Suvasini (DWD-2)
Suvasini and Suwasini/Suhasini are transliteration variants of the same name seen across different sources for this UAS-Dharwad release — the more widely recommended of the university's two curry leaf selections since it tolerates cool weather well.
Quick facts
- Type
- Perennial selection (ask the nursery how its plants are raised)
- Season
- All seasons
- Starts bearing
- Perennial; continuous leaf harvest once established
- Expected yield
- 8.00 kg fresh leaf a plant a year with fertiliser, manure and vermiwash at Kittur (Karnataka); 2.92 kg with none
- Suitable soil
- Well-drained sandy loam to loam; does not tolerate waterlogging
- Disease resistance
- Not specifically documented; notably cold-tolerant compared with its companion release DWD-1
- Release
- University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad — selection from Western Ghats germplasm
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Suvasini, also written DWD-2, Suwasini or Suhasini, is the second curry leaf (Murraya koenigii) type released by the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad, from germplasm collected in the Western Ghats. The IIHR review of curry leaf in India lists it as 'DWD-2 (Suwasini)', one of two 'genetically distinct genotypes' released for commercial cultivation. Sources say its main advantage over DWD-1 is that cold weather does not slow it, and that it usually yields more. The one trial we found is from Kittur Rani Channamma College of Horticulture in Karnataka (Hegde and others, Acta Horticulturae). Plants set out in 2004 gave 8.00 kg of fresh leaf a plant a year with recommended fertiliser, farmyard manure and a vermiwash spray, and 2.92 kg with none of these. Oil in fresh leaf was 0.42% to 0.44%. A trade website quotes 4.09% oil for DWD-2 with no unit, which does not fit these measurements, so we do not use it. The sources do not agree on how the plants are raised, so ask the nursery. Suvasini is grown mainly in Karnataka.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Suvasini (DWD-2) if you want a named Dharwad release and your winters are not always mild. Sources say it is winter insensitive and usually out-yields DWD-1. Choose DWD-1 only if your winters are warm and you want the stronger aroma some sources report for it. The one trial on Suvasini we found, at Kittur in Karnataka, shows what feeding does: 2.92 kg of fresh leaf a plant with no fertiliser or spray, and 8.00 kg with recommended fertiliser, farmyard manure and vermiwash. Budget for manure and fertiliser before you budget for plants.
Sowing & cultivation
- SpacingTNAU: 1.2 to 1.5 m between plants, one plant to a pit (India Agronet gives 90 to 120 cm)
- Sowing methodPits of 30 x 30 x 30 cm dug 1 to 2 months before planting; TNAU plants one 1-year-old plant in the centre of each pit
- IrrigationWater straight after planting, again on day 3, then once a week (TNAU)
- FertilizerWell-rotted farmyard manure at 20 t a hectare before the last ploughing, then 20 kg a plant after each harvest, mixed into the soil (TNAU)
- HarvestingFirst picking 10 to 12 months after planting. Nip the tip at 1 m and keep 5 to 6 branches a bush (TNAU)
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Red sandy loam with good drainage (TNAU)
Climate
- Temperature
- Optimum 26-37°C (TNAU)
- Climate
- Sources describe DWD-2 as winter insensitive. India Agronet notes that shoot growth is slightly affected for curry leaf in general where the minimum falls below 13°C.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Major pests
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Cold weather does not slow it the way it slows DWD-1, so pickings continue through winter.
- The only Dharwad release with a published farm trial that we found, at Kittur in Karnataka.
Things to consider
- The name appears as Suvasini, Suwasini and Suhasini. Ask the nursery to confirm the plant is the UAS Dharwad DWD-2 before you pay.
- The Kittur yields are from young bushes in a fed, managed trial. Do not expect 8.00 kg a plant without manure and fertiliser.
Suitable regions
Released by the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad, alongside DWD-1; the more widely recommended of the two for general commercial planting, including tracts with a cooler winter.
