DCH-519
A castor hybrid from the cross M 574 x DCS 78, listed by ICAR-IIOR (2006) for rainfed and irrigated areas, with seed from IIOR Hyderabad. On farmers' fields at Osian, Jodhpur, it gave 3,874 kg a hectare, 8.4% more than the hybrids the farmers already grew.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Castor
- Type
- Hybrid
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 200–230 days (staggered picking)
- Expected yield
- 1,740 kg a hectare rainfed and 2,130 kg irrigated (ICAR-IIOR); 3,874 kg in Rajasthan farmer-field demonstrations
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Disease resistance
- Resistant to Fusarium wilt and leafhopper (ICAR-IIOR); 17.0% wilt irrigated and 17.7% rainfed in AICRP trials; the most grey mould of four hybrids tested (62.4% severity)
- Release
- Listed as released in 2006 (ICAR-IIOR hybrid table)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
DCH-519 is a castor hybrid from ICAR-IIOR, Hyderabad, made by crossing M 574 with DCS 78. ICAR-IIOR lists it as released in 2006 for rainfed and irrigated areas, with a green stem, triple bloom and spiny capsules, and resistance to Fusarium wilt and leafhopper. Its average yields in that table are 1,740 kg a hectare rainfed and 2,130 kg irrigated. It is a standard check hybrid in AICRP castor trials, where newer hybrids such as GCH 8 and GNCH-1 are measured against it. On farmers' fields at Osian in Jodhpur (kharif 2019) it gave 3,874 kg a hectare with an improved package, 8.4% more than the hybrids those farmers already used. At Sardarkrushinagar in 2016-17 it gave 4,284 kg, below GCH 8 at 4,859 kg.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose DCH-519 when you want a proven, wilt-resistant hybrid and your seed dealer stocks it. In farmers' fields at Osian, Jodhpur, it gave 3,874 kg a hectare, the best of six hybrids. Choose GCH 8 instead if seed yield is the first goal. GCH 8 beat DCH-519 by 14.02% rainfed and 17.64% irrigated in AICRP trials. Know the weak spot too: DCH-519 had the most grey mould (62.4% severity) of the four hybrids in those trials, so watch it in a wet season.
Sowing & cultivation
- FertilizerHybrid doses per ha: 60:30:30 kg NPK on rainfed land and 90:45:45 under irrigation. ICAR-IIOR recommends DCH 519 for rainfed land in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and for irrigated land in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat. These are TNAU's blanket doses, so use your soil test where you have one. Put all the phosphorus and half the nitrogen and potash in at sowing. Under irrigation, give the rest of the nitrogen and potash in two equal splits at 30 and 60 days after sowing
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- Resistant to Fusarium wilt and leafhopper, per the ICAR-IIOR hybrid table
- Wilt in AICRP trials: 17.0% irrigated (Sardarkrushinagar) and 17.7% rainfed (IIOR), inside the 20% resistant band; root rot 19.7% at Junagadh
- Grey mould severity of 62.4% in AICRP trials, the highest of the four hybrids compared
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Resistant to Fusarium wilt and leafhopper, with wilt of 17.0% to 17.7% in AICRP trials.
- Gave 3,874 kg a hectare in Rajasthan farmer-field demonstrations, the best of six hybrids, at about the same cost of cultivation as the hybrids farmers already used.
- A standard check hybrid in AICRP trials, so its record against new hybrids is well documented.
Things to consider
- GCH 8 out-yielded it by 14.02% rainfed and 17.64% irrigated in AICRP trials (2013-14 to 2015-16).
- The 3,874 kg came with treated seed, Trichoderma-enriched farmyard manure and drip irrigation. Expect less without that care.
