GCH-7
An older, dependable Gujarat hybrid still used as the benchmark check in trials; bred for the nematode-wilt disease complex and best suited to assured irrigation. Not yet individually researched for a detail page.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Castor
- Type
- Hybrid
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 200–220 days (staggered picking)
- Expected yield
- Widely used as the trial check hybrid — around 15–18 q/ha rainfed, higher under irrigation
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
About this variety
GCH-7 is a castor hybrid developed by Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University (SDAU), Gujarat, bred for tolerance to the nematode-wilt disease complex — confirmed as a released wilt-resistant hybrid by a directly-fetched ICAR wilt-screening study abstract, which lists GCH-4, GCH-7, GCH-8, GCH-9 and GCH-10 together as SDAU's released wilt-resistant hybrids. It functions as the standard trial-check hybrid in castor variety comparisons — most notably in the GNCH-1 release trial, which reported GNCH-1 yielding 13.8% higher than GCH-7 as the check. Corroborated secondary sources describe strong demand for GCH-7 seed beyond Gujarat, in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana, though the exact release year and parentage cross were not found in any source checked this phase.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
200–220 days (staggered picking)
Expected yield
Widely used as the trial check hybrid — around 15–18 q/ha rainfed, higher under irrigation
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Long-established, dependable check hybrid — used as the yield benchmark in newer castor hybrid release trials such as GNCH-1's
- Bred specifically for the nematode-wilt disease complex, useful on fields with a history of that pressure
Things to consider
- Reviewed 2026-08-15, left as-is: this record's own states field lists only Gujarat. WebSearch-only secondary sources describe strong seed demand for GCH-7 from Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana too, but none of that was independently fetched, so states is kept unchanged pending a primary or independently-fetched source giving a specific multi-state recommendation.
- Exact release year and parentage cross for GCH-7 were not found in any source checked this phase, despite it being well-documented as SDAU's released, wilt-resistant check hybrid
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Gujarat
Frequently asked questions
Who developed GCH-7 castor and what is it resistant to?
Developed by Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University (SDAU), Gujarat, bred for tolerance to the nematode-wilt disease complex — confirmed by a directly-fetched ICAR wilt-screening study.
Why is GCH-7 used as a check hybrid in trials?
It is a long-established, dependable Gujarat hybrid, so newer hybrids are commonly yield-tested against it — for example, GNCH-1's release trial reported yielding 13.8% higher than GCH-7 as the check.
Which states grow GCH-7 castor?
This record states Gujarat. WebSearch-only sources (not independently fetched) also describe strong seed demand from Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana, but that hasn't been confirmed against a primary source, so Gujarat remains the sourced answer here.
What is GCH-7's yield compared to newer castor hybrids?
Lower — the GNCH-1 release trial (18 trials over 5 years) reported GNCH-1 yielding 13.8% more than GCH-7 used as the check, consistent with GCH-7's role as an older benchmark hybrid rather than the current top yielder.
Does GCH-7 have a known release year?
Not found — despite being well-documented as SDAU's released, wilt-resistant check hybrid, no source checked this phase gave an exact release year or parentage cross.
Sourced from: Screening of castor hybrids and their parents against wilt disease — Journal of Oilseeds Research (ICAR ePubs). editorial policy.