Pusa Barsati
ICAR-IARI, New Delhi's bush-type cowpea bred specifically for the rainy (barsat) kharif season — a companion release alongside Pusa Komal in the institute's cowpea breeding line.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Lobia (Cowpea)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 60–70 days (typical for this bush type; not separately documented for this variety)
- Seed rate
- 20–25 kg/ha for line sowing as a grain crop
- Expected yield
- Not separately documented in available sources
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi — exact notification year not confirmed in this research pass
About this variety
Pusa Barsati is a bush-type cowpea variety from ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, named for the barsat (monsoon rains) season it is bred to perform in. It is consistently listed alongside Pusa Komal, Pusa Phalguni, Pusa Dofasli and Pusa Rituraj as one of IARI's named bush-type cowpea releases in vegetable-crop reference material, confirming it as a real, distinct variety from the same breeding programme rather than a synonym for Pusa Komal. Detailed agronomic figures specific to Pusa Barsati — its exact release year, yield potential and documented disease reactions — could not be independently confirmed from a primary IARI source in this research pass; it is grown on a smaller, more regional scale than Pusa Komal today, mainly across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeWith the onset of the monsoon, June–July, matching the "barsat" the variety is named for
- Seed rate20–25 kg/ha for line sowing as a grain crop
- Spacing30 cm between rows, 10–15 cm between plants for a bush habit
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
60–70 days (typical for this bush type; not separately documented for this variety)
Expected yield
Not separately documented in available sources
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- Not separately documented
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Bred specifically for reliable performance in the wet kharif monsoon window, rather than adapted from a variety meant for a different season.
- Part of IARI's well-documented named cowpea breeding line, alongside Pusa Komal and Pusa Sukomal, giving it a traceable institutional pedigree.
Things to consider
- Detailed yield and disease-resistance figures specific to Pusa Barsati were not found in publicly available sources in this research pass — confirm current local performance with your KVK before relying on it over a more recently documented release.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Delhi
- Uttar Pradesh
- Punjab
- Haryana
Frequently asked questions
Is Pusa Barsati the same variety as Pusa Komal?
No — they are two distinct named releases from the same IARI, New Delhi breeding programme. Pusa Barsati is bred and named specifically for reliable performance in the rainy kharif season, while Pusa Komal is the institute's more widely grown, better-documented bush-type variety.