- Grey mould severity was the highest of the four hybrids tested (62.4%), so watch the crop in a wet season.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Andhra Pradesh
- Telangana
- Rajasthan
- Gujarat
DCH-519 in a Rajasthan farmer's field: yield, cost and return
The best evidence for DCH-519 outside a research station is the ICAR-IIOR frontline demonstration at Osian, Jodhpur, in kharif 2019. Fifty farmers each grew DCH-519 on 0.40 ha beside the hybrid they already used. DCH-519 averaged 3,874 kg a hectare and the farmers' hybrids 3,581 kg, an increase of 8.4%.
The cost side is the useful part. Cost of cultivation was Rs 41,499 a hectare for DCH-519 and Rs 41,771 for the farmers' hybrids, so the better hybrid did not cost more to grow. Gross return was Rs 1,39,466 against Rs 1,28,905, an extra net return of Rs 10,841 a hectare. The benefit:cost ratio was 3.36 against 3.08. All of these are 2019 prices and costs from one tehsil.
Read the yield with care. These demonstrations used treated seed, Trichoderma-enriched farmyard manure and drip irrigation, and the trial hybrids ranged from 3,000 to 3,874 kg. Your own field will not match these without the same care. The fair takeaway is narrower and still useful: on the same land and with the same inputs, DCH-519 earned more than most of the hybrids farmers there were growing.
Where the planting material comes from
This is a hybrid, so seed kept from your own harvest will not breed true. The next crop comes up uneven in height, maturity and yield. Buy fresh certified seed every season and keep the bag tag until harvest.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Castor variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCH-519this page | Rainfed or irrigated fields where a proven, wilt-resistant hybrid with easy seed supply is wanted | 200–230 days (staggered picking) | 1,740 kg a hectare rainfed and 2,130 kg irrigated (ICAR-IIOR); 3,874 kg in Rajasthan farmer-field demonstrations | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Gujarat |
| GAUCH 1 | Farmers who already grow GAUCH 1 and have land with no wilt history | 150–180 days | About 1,520 kg a hectare irrigated (ICAR-IIOR); no rainfed figure published | Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| GCH 8 | Farmers who can irrigate and want the highest-yielding, wilt-resistant castor hybrid | About 7 months with four pickings (sown in mid-August, last picking in the last week of March at Sardarkrushinagar) | 19 q/ha rainfed; 36 q/ha irrigated | Gujarat |
| GCH-4 | Farmers who already grow GCH-4 and can get its seed, on land with little wilt | 200–220 days (staggered picking) | 1,200 kg a hectare rainfed and 2,200 kg irrigated (ICAR-IIOR table) | Gujarat |
| GCH-7 | Irrigated Gujarat fields with a wilt problem, where the farmer already knows this hybrid and its seed | 200–220 days (staggered picking) | About 3,000 kg a hectare irrigated (ICAR-IIOR); 4,324 kg in a 2016-17 trial at Sardarkrushinagar | Gujarat |
| GNCH-1 | Irrigated Gujarat fields, including late-kharif, rabi and after-paddy sowings, where wilt and leafhopper are the main risks | 200–220 days (staggered picking) | Around 2,545 kg/ha in trials, roughly 14% higher than GCH-7; 20–25 q/ha under good irrigated management | Gujarat |
| Kranti | Rainfed farmers who want seed they can save, and who accept a lower yield than a hybrid | Not published for Kranti. Castor in general needs 5 to 10 months for a paying seed yield (ICAR-IIOR). | No published figure for Kranti. ICAR-IIOR gives 1,100 kg a hectare rainfed for the comparable open-pollinated variety 48-1 (Jwala). | Rajasthan, Gujarat |
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 Castor is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Castor 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 Castor variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Castor into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Castor in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Castor rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Castor seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the parentage of DCH-519 castor?
Seed parent M 574 crossed with pollen parent DCS 78, as listed by ICAR-IIOR, Hyderabad, which also supplies the seed.
Which states is DCH-519 recommended for?
ICAR-IIOR lists it for rainfed and irrigated areas without naming states. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan and Gujarat are the states where it is grown or tested. In Rajasthan, farmers' fields at Osian (Jodhpur) gave 3,874 kg a hectare.
