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Jeera (Cumin)RabiOpen-pollinatedUpdated 1 September 2026

GC-4 (Gujarat Cumin-4)

The most widely grown high-yielding cumin release, from Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University тАФ bold, high-oil seed with genuine Fusarium wilt resistance.

SeasonRabi
Maturity period105тАУ110 days
Expected yield8.7тАУ12.5 q/ha
Suitable soilSandy / light soil

Quick facts

Crop
Jeera (Cumin)
Type
Open-pollinated
Season
Rabi
Maturity period
105тАУ110 days
Seed rate
10тАУ12 kg/ha for line sowing
Expected yield
8.7тАУ12.5 q/ha
Suitable soil
Sandy / light soil
Release
Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Gujarat

About this variety

GC-4 is the benchmark cumin variety of the main GujaratтАУRajasthan wilt belt, released by Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University and bred specifically to stand up to Fusarium wilt, the disease that most limits cumin cultivation. Multiple independent sources report a yield potential of 8.7 to 12.5 q/ha тАФ well above the 5тАУ7 q/ha typical of older, non-resistant local types тАФ along with bold seed size and a higher volatile-oil content, both of which matter directly to the price a grower is paid. Because wilt is soil-borne and builds up wherever cumin is grown repeatedly on the same land, GC-4's resistance is less a yield bonus and more a way to keep the crop viable at all on fields with any wilt history.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeOpen-pollinated
    Maturity105тАУ110 days
    Yield potential8.7тАУ12.5 q/ha
    Disease resistanceResistant to Fusarium wilt
    SoilSandy / light soil
    SeasonRabi

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeMid-November to early December
  • Seed rate10тАУ12 kg/ha for line sowing
  • Spacing30 cm between rows
  • IrrigationLight irrigation at sowing, again at 7тАУ10 days for germination, then every 20тАУ25 days тАФ about 4тАУ6 in total
  • FertilizerAbout 30:15:0 kg N:P2O5:K2O/ha on top of 15тАУ20 t/ha farmyard manure, half the nitrogen basal and the rest at 25тАУ30 days
  • HarvestingCut once the plant browns and seed hardens, usually around 105тАУ110 days after sowing, most often in February

Soil & climate

Soil

Suitable soil
Well-drained sandy loam
pH
7.0тАУ8.5

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

105тАУ110 days

Expected yield

8.7тАУ12.5 q/ha

Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.

Pest & disease considerations

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • Genuine Fusarium wilt resistance makes it the safest default choice on any field with a wilt history in the main growing belt.
  • Bold seed size and higher volatile-oil content are consistently reported as commanding a better price than local, non-resistant types.

Things to consider

  • Resistance is specific to Fusarium wilt тАФ the crop still needs the standard Alternaria blight and powdery mildew spray schedule at flowering.

Suitable regions

States this variety is recommended for тАФ check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.

  • Gujarat
  • Rajasthan

Frequently asked questions

Why is GC-4 the most commonly recommended cumin variety?

It combines genuine Fusarium wilt resistance тАФ the disease that most limits cumin cultivation тАФ with a yield potential of 8.7тАУ12.5 q/ha, well above older local types, plus bold seed and higher oil content that fetch a better price.

Sourced from: AICRPS Technical Bulletin тАФ Gujarat Cumin-4. editorial policy.