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Lobia (Cowpea)KharifOpen-pollinatedUpdated 2 September 2026

Kashi Nidhi

ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi's newer compact-bush cowpea, bred specifically to fix the three complaints growers had with older varieties тАФ low yield, late maturity and disease susceptibility.

SeasonKharif
Maturity period50тАУ55 days to harvest (flowering at 35тАУ40 days)
Expected yield140тАУ150 q/ha green pod
Suitable soilLoam

Quick facts

Crop
Lobia (Cowpea)
Type
Open-pollinated
Season
Kharif
Maturity period
50тАУ55 days to harvest (flowering at 35тАУ40 days)
Seed rate
20тАУ25 kg/ha
Expected yield
140тАУ150 q/ha green pod
Suitable soil
Loam
Release
ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi тАФ exact notification year not confirmed in this research pass

About this variety

Kashi Nidhi is a compact, bushy vegetable cowpea developed by scientists at ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Varanasi, designed explicitly to solve three limitations of older cowpea varieties: low yield, late maturity and disease susceptibility. The plant stays manageable at 45тАУ50 cm, making it easy to grow even in small plots or intensive multi-crop systems, and it is photo-insensitive so it performs across sowing windows. Flowering starts at 35тАУ40 days after sowing, with the crop ready for its first harvest by 50тАУ55 days. Its pods are dark green, slightly curved and uniform, averaging about 32.5 cm long and 110 g each, with 40тАУ45 pods forming per plant тАФ figures that add up to a documented green pod yield potential of 140тАУ150 q/ha. It carries resistance to Cowpea golden mosaic virus, one of the most damaging viral diseases of the crop, and needs a modest 20тАУ25 kg/ha of seed to establish.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeOpen-pollinated
    Maturity50тАУ55 days to harvest (flowering at 35тАУ40 days)
    Yield potential140тАУ150 q/ha green pod
    Disease resistanceResistant to Cowpea golden mosaic virus
    SoilLoam
    SeasonKharif

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeFlexible тАФ photo-insensitive, so both spring-summer and rainy kharif sowings work well
  • Seed rate20тАУ25 kg/ha
  • Spacing45 cm between rows, 20 cm between plants for its compact bush habit

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

50тАУ55 days to harvest (flowering at 35тАУ40 days)

Expected yield

140тАУ150 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

  • Purpose-bred to fix low yield, late maturity and disease susceptibility together тАФ the three complaints IIVR breeders set out to solve in one variety.
  • A compact 45тАУ50 cm plant with a modest 20тАУ25 kg/ha seed requirement keeps establishment cost low and suits small or intensively cropped plots.
  • Documented resistance to Cowpea golden mosaic virus reduces reliance on whitefly sprays.

Things to consider

  • Like Kashi Kanchan, it is bred and yield-tested for the green-pod vegetable market rather than as a dedicated dry-grain type.

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 problem was Kashi Nidhi bred to solve?

ICAR-IIVR bred it to address three complaints growers had with older cowpea varieties at once тАФ low yield, late maturity and disease susceptibility тАФ packing a compact, fast-maturing, virus-resistant plant with a documented 140тАУ150 q/ha green pod yield into a single release.