Pusa Sandesh
An IARI open-pollinated lauki with round, deep oblate green fruit of about 600 g, for kitchens that cook the round type (kofta, raita). The national checklist gives about 32 t/ha for summer and the rainy season in the NCR.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Zaid / summer
- Maturity period
- First pick about 55–60 days in the rainy season, 60–65 days in summer
- Expected yield
- About 32 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- No special resistance claimed
- 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 Sandesh is an open-pollinated bottle gourd from ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, that produces round, deep oblate, green fruit of about 600 g. It suits markets and kitchens that prefer the round type, for kofta and raita. The national checklist gives the first picking at 55–60 days in the rainy season and 60–65 days in summer, and a yield of about 32 t/ha. It suits both seasons and is recommended for the NCR. Because it is open-pollinated, its seed can be saved.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Pusa Sandesh only if your market buys round lauki: a deep oblate green fruit of about 600 g, first picking in 55–60 days in the rainy season and 60–65 days in summer, and about 32 t/ha. Choose Pusa Naveen or Pusa Samridhi if your buyers want the long type. Choose Pusa Hybrid-3 if you will pay for hybrid seed and sell by the truckload.
Sowing & cultivation
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Round fruit for markets and kitchens that prefer that type
- Compact, early-bearing vine; crops in both seasons
- Open-pollinated — seed can be saved
Things to consider
- The round type does not sell everywhere — check the local market preference first
- No special disease resistance — manage the melon fruit fly and mildews
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
Find out if your market pays for round
A 600 g round lauki is about the right size for one family meal, which suits kofta and raita. Many buyers still ask for long lauki because that is what their customers know.
Before you plant a large area, take a few round fruits to two or three retailers and ask the price per kilo and per piece. Compare it with long lauki on the same day.
If round fruit fetches the same or more, plant it. If it fetches less, keep Pusa Sandesh to a small plot for the shops that want it.
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 Naveen | 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 Sandeshthis page | 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
What is the round lauki used for?
The summary above says kitchens and markets that like the round type use it for kofta and raita. In many markets long lauki sells faster, so ask your buyer before you plant.
How long does Pusa Sandesh take to first picking?
The national checklist gives 55–60 days in the rainy season and 60–65 days in summer. Plan your picking crew for the later date in the cooler months.
What yield and fruit weight does Pusa Sandesh give?
About 32 t/ha with fruit of about 600 g, per the national checklist. That is lower than the long open-pollinated types such as Pusa Naveen at 35–40 t/ha.
Can I save seed from Pusa Sandesh?
Yes, it is open-pollinated. Keep the best round fruits on the vine until fully mature and take seed from them, and grow the plot away from long lauki varieties so they do not cross.
Is Pusa Sandesh a compact vine?
The summary above says the vine is compact and early-bearing, while the national checklist says vines are medium to long. Use a bower or support either way, because it keeps the round fruit clean and off the wet soil.
Sourced from: Checklist of Commercial Varieties of Vegetables (capsicum, carrot, cucumber, bottle gourd, bitter gourd) — TNAU Agritech national bulletin. editorial policy.