JRO-66 (Golden Jubilee Tossa)
A tossa jute released in 1997 for the later sowing window, from mid-April to early May. It has non-shattering pods and TD-2 grade fibre, and the AINP list gives 35 to 40 q/ha. Sown before mid-April it flowers early, so do not use it for March sowing.
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 66-only rate found.
- Expected yield
- 35 to 40 q/ha of fibre, TD-2 grade (AINP list)
- Suitable soil
- Loam or sandy loam on land that drains; tossa does not thrive in standing water (TNAU)
- Disease resistance
- No disease rating found; flowers early if sown before mid-April
- Release
- ICAR-CRIJAF, Barrackpore · released 1997, notified S.O. 401(E), 15 May 1998, for West Bengal
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
JRO-66, called Golden Jubilee Tossa, is a tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius) variety from ICAR-CRIJAF, Barrackpore. The AINP list on jute and allied fibres dates its release to 1997 for West Bengal, with notification S.O. 401(E) of 15 May 1998, and gives a yield of 35 to 40 q/ha. It lists non-shattering pods and TD-2 grade fibre, and recommends sowing from mid-April to early May. A book chapter on tossa breeding gives its pedigree as multiple-parent crosses that include JRO 524. The IARI agronomy chapter lists it among the tossa varieties for Assam, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose JRO-66 if your tossa will be sown from mid-April to early May, for example when your field is free late or the rains come late. It has non-shattering pods and TD-2 grade fibre, and the AINP list gives 35 to 40 q/ha. Do not choose it for a March sowing: sown before mid-April it flowers early. For March, take JRO 524, JRO 8432 or JRO 204, all listed for early sowing. For low land that floods, take a white jute such as JRC 321.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeMid-April to early May (AINP list). Before mid-April it flowers early.
- 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 66-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.
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- A tossa for the later sowing window, mid-April to early May.
- TD-2 grade fibre, and a stated yield of 35 to 40 q/ha.
- Non-shattering pods.
Things to consider
- Sown before mid-April it flowers early, which spoils fibre. Do not use it for March sowing.
- The 35 to 40 q/ha is a potential. The national average is about 13 q/ha, and 20 to 25 with improved practices (IARI).
- A later sowing is cut in the heart of the monsoon, so plan the retting water in advance.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- West Bengal
- Bihar
- Odisha
The later window: mid-April to early May, and what follows
Most tossa varieties on the AINP list are meant for sowing from mid-March, and they resist early flowering. JRO 66 is the one listed for the later window, mid-April to early May. Tossa jute is a short-day crop, and it tends to flower early if it is sown too soon. Early flowering makes the plant branch and the fibre coarse. Sown before mid-April, JRO 66 does exactly that.
Count the days for the later window. Sown on 15 April, 100 to 120 days is 24 July to 13 August. Sown on 5 May, it is 13 August to 2 September. The cut then goes into the retting pond in the middle of the monsoon, with 2 to 3 days for the leaves to shed first. IARI gives about 34 degrees C as the best retting temperature, and monsoon water is usually near that, but check that your pond is not drying or flooded.
Compare it with an earlier crop. A mid-March tossa is cut in late June or early July, ahead of the heaviest rain. A JRO 66 crop gives you a month or two more to prepare the field after the last rabi crop, but you meet the monsoon with the fibre in the water. Choose by the date your field is actually free, not by the yield on the list.
Can you keep your own planting material?
JRO 66 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. IARI gives a seed yield of about 0.25 to 0.30 t/ha for tossa. 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) | 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)this page | 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 can I not sow JRO-66 in March?
The AINP list recommends it for mid-April to early May. Tossa jute is a short-day crop, and sown too early it flowers early, which makes the fibre branchy and coarse. JRO 524, JRO 8432 and JRO 204 are the tossas the AINP list marks for early sowing, from mid-March, and they resist premature flowering. JRO 66 does not carry that trait.
What does TD-2 grade mean for my price?
Tossa jute is graded TD-1 to TD-8, with TD-1 the best. The AINP list gives JRO 66 fibre of TD-2 grade, which is one grade better than the TD-3 on which the MSP of Rs 5,925 a quintal for 2026-27 is quoted. That does not promise a higher price. The grade of your lot depends on retting, washing, drying and handling as well as the variety, so ask your buyer how he grades.
How does JRO-66 differ from JRO-524?
Sowing time is the main difference. JRO 524 (1977) is sown from mid-March and does not flower early. JRO 66 (1997) is sown from mid-April to early May. The AINP list gives 35 to 40 q/ha for JRO 66 and 32 to 40 for JRO 524, so the yields overlap. JRO 66 has TD-2 grade fibre and a multi-parent pedigree that includes JRO 524.
How much fibre should I plan on from JRO-66?
The AINP list says 35 to 40 q/ha, which is a potential from trials. IARI puts the national average at about 13 q/ha and says 20 to 25 q/ha is possible with improved practices. At the 2026-27 MSP of Rs 5,925 a quintal, 20 to 25 q/ha is Rs 1,18,500 to Rs 1,48,125 a hectare before costs. Plan on that range and treat 35 as the best case.
When was JRO-66 released?
The AINP list dates the release to 1997, with notification S.O. 401(E) on 15 May 1998, for West Bengal. A book chapter on tossa breeding gives 1998. The difference is the release year against the notification date. We could not find why it is called Golden Jubilee Tossa, so we do not give a reason.
Sourced from: Details of varieties — AINP on Jute and Allied Fibres (ICAR), Tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) breeding — Springer book chapter, Agronomy: kharif crops, jute — Dr B. Gangaiah, Division of Agronomy, ICAR-IARI, Package of practices for kharif crops of Assam, 2021 — jute (AAU). editorial policy.