer and rainy-season crops, coming to the first pick early at about 45–50 days. It is one of the standard recommended varieties for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and the wider eastern and central plains.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick Kashi Kranti (VRO-22) if you farm Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh or West Bengal and want an early crop with pods that grade well: straight, dark green, glossy and five-ridged. ICAR-IIVR Varanasi bred it with resistance to yellow vein mosaic, it reaches the first pick at about 45–50 days and gives 15–18 t/ha, and it performs in both the summer and rainy-season crops — one of the standard recommendations for the eastern plains. Keep controlling whitefly from the seedling stage where virus pressure is high, and remember the resistance does not cover enation leaf curl. For leaf curl, choose Arka Abhay.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeJune–August and February
- Seed rate8 kg per hectare, the rate for an open-pollinated bhendi
- Spacing45 x 30 cm on ridges
- Sowing methodPlough four to five times, form ridges 45 cm apart, sow three treated seeds per hill and thin to two after 10 days
- IrrigationWeekly after germination
- Fertilizer25 t/ha farmyard manure, 20 kg N, 50 kg P and 30 kg K per hectare as basal, and 20 kg N/ha at 30 days after sowing (Tamil Nadu guide)
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Resistant to yellow vein mosaic virus
- Early — the first pick at about 45–50 days
- Straight, glossy, dark green pods that grade and sell well
- Recommended and reliable across the eastern and central plains, both seasons
Things to consider
- YVMV resistance does not cover enation leaf curl virus
- Still needs whitefly control from the seedling stage in high virus-pressure areas
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Uttar Pradesh
- Bihar
- Jharkhand
- Chhattisgarh
- Madhya Pradesh
- West Bengal
Early pods for the first market of the season
Kashi Kranti picks from about 45–50 days, among the earliest here, with straight, glossy, dark green pods. Early pods reach the market before the main flush, which is when okra fetches its best rate across the eastern and central plains.
To use that, plan the sowing date against your market rather than the weather alone, and keep the first pickings graded: straight, even, glossy pods of one length sell at the top of the range, while bent and scarred pods pull the lot down. Pack in shallow crates rather than deep sacks, because okra bruises and the bruise shows as a dark patch by the time it is sold. Keep picking every second day — the early advantage is lost if the first flush is left to toughen on the plant.
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 Abhay | 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)this page | 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
What does an early first pick do for my income?
At 45–50 days it starts selling about a week before the later varieties, when arrivals are still thin and the rate is higher. It also means more picks in the same season, and okra income is built on the number of picks, not on one harvest.
Can I grow Kashi Kranti in both seasons on the same field?
It yields in both, but repeating okra back to back builds up whitefly and soil problems. Put another crop between the two okra crops, clear old plants out of the field instead of leaving them on the bund, and the virus pressure on your next crop drops.
Why does glossy, straight pod shape matter at sale?
Traders grade okra by eye: straight, even, glossy dark green pods go into the top grade, while bent, dull or oversized ones are discounted. Pick every second day at the right size, because a pod left one day too long loses both tenderness and grade.
How much Kashi Kranti seed do I need, and at what spacing?
8 kg per hectare, the rate for an open-pollinated bhendi, planted at 45 x 30 cm on ridges. Ridges matter in the eastern plains, where a June–August crop can sit in standing water after a heavy spell.
What yield does Kashi Kranti give?
15–18 t/ha, with the first pick at 45–50 days, the earliest on this crop page. For a grower selling into a daily market, those few extra days of picking at the start of the season are often worth more than the headline yield.
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.