- Karnataka
What the Kittur trial shows, and what it does not
The only farm trial we found on Suvasini is from Kittur Rani Channamma College of Horticulture in Karnataka (Hegde, Siddappa and Hanamashetti, Acta Horticulturae). Plants set out in 2004 were studied in 2006-07, so they were two to three years old. A 50% vermiwash spray gave 5.79 kg of fresh leaf a plant a year against 5.05 kg without it. The best combination, recommended fertiliser plus farmyard manure plus vermiwash, gave 8.00 kg. Plants given no fertiliser and no spray gave 2.92 kg.
Two readings follow. The spray alone added 0.74 kg a plant by our subtraction, while fertiliser and manure together took the crop from 2.92 kg to 8.00 kg, about 2.7 times. And these are young bushes under a managed trial, so they are not a promise for a mature plantation. The abstract does not give the spacing, so do not turn 8.00 kg into a tonnage a hectare. Put your money into manure and fertiliser first, and weigh your own pickings.
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 Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|
| DWD-1 | Warm-climate curry leaf tracts of Karnataka where winter stays mild and you can get planting material tagged as DWD-1 by UAS Dharwad | No variety figure published; good aroma, but growth falls off in winter | Karnataka |
| Senkaampu (Senkambu) | Tamil Nadu farmers who want the locally trusted, strongly scented type and can see the mother bush before buying plants | No variety figure published; known in Tamil Nadu for aroma | Tamil Nadu |
| Suvasini (DWD-2)this page | Commercial leaf blocks anywhere in Karnataka-type climates, including places with a cool winter, where you want the Dharwad release that keeps growing in cold weather | 8.00 kg fresh leaf a plant a year with fertiliser, manure and vermiwash at Kittur (Karnataka); 2.92 kg with none | Karnataka |
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 Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Curry Leaf (Kadi Patta) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Suvasini the same as Suwasini or Suhasini?
Almost certainly yes — these are transliteration variants of the same Kannada name seen across different sources describing the same UAS-Dharwad DWD-2 selection. Ask the nursery to confirm it is the DWD-2 release specifically if the naming is unclear.
How much leaf does a Suvasini plant give in a year?
The Kittur trial in Karnataka (Hegde et al., Acta Horticulturae) gave 5.05 kg of fresh leaf a plant a year without a spray and 5.79 kg with a 50% vermiwash spray. Recommended fertiliser plus farmyard manure plus vermiwash gave 8.00 kg, and no fertiliser or spray gave 2.92 kg. The plants were set out in 2004 and the trial ran in 2006-07, so they were young bushes. The paper's spacing is not in the abstract, so we do not convert this to a hectare figure.
Does a vermiwash spray on Suvasini pay for itself?
The trial gain from the spray alone was small: 5.79 kg against 5.05 kg a plant a year, which is 0.74 kg by our subtraction. Oil in fresh leaf barely moved (0.44% against 0.42%). The big jump came from fertiliser and manure together (8.00 kg against 2.92 kg). Spend on manure and fertiliser first, then test the spray on a few rows and weigh the pickings before you spray the whole block.
What spacing should I use for Suvasini?
TNAU recommends 1.2 to 1.5 m between plants, in pits of 30 x 30 x 30 cm dug 1 to 2 months before planting, with 20 t of well-rotted farmyard manure a hectare before the last ploughing. India Agronet gives 90 to 120 cm. Neither is a Suvasini-only figure. Closer spacing means more bushes to feed and prune, so choose the wider end if you pick by hand with little labour.
Why do I see Suvasini, Suwasini and Suhasini?
They are different spellings of the Dharwad release DWD-2. The IIHR review uses 'DWD-2 (Suwasini)'. One Kerala-linked source lists Suwasini as a Kerala Agricultural University variety, but we found nothing that backs that, so ask the nursery whether the plant is the UAS Dharwad DWD-2 before you pay.
How do I water and feed a Suvasini bush after each picking?
TNAU says to water right after planting, again on the 3rd day, then once a week. After each harvest it advises 20 kg of farmyard manure a plant, mixed into the soil. TNAU also gives a leaf-spot control (carbendazim, 1 g a litre of water) and says to avoid sulphur sprays on curry leaf.
Sourced from: Diversity and Distribution of Curry Leaf in India — Journal of Horticultural Sciences (IIHR), Curry leaf Improvement in India — ResearchGate, TNAU Agritech Portal — Curry leaf, India Agronet — Curry leaf. editorial policy.