JRO-524 (Navin)
The oldest tossa still widely sown, released in 1977 from Sudan Green x JRO 632. It does not flower early even when sown in mid-March, resists root rot in heavy rain and is least susceptible to yellow mite. Newer varieties out-yield it on the AINP list, but farmers still ask for its seed.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Jute
- Type
- Tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius)
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- Cut at the small-pod stage, about 100 to 120 days; the full crop is 120 to 140 days (TNAU, crop-level)
- Seed rate
- Crop-level figures for tossa (olitorius): 5 to 6 kg/ha in rows or 6 to 7 kg/ha broadcast in Assam; 5 kg/ha in rows or 7 kg/ha broadcast in Tamil Nadu. No JRO 524-only rate found.
- Expected yield
- 32 to 40 q/ha of fibre (AINP list); 25 to 30 q/ha in the Assam package
- Suitable soil
- Medium low land with loam or sandy loam; tossa does not thrive in standing water (TNAU)
- Disease resistance
- Resistant to root rot in heavy rain; rated resistant or moderately resistant to stem rot; least susceptible to yellow mite
- Release
- ICAR-CRIJAF, Barrackpore · released 1977, notified S.O. 1004(E), 23 March 1978
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
JRO-524, named Navin, is a tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius) variety from ICAR-CRIJAF, Barrackpore, released in 1977 from the cross Sudan Green x JRO 632. The AINP list gives its notification as S.O. 1004(E) of 23 March 1978 and a yield of 32 to 40 q/ha, and says it has non-shattering pods, is least susceptible to yellow mite and resists root rot in high-rainfall areas. A sowing in mid-March does not make it flower early. The Assam package of practices lists it at 25 to 30 q/ha, sown from mid-March to May, for medium low land, and rates it resistant to stem rot. CRIJAF says it was the farmers' preferred variety and is still cultivated in some jute-growing areas.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose JRO-524 if you want the tossa with the longest field record, you sow from mid-March, and you farm medium low land that gets heavy rain. It does not flower early, resists root rot in high rainfall and is least susceptible to yellow mite. Take a newer tossa such as JRO 204 (36 to 38 q/ha) or JRO 8432 (35 to 40) if you want the higher yield on the AINP list and can get certified seed. JRO 66 is the one for sowing later, from mid-April.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeMid-March to May (Assam package); mid-March sowing does not cause premature flowering (AINP list).
- Seed rateCrop-level figures for tossa (olitorius): 5 to 6 kg/ha in rows or 6 to 7 kg/ha broadcast in Assam; 5 kg/ha in rows or 7 kg/ha broadcast in Tamil Nadu. No JRO 524-only rate found.
- SpacingAssam: rows 22 to 25 cm apart, plants 5 to 7 cm apart, thinned to 60 to 70 plants a square metre. TNAU: 25 x 5 cm.
Pest & disease considerations
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- The longest record of any tossa on the list: released in 1977 and still sown.
- No premature flowering from a mid-March sowing.
- Resists root rot in heavy rain and is least susceptible to yellow mite.
Things to consider
- Newer tossa varieties list higher yields: JRO 204 at 36 to 38 and JRO 8432 at 35 to 40 q/ha. The Assam package gives JRO 524 only 25 to 30.
- CRIJAF says newer recommended varieties are better suited to seed production, so JRO 524 seed is made in limited quantity.
- Tossa does not thrive in standing water, even on medium low land that floods.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- West Bengal
- Bihar
- Assam
A 1977 variety that farmers still ask for
JRO-524 was released in 1977, and in 2026 it is 49 years old. CRIJAF says that for years it was the farmers' preferred tossa and that it is still cultivated in some jute-growing areas. Newer tossa varieties are now recommended in its place, and the same CRIJAF article says seed of JRO 524 should be produced on a limited scale, to meet the local demand that still exists.
What farmers keep is easy to list. The AINP list says a sowing in mid-March does not push it into early flowering, that it resists root rot in high-rainfall areas, and that it is the least susceptible of the common tossa varieties to yellow mite. The Assam package adds that it is suited to medium low land and rates it resistant to stem rot, though its disease section calls it moderately resistant. TNAU still lists it for Tamil Nadu.
What farmers give up is yield on paper and seed supply. The AINP list gives JRO 524 32 to 40 q/ha, against 36 to 38 for JRO 204 and 35 to 40 for JRO 8432, and the Assam package gives it 25 to 30. A fair test is to grow a strip of JRO 524 beside a newer tossa on the same field, same sowing date and same weeding, and weigh the dry fibre from each. After one season you will know what your land says.
Can you keep your own planting material?
