GCH-7
An irrigated-land hybrid from the cross SKP 84 x SKI 215, listed by ICAR-IIOR as resistant to the nematode-wilt complex. It had the lowest wilt of four hybrids on irrigated land (7.9%) but the most root rot (33.7%), and newer hybrids out-yield it.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Castor
- Type
- Hybrid
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 200–220 days (staggered picking)
- Expected yield
- About 3,000 kg a hectare irrigated (ICAR-IIOR); 4,324 kg in a 2016-17 trial at Sardarkrushinagar
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Disease resistance
- Resistant to the nematode-wilt complex (ICAR-IIOR); wilt 7.9% irrigated and 22.9% rainfed in AICRP trials; the most root rot of four hybrids tested (33.7%)
- 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
GCH-7 is a castor hybrid for irrigated Gujarat, made by crossing SKP 84 with SKI 215. ICAR-IIOR lists it as released in 2006, resistant to the nematode-wilt complex, with an average irrigated yield of 3,000 kg a hectare. Seed comes through the Gujarat State Seed Corporation, Gandhinagar. It is a standard check hybrid in AICRP castor trials, and newer hybrids are measured against it: GCH 8 beat it by 13.01% rainfed and 16.57% irrigated, and GNCH-1 by 13.8% in Gujarat trials. In the AICRP wilt readings it was the best of four hybrids on irrigated land (7.9% wilt) but had the most root rot at Junagadh (33.7%). At Sardarkrushinagar in 2016-17 it gave 4,324 kg a hectare. In farmers' fields at Osian, Jodhpur, it gave 3,000 kg, below DCH-519 on the same farms.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose GCH-7 for irrigated land where wilt is the main worry. It had the lowest wilt of four hybrids on irrigated land in AICRP readings (7.9%, against 18.4% for GCH 8 and 42.4% for DCH 177). Choose another hybrid if root rot is your problem or you want the most seed. GCH-7 had the highest root rot at Junagadh (33.7%), and GCH 8 gave 4,859 kg against its 4,324 kg at Sardarkrushinagar in 2016-17. It is not a rainfed choice: ICAR-IIOR lists it for irrigated areas.
Sowing & cultivation
- FertilizerHybrid doses per ha: 60:30:30 kg NPK on rainfed land and 90:45:45 under irrigation. ICAR-IIOR recommends this hybrid for both irrigated and rainfed conditions, so pick the dose that matches your water. 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 the nematode-wilt complex, per the ICAR-IIOR hybrid table
- Wilt in AICRP trials: 7.9% irrigated (Sardarkrushinagar), the lowest of four hybrids, and 22.9% rainfed (IIOR), which the paper calls moderately resistant
- Root rot of 33.7% at Junagadh, the highest of four hybrids; grey mould severity 58.0%
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- The lowest wilt of four hybrids on irrigated land in the AICRP readings (7.9%).
- Resistant to the nematode-wilt complex, which suits fields with a history of both.
- A long-standing check hybrid with seed from the Gujarat State Seed Corporation.
Things to consider
- Newer hybrids out-yield it: GCH 8 by 13.01% rainfed and 16.57% irrigated, and GNCH-1 by 13.8%.
- Root rot was the highest of four hybrids at Junagadh (33.7%), so avoid fields with root rot history.
- ICAR-IIOR lists it for irrigated areas of Gujarat only; we do not recommend it for rainfed land.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Gujarat
Low wilt, high root rot: how GCH-7 compares with three other hybrids
The AICRP trials reported with the GCH 8 release put four hybrids side by side on disease. On irrigated land at Sardarkrushinagar, wilt was 7.9% in GCH-7, 17.0% in DCH-519, 18.4% in GCH 8 and 42.4% in DCH 177. The susceptible check had 99.3%. On that measure GCH-7 is the safest of the four.
Root rot told the opposite story. At Junagadh, root rot was 33.7% in GCH-7, 26.3% in DCH 177, 19.7% in DCH-519 and 16.9% in GCH 8. The susceptible check had 51.1% and the resistant check 48-1 had 25.2%. So GCH-7 was worse than the resistant check on root rot.
