Pusa 256
From IARI — a bold-seeded desi chana bred for large, brown grain that fetches a premium over ordinary desi lots, for both normal and late-sown timing.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Gram (Chana)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- 110–115 days
- Expected yield
- 18–20 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Multi-location tested 1982–83 to 1986–87, released by IARI in the late 1980s for large/bold-grain-preferring areas; recommended for the Central Zone (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh)
About this variety
Pusa 256 was tested at multiple locations from 1982–83 to 1986–87 and released by IARI in the late 1980s for areas where large, bold grain is preferred, combining high yield with wide adaptability suited to both normal and late-sown conditions. Every source found for this record — a certified-seed trade listing and a chickpea wilt-breeding paper describing a resistance-improved derivative line — independently describes Pusa 256’s seed as medium-bold and brown, and recommends it for the Central Zone (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and the Bundelkhand belt of Uttar Pradesh). That is a desi-type profile — Kabuli chickpeas have cream/beige, not brown, seed coats.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
110–115 days
Expected yield
18–20 q/ha
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Medium-bold, attractive brown seed (independently reported around 24 g/100 seed) suited to markets that pay a premium for large grain
- Bred and tested specifically for both normal and late-sown timing, giving some sowing flexibility
Things to consider
- Its wilt resistance is only moderate — Pusa 256 has since been used as the recipient parent for a wilt-resistance-improved line (‘Samriddhi’/IPCMB 19-3) that showed a roughly 30% yield advantage over Pusa 256 itself, which is a sign the original line has real room for improvement against Fusarium wilt
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Madhya Pradesh
Frequently asked questions
Is Pusa 256 a desi or Kabuli chickpea?
It is a bold-seeded desi type, not Kabuli — every independently found source describes its seed as medium-bold and brown, which is a desi trait; Kabuli chickpeas have cream or beige seed coats.
Where is Pusa 256 officially recommended?
The Central Zone — Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and the Bundelkhand belt of Uttar Pradesh — is where sources consistently place it, which is broader than the Punjab/Haryana/Madhya Pradesh states already listed on this record.