Why is DCH-519 used as a check hybrid in trials?
It is a standard check hybrid in AICRP castor trials, so newer hybrids are tested against it. GCH 8 beat it by 14.02% rainfed and 17.64% irrigated in 2013-14 to 2015-16, and GNCH-1 beat it by 35.9% in Gujarat trials.
What yield does DCH-519 give?
The ICAR-IIOR table gives 1,740 kg a hectare rainfed and 2,130 kg irrigated. Farmers' fields in Rajasthan with an improved package gave 3,874 kg, and a 2016-17 trial at Sardarkrushinagar gave 4,284 kg. Yield swings with water and care, so plan on the table figures and treat the higher ones as what good management can reach.
When was DCH-519 released?
2006, as listed by ICAR-IIOR, Hyderabad, the institute that developed it.
How does DCH-519 compare with GCH-8 and GCH-7 in the same field?
At Sardarkrushinagar in 2016-17, with 120 x 60 cm spacing and six irrigations, the seed yields were GCH 8 (SHB 896) 4,859 kg, DCH 1720 4,472 kg, GCH-7 4,324 kg, DCH-519 4,284 kg and DCH 177 3,926 kg a hectare. DCH-519 had the smallest seeds of the five (100-seed weight 27.87 g) but the longest primary spike (64.02 cm). In the Rajasthan demonstrations it beat GCH-7 by 9.2% on the same farms (3,275 against 3,000 kg).
Did DCH-519 do well in farmers' fields in Rajasthan?
Yes. In 50 demonstrations at Osian tehsil, Jodhpur (kharif 2019), DCH-519 gave a mean 3,874 kg a hectare, against 3,581 kg for the hybrids the farmers already grew, which is 8.4% more. It beat all five: Commando (3,786 kg), Sagar Moti (3,588), MRCA 409 (3,393), DCH 177 (3,363) and GCH 7 (3,000). Each demonstration covered 0.40 ha.
How much wilt does DCH-519 get?
In the AICRP trials reported with the GCH 8 release, wilt was 17.0% on irrigated land (Sardarkrushinagar) and 17.7% on rainfed land (IIOR), against 99.3% and 100% in the susceptible check. The paper counts 20% or less as resistant. Root rot was 19.7% at Junagadh. Grey mould was the weak point at 62.4% severity, the highest of the four hybrids.
When is DCH-519 sown and picked in Rajasthan?
In the Osian demonstrations most plots were sown in the first week of August and harvested in the second and third week of March. That is about seven and a half months, with several pickings as the spikes ripen one after another. Plan your labour and drying space for March.
What seed rate, spacing and fertiliser did the Rajasthan demonstrations use?
The improved package used 5 kg of seed a hectare (two seeds a hill, thinned to one plant 15 days after sowing) at 120 x 90 cm spacing. The seed was treated with carbendazim at 2 g a kg. Fertiliser was 10 tonnes of farmyard manure, 80 kg N and 40 kg P a hectare, with Trichoderma-enriched manure and drip irrigation. Farmers' own practice was 90 x 60 cm, untreated seed and sprinkler irrigation. These are ICAR demonstration figures, not a label for DCH-519 alone.
Sourced from: ICAR-IIOR hybrids and varieties table, Vikaspedia (high yielding hybrids and varieties of castor), Moola Ram and Meena, Seed yield and economic performance of castor at farmers' field in arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, Annals of Arid Zone 59(3&4), 2020, Jat and Desai, Performance of castor hybrids under different fertility levels, Annals of Arid Zone 59(3&4), 2020, Patel et al., A high yielding and wilt resistant castor hybrid for India (GCH 8), Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 90(5), 2020, ICAR-IIOR castor cultivar page: recommended states and ecology for each hybrid (DCH 519, GCH 4, GCH 7, GNCH 1), Nutrient management: castor — TNAU Agritech Portal (blanket NPK doses for varieties and hybrids, rainfed and irrigated). editorial policy.