JRO 524 is an ordinary, non-hybrid variety, so seed from your own seed plot grows into the same type. Fibre jute is cut before the seed is ripe, so seed comes from a separate plot left to mature. CRIJAF says JRO 524 seed may be produced on a limited scale in western Odisha to meet local demand. Certified seed covers only about 35% of India's jute area, so ask a certified producer first.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Jute variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JBO 2003 H (Ira) | Finer tossa fibre, no early flowering | Cut at the small-pod stage, about 100 to 120 days; the full crop is 120 to 140 days (TNAU, crop-level) | No labelled AINP yield found; about 38 q/ha of fibre is quoted in a technical presentation | West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha |
| JRC-212 | White jute for mid and high land | Cut at the small-pod stage, about 100 to 120 days; the full crop is 120 to 140 days (crop-level) | 25 to 28 q/ha of fibre (AINP); 22 to 26 q/ha in the Assam package | West Bengal, Bihar, Assam |
| JRC-321 | Fine white jute for low land | Cut at the small-pod stage, about 100 to 120 days; the full crop is 120 to 140 days (crop-level) | 20 to 25 q/ha of fibre (AINP list) | West Bengal, Assam, Bihar |
| JRO 204 (Suren) | Early-sown tall tossa, 36 to 38 q/ha | Cut at the small-pod stage, about 100 to 120 days; the full crop is 120 to 140 days (TNAU, crop-level) | 36 to 38 q/ha of fibre (AINP list) | West Bengal, Bihar, Assam |
| JRO-524 (Navin)this page | Long-record tossa, mid-March sowing | Cut at the small-pod stage, about 100 to 120 days; the full crop is 120 to 140 days (TNAU, crop-level) | 32 to 40 q/ha of fibre (AINP list); 25 to 30 q/ha in the Assam package | West Bengal, Bihar, Assam |
| JRO-66 (Golden Jubilee Tossa) | Later sowing, mid-April to early May | Cut at the small-pod stage, about 100 to 120 days; the full crop is 120 to 140 days (TNAU, crop-level) | 35 to 40 q/ha of fibre, TD-2 grade (AINP list) | West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha |
| JRO-8432 (Shakti Tossa) | Early-sown tossa, mid-March | Cut at the small-pod stage, about 100 to 120 days; the full crop is 120 to 140 days (TNAU, crop-level) | 35 to 40 q/ha of fibre (AINP list) | West Bengal, Assam |
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 Jute is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Jute 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 Jute variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Jute into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Jute in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Jute rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Frequently asked questions
Why do farmers still grow JRO-524 after almost fifty years?
CRIJAF says it was the farmers' preferred variety and is still cultivated in some areas. The AINP list gives it a mid-March sowing without early flowering, resistance to root rot in high rainfall, and the least yellow mite damage among the common tossa varieties. Familiar seed and a known routine count for a lot on a small farm.
When should I sow JRO-524?
The Assam package gives mid-March to May. The AINP list says a mid-March sowing does not cause premature flowering. Counting 100 to 120 days, a 15 March sowing is cut between about 23 June and 13 July. Tossa jute is a short-day crop that flowers early if it is sown too soon, which is why this trait matters.
How much fibre does JRO-524 give?
The AINP list gives 32 to 40 q/ha and the Assam package gives 25 to 30 q/ha. Both are potentials. The national average is about 13 q/ha, and 20 to 25 q/ha with improved practices, says IARI. CRIJAF gives Odisha an average of 17.4 q/ha. Count on the practice figure when you plan.
Is JRO-524 resistant to yellow mite and stem rot?
The AINP list says it is the least susceptible of the common tossa varieties to yellow mite, which is less than resistant. For stem rot, the Assam package lists it as resistant in its variety table, and as moderately resistant, with JRC 212, in its disease section. Keep soil pH at 5.5 or above with lime, give potash, rotate with rice and treat seed with Trichoderma at 5 g per kg.
What are JRO-524's parents?
The AINP list gives the cross as Sudan Green x JRO 632. JRO 632 is the older tossa that the IARI chapter calls the standard variety of the lower Bengal Ganga tract. The result was released in 1977 and notified on 23 March 1978.
Sourced from: Details of varieties — AINP on Jute and Allied Fibres (ICAR), Seed production technology of jute for western Odisha — Indian Farming 70(2), 2020 (ICAR-CRIJAF), Package of practices for kharif crops of Assam, 2021 — jute (AAU), Agronomy: kharif crops, jute — Dr B. Gangaiah, Division of Agronomy, ICAR-IARI, Crop production: jute — TNAU Agritech Portal. editorial policy.