HUL 57 (Malaviya Vishwanath)
A short, early small-seeded lentil from Banaras Hindu University for the North East Plains Zone, developed as a mutant of HUL 11 and grown widely across eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Lentil (Masoor)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- 120–125 days
- Seed rate
- 30–40 kg/ha (12–16 kg/acre) for line sowing; broadcast a little thicker for a rice-fallow crop
- Expected yield
- Medium to high — around 12–15 q/ha under managed conditions in the eastern plains
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Developed by Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (mutant of HUL 11); released as Malaviya Vishwanath; recommended for the North East Plains Zone
About this variety
HUL 57, also released under the name Malaviya Vishwanath, is a small-seeded lentil developed at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, as a mutant selection out of HUL 11. It is recommended for the North East Plains Zone — eastern and central Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and parts of West Bengal and Assam. It is a short, early variety, maturing in roughly 120–125 days, and is listed as resistant to both rust and Fusarium wilt. Its early maturity is a real advantage in the humid eastern belt, where getting pod-fill done before the worst of the winter fog reduces exposure to Stemphylium blight. It has been widely adopted across eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for exactly this combination of early maturity and disease resistance.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeMid-October to early November in the eastern plains — early sowing is pushed here to get pod-fill done before the peak fog period
- Seed rate30–40 kg/ha (12–16 kg/acre) for line sowing; broadcast a little thicker for a rice-fallow crop
- FertilizerAbout 15–20 kg N and 40–50 kg P2O5 per hectare basal, plus 20 kg S on light soils; no nitrogen top-dressing. Rhizobium and PSB seed inoculation
- HarvestingHarvest at about 120–125 days when plants yellow and lower pods dry brown — its earliness gets the crop off the field ahead of a normal-duration lentil.
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
120–125 days
Expected yield
Medium to high — around 12–15 q/ha under managed conditions in the eastern plains
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Early maturity plus rust and wilt resistance — well matched to the humid eastern plains where both disease and terminal heat are risks
- Widely adopted and easy to source across eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
- Suits both timely line sowing and rice-fallow (utera) cultivation
Things to consider
- It is small-seeded; for the bold-grain premium market, DPL 62 or L 4076 is a better fit
- Its recommendation is for the North East Plains Zone — in the Central Zone, IPL 316 or DPL 62 is the more established choice
Suitable regions
Developed by Banaras Hindu University and recommended for the North East Plains Zone — eastern and central Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
- Uttar Pradesh
- Bihar
- Jharkhand
Frequently asked questions
Is HUL 57 the same as Malaviya Vishwanath?
Yes — HUL 57 was released under the name Malaviya Vishwanath by Banaras Hindu University. It is a mutant selection out of the earlier HUL 11.
Why is HUL 57 good for eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar?
It combines early maturity (about 120–125 days) with resistance to rust and wilt. The early maturity gets pod-fill done before the peak winter fog that drives Stemphylium blight, and before terminal heat.
Sourced from: Banaras Hindu University, Institute of Agricultural Sciences — genetics and plant breeding releases, Directorate of Pulses Development — Central released varieties of Lentil (Masoor). editorial policy.