DCH-32 (hybrid)
An extra-long staple hybrid released for Karnataka, now grown across south India for premium lint quality under assured irrigation.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Cotton
- Type
- Hybrid
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 170–180 days
- Seed rate
- For a non-Bt hybrid, PAU's rate is about 0.900 kg per acre with another 0.240 kg of refuge seed, or two pouches of 475 g where the refuge is already mixed in. Hybrid seed is sown thin because every plant is expensive
- Expected yield
- 10–15 q/ha seed cotton
- Suitable soil
- Clay / black soil
- Disease resistance
- Moderate; bred mainly for fibre quality, not pest or disease resistance
- Release
- Released 1981 by University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad, Karnataka — bred by Dr. B.H. Katarki — per corroborated secondary sources
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
DCH-32 (also marketed as Jayalaxmi) is an interspecific cotton hybrid bred by Dr. B.H. Katarki at the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad, Karnataka, released in 1981 for commercial production in India's southern and central cotton belts, per corroborated secondary sources. It is a cross of DS 58 (Gossypium hirsutum, the seed/female parent) and SB 425 YF (Gossypium barbadense, the pollen/male parent), combining hirsutum vigour with barbadense's extra-long, fine fibre. Though released specifically for Karnataka, its wide adaptability saw it spread to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and western Maharashtra — a much wider footprint than its original release area.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick DCH-32 (Jayalaxmi) if you farm with assured irrigation in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh or western Maharashtra and your buyer pays for extra-long, fine lint. It is an interspecific hybrid of G. hirsutum and G. barbadense from UAS Dharwad, released in 1981, and its value is fibre quality, not tonnage: 10–15 q/ha of seed cotton over a long 170–180 days. It was never bred for pest or disease resistance, so budget for a full spray schedule. Choose a Bt hybrid if you want the highest seed-cotton yield, and Suraj or LRA 5166 if you farm with low inputs or want to save seed.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing time1 April to 15 May in the north zone (PAU)
- Seed rateFor a non-Bt hybrid, PAU's rate is about 0.900 kg per acre with another 0.240 kg of refuge seed, or two pouches of 475 g where the refuge is already mixed in. Hybrid seed is sown thin because every plant is expensive
- SpacingRows 67.5 cm apart. A hybrid needs the widest plant-to-plant spacing of all the cotton types — 75 cm within the row (PAU)
- Sowing methodSow with a cotton drill or planter in the cooler hours. Acid-delint fuzzy seed with 100 g of commercial sulphuric acid per kg of seed before sowing
- IrrigationFour to six irrigations: the first 4 to 6 weeks after sowing, then every two to three weeks, with no water stress at flowering and boll formation (PAU)
- FertilizerA hybrid carries the heaviest dose: 55 kg N and 12 kg P2O5 per acre, against 30 kg N for a non-Bt variety (PAU)
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Combines G. hirsutum vigour with G. barbadense's extra-long, fine fibre quality — the specific reason it was bred as an interspecific cross rather than a within-species selection
- Wide adaptability beyond its original Karnataka release zone, into Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and western Maharashtra
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Karnataka
- Tamil Nadu
- Andhra Pradesh
- Maharashtra
Getting paid for extra-long staple
DCH-32 was bred as an interspecific cross for fibre quality, and the premium for extra-long staple is paid on the lint, after ginning. Grow it only where irrigation is assured, because a stressed crop gives short, weak fibre and the quality is what you are selling.
Keep the lot clean from the first picking. Pick dry, after the dew has gone, and keep leaf trash, dry bolls and stained cotton out of the bag. Store and sell this cotton separately from any other variety you grow, since mixing an extra-long staple lot with ordinary cotton loses the premium on the whole heap. Ask your buyer or ginner before the season which staple length and trash level earns the higher rate locally, so you know what you are picking for.
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 Cotton variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bt hybrid (Bollgard II event) | Irrigated, high-input cotton where American bollworm is the main pest | 160–170 days | 18–22 q/ha (seed cotton) | Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab |
| DCH-32 (hybrid)this page | Extra-long staple cotton under assured irrigation in south India | 170–180 days | 10–15 q/ha seed cotton | Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| LRA 5166 | Non-Bt long-staple cotton for seed saving and for the Bt refuge rows | 165–175 days | 12–15 q/ha (seed cotton) | Gujarat, Maharashtra |
| Suraj (desi, non-Bt) | Low-input desi cotton for dry, sandy north-west land | 150–160 days | 8–10 q/ha, stable under stress | Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan |
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 Cotton is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Cotton 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 Cotton variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Cotton into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Cotton in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Cotton rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Frequently asked questions
What is the parentage of DCH-32 cotton?
An interspecific cross of DS 58 (Gossypium hirsutum) and SB(YF) 425 (Gossypium barbadense), bred by Dr. B.H. Katarki at UAS Dharwad.
When was DCH-32 released?
1981, by the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, for Karnataka, though it later spread more widely.
Why is DCH-32 an interspecific hybrid?
It crosses G. hirsutum (vigour, adaptability) with G. barbadense (extra-long, fine fibre) to combine both species' strengths in one hybrid.
Which states actually grow DCH-32?
Beyond its original Karnataka release, it spread into Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and western Maharashtra.
Is DCH-32 bred for pest or disease resistance?
No. It was bred mainly for fibre quality, not pest or disease resistance, in line with its purpose as an interspecific cross.
DCH-32 or a Bt hybrid: which gives me more money per acre?
It depends on who buys your cotton. A Bt hybrid gives 18–22 q/ha against DCH-32's 10–15 q/ha, so on plain weight the Bt hybrid wins. DCH-32 pays only where the mill or trader gives a clear premium for extra-long staple lint. Confirm that premium before you sow, because the yield gap is real.
Does DCH-32 need irrigation?
Yes, plan for it. It is grown across south India for premium lint quality under assured irrigation, and it stands in the field 170–180 days — the longest of the cottons here — so a crop left to rain alone will not carry that fibre quality to the end.
How long does DCH-32 hold the field?
170–180 days, the longest-duration cotton compared here. That is close to six months before the last picking, so it only suits a field you are not counting on for an early rabi crop, and it needs assured irrigation to carry that length.
Can I keep my own seed from DCH-32?
No. DCH-32 is an F1 hybrid, and an interspecific one at that, from a hirsutum seed parent crossed with a barbadense pollen parent. Seed saved from the crop will not give you the same plant or the extra-long staple you are growing it for. Buy fresh hybrid seed each year.
Sourced from: Package of Practices for Kharif Crops, Punjab Agricultural University: cotton sowing window, seed rate by cotton type, acid delinting, spacing, fertiliser and irrigation. editorial policy.