Pusa Naveen
A long-standing IARI open-pollinated lauki with straight, cylindrical fruit of about 550 g and no crooked neck. It crops in both spring-summer and the rainy season, and the national checklist gives 35–40 t/ha.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Zaid / summer
- Maturity period
- First pick ~60–65 days
- Seed rate
- 3–5 kg/ha (about 1.2–2 kg/acre); soak seed 24 hours before sowing
- Expected yield
- 35–40 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- No special resistance; standard fruit-fly and mildew watch
- Release
- Released by ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Pusa Naveen is an open-pollinated bottle gourd from ICAR-IARI, New Delhi. The fruit is straight and cylindrical, weighs about 550 g and has no crooked neck, a shape that packs and sells well. The national checklist says it suits spring-summer and the rainy season, gives an average yield of 35–40 t/ha, and recommends it for Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Because it is open-pollinated, farmers can save their own seed.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Pusa Naveen if you want a proven open-pollinated lauki with straight, crook-neck-free fruit of about 550 g, that you can sow in spring-summer or the rainy season, and save seed from. The checklist gives 35–40 t/ha. Choose Pusa Samridhi if you want a long fruit with a listed gain over Pusa Naveen. Choose Arka Bahar for blossom end rot tolerance. Choose Kashi Bahar or Pusa Hybrid-3 if you will buy hybrid seed for a higher yield.
Sowing & cultivation
- Seed rate3–5 kg/ha (about 1.2–2 kg/acre); soak seed 24 hours before sowing
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Straight, uniform, crook-neck-free long fruit that packs and sells well
- Early bearing; crops in both the summer and the rainy season
- Open-pollinated — seed can be saved
Things to consider
- No special disease resistance — the melon fruit fly and mildews need managing
- Use the ethrel seedling spray to bring female flowers and early yield forward
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Uttar Pradesh
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Delhi
- Bihar
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharashtra
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 Bottle Gourd (Lauki) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arka Bahar | An open-pollinated lauki with straight, 1 kg, light green fruit that tolerates blossom end rot | First pick ~60–65 days | 40–45 t/ha | Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh |
| Kashi Bahar | A high-yielding F1 lauki with long, straight, 780–850 g fruit for the eastern plains | First pick ~55–60 days | 50–55 t/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand |
| Punjab Komal | An early, CMV-tolerant PAU bottle gourd with oblong, light green fruit, about 200 q/acre | First fruit in about 70 days after sowing | About 200 q/acre (about 49 t/ha) | Punjab |
| Pusa Hybrid-3 | An F1 lauki built for easy packing and long-distance transport, recommended for all of India | First pick about 50–55 days | 42.5 t/ha in summer, 47 t/ha in the rainy season | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra |
| Pusa Naveenthis page | An open-pollinated lauki with straight, 550 g fruit and no crooked neck, for two seasons | First pick ~60–65 days | 35–40 t/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| Pusa Samridhi | An open-pollinated lauki with long, neckless fruit, listed 14–19% ahead of Pusa Naveen | First pick about 50–55 days | 27–31 t/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana |
| Pusa Sandesh | An open-pollinated round lauki of about 600 g, for kitchens and markets that buy the round type | First pick about 55–60 days in the rainy season, 60–65 days in summer | About 32 t/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi |
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 Bottle Gourd (Lauki) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Bottle Gourd (Lauki) 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 Bottle Gourd (Lauki) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Bottle Gourd (Lauki) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Bottle Gourd (Lauki) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Bottle Gourd (Lauki) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Bottle Gourd (Lauki) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Pusa Naveen yield?
The national checklist gives 35–40 t/ha, with fruit of about 550 g. That is lower than Pusa Samridhi's spring-summer figure and the hybrids, but you save the hybrid seed cost.
Which seasons can I grow Pusa Naveen in?
The checklist says it suits spring-summer and the rainy season. The rainy crop needs more care against fruit fly and mildew, and a good drain.
What does crook-neck-free mean, and why does it matter?
Some lauki fruits bend near the stalk end. Pusa Naveen fruit is straight, which means less waste, tighter packing in crates and a better price from buyers who grade by shape.
Why should I spray ethrel on Pusa Naveen seedlings?
The summary above advises it to bring female flowers and early yield forward. Follow the dose and timing recommended by your state agricultural university, and never spray more than advised.
Can I save seed from Pusa Naveen?
Yes, it is open-pollinated. Let a few of the best, straightest fruits ripen fully on the vine, and keep them away from other lauki plots. The seed rate is 3–5 kg/ha, and soaking the seed for 24 hours before sowing helps it come up.
Sourced from: Checklist of Commercial Varieties of Vegetables (capsicum, carrot, cucumber, bottle gourd, bitter gourd) — TNAU Agritech national bulletin. editorial policy.