What this means for you: wilt and root rot are different diseases with different remedies, and a hybrid good at one can be weak at the other. If your field has lost plants to sudden wilting, GCH-7 is worth a look. If the problem is rotting roots in wet, heavy soil, pick GCH 8 or DCH-519. These are single-site readings, so ask your local KVK which disease is the bigger risk in your village.
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-519 | 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-7this page | 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
Who developed GCH-7 castor and what is it resistant to?
The ICAR-IIOR table gives the cross as SKP 84 x SKI 215 and the seed source as the Gujarat State Seed Corporation, Gandhinagar. It does not name the breeding station. The table lists it as resistant to the nematode-wilt complex.
Why is GCH-7 used as a check hybrid in trials?
It is a long-standing, well-known hybrid, so newer hybrids are tested against it. GNCH-1 beat it by 13.8% in 18 Gujarat trials, and GCH 8 beat it by 13.01% rainfed and 16.57% irrigated in AICRP trials.
Which states grow GCH-7 castor?
ICAR-IIOR lists it for irrigated areas of Gujarat. Only Gujarat is listed. In Rajasthan it was tested in farmers' fields at Osian, Jodhpur, where it gave 3,000 kg a hectare.
What is GCH-7's yield compared to newer castor hybrids?
Lower. GCH 8 beat it by 13.01% rainfed and 16.57% irrigated in AICRP trials, GNCH-1 by 13.8% in Gujarat trials, and GCH 8 gave 4,859 kg against 4,324 kg at Sardarkrushinagar in 2016-17.
Does GCH-7 have a known release year?
ICAR-IIOR's hybrid table lists 2006.
Is GCH-7 safe from wilt and root rot?
Only partly. In the AICRP trials reported with the GCH 8 release, GCH-7 had 7.9% wilt on irrigated land, the lowest of four hybrids, and 22.9% on rainfed land, which the paper calls moderately resistant (20 to 40%). But its root rot was 33.7% at Junagadh, against 16.9% for GCH 8, 19.7% for DCH-519 and 26.3% for DCH 177. Grey mould severity was 58.0%.
How does GCH-7 compare with GCH-8?
GCH 8 gives more seed. In AICRP trials from 2013-14 to 2015-16 it beat GCH-7 by 13.01% rainfed and 16.57% irrigated. At Sardarkrushinagar in 2016-17 it gave 4,859 kg a hectare against 4,324 kg, which is 12.4% more. GCH-7 wins only on irrigated wilt (7.9% against 18.4%). Both are listed as resistant to wilt, and GCH 8 also had less root rot.
What does a GCH-7 plant look like in a trial?
At Sardarkrushinagar in 2016-17 (sown 14 August, 120 x 60 cm, six irrigations) GCH-7 plants were 91.0 cm tall with 18.1 nodes, the most of five hybrids, and 21.1 effective branches. The primary spike was 58.16 cm long with 52.0 capsules, and 100 seeds weighed 31.10 g. Seed yield was 4,324 kg a hectare.
How did GCH-7 do in Rajasthan farmers' fields?
It gave 3,000 kg a hectare in the Osian (Jodhpur) demonstrations of kharif 2019, the lowest of six hybrids. DCH-519 gave 3,275 kg on the same farms, which is 9.2% more, and earned 9.2% more gross return. Rajasthan is not in ICAR-IIOR's listed area for GCH-7, so treat this as a trial result, not a recommendation.
Sourced from: Screening of castor hybrids and their parents against wilt disease — Journal of Oilseeds Research (ICAR ePubs), ICAR-IIOR hybrids and varieties table, Vikaspedia (high yielding hybrids and varieties of castor), Patel et al., A high yielding and wilt resistant castor hybrid for India (GCH 8), Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 90(5), 2020, Moola Ram and Meena, Seed yield and economic performance of castor at farmers' field in 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, 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.