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Lobia (Cowpea)KharifOpen-pollinatedUpdated 2 September 2026

Kashi Kanchan

ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi's 2007 release тАФ a dwarf, early, disease-resistant bush cowpea bred for both spring-summer and rainy-season vegetable cropping across the Gangetic plain.

SeasonKharif
Maturity period50тАУ55 days to first picking
Expected yield150тАУ175 q/ha green pod
Suitable soilLoam

Quick facts

Crop
Lobia (Cowpea)
Type
Open-pollinated
Season
Kharif
Maturity period
50тАУ55 days to first picking
Seed rate
15тАУ20 kg/ha for vegetable-pod cropping
Expected yield
150тАУ175 q/ha green pod
Suitable soil
Loam
Release
Released 2007 ┬╖ ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi

About this variety

Kashi Kanchan is a dwarf, bush-type vegetable cowpea released in 2007 by ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi. It grows to a compact 50тАУ60 cm and is photo-insensitive, meaning it flowers and fruits reliably regardless of day length тАФ flowering begins around 40тАУ45 days after sowing, with the first picking ready by 50тАУ55 days, so it suits both spring-summer and rainy-season plantings. Its pods are long (about 30тАУ35 cm), dark green, soft and fleshy with no fibrous parchment layer, which is what makes it a favoured market variety. The release carries documented resistance to Cowpea golden mosaic virus and to Pseudocercospora cruenta, the fungus behind cowpea's common Cercospora leaf spot тАФ a genuine, useful combination of viral and fungal protection for a crop otherwise vulnerable to both.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeOpen-pollinated
    Maturity50тАУ55 days to first picking
    Yield potential150тАУ175 q/ha green pod
    Disease resistanceResistant to Cowpea golden mosaic virus and Pseudocercospora cruenta (Cercospora leaf spot)
    SoilLoam
    SeasonKharif

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeSpring-summer (FebruaryтАУMarch) or rainy season (JuneтАУJuly) тАФ the variety is photo-insensitive so both windows work
  • Seed rate15тАУ20 kg/ha for vegetable-pod cropping
  • Spacing45тАУ50 cm between rows, 20тАУ25 cm between plants for its compact bush

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

50тАУ55 days to first picking

Expected yield

150тАУ175 q/ha green pod

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

Pest & disease considerations

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • Documented resistance to both Cowpea golden mosaic virus and Cercospora leaf spot covers the two biggest disease risks a cowpea vegetable grower faces, in one variety.
  • Being photo-insensitive, early-flowering and early-picking, it gives a fast, reliable turnaround crop in both the spring-summer and rainy seasons.
  • Fleshy, parchment-free 30тАУ35 cm pods with a green pod yield of 150тАУ175 q/ha make it a strong market variety.

Things to consider

  • Bred and yield-tested as a vegetable (green-pod) cowpea rather than a dry-grain type тАФ a grower wanting mainly dal should compare it against a grain-focused release.

Suitable regions

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

  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Bihar
  • Jharkhand

Frequently asked questions

What diseases is Kashi Kanchan resistant to?

It carries documented resistance to Cowpea golden mosaic virus (a whitefly-spread virus) and to Cercospora leaf spot, caused by the fungus Pseudocercospora cruenta тАФ together the two most damaging disease pressures a cowpea vegetable crop typically faces.

Can Kashi Kanchan be sown in both summer and the rainy season?

Yes тАФ it is photo-insensitive, so it flowers and pods reliably regardless of day length, and is recommended for both spring-summer (FebruaryтАУMarch) sowing and the standard rainy kharif (JuneтАУJuly) window.