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Lobia (Cowpea)KharifOpen-pollinatedUpdated 2 September 2026

Pusa Komal

ICAR-IARI, New Delhi's best-known bush-type cowpea — a dual grain-and-vegetable variety grown widely across North and South India for its short, reliable cycle.

SeasonKharif
Maturity period55–65 days
Expected yield8–10 t/ha green pod
Suitable soilLoam

Quick facts

Crop
Lobia (Cowpea)
Type
Open-pollinated
Season
Kharif
Maturity period
55–65 days
Seed rate
15–20 kg/ha as a vegetable crop; up to 20–25 kg/ha where grown mainly for grain
Expected yield
8–10 t/ha green pod
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 Komal is a bush-type cowpea released by ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, and is one of the most widely grown named cowpea varieties in India — planted both as a quick vegetable crop for its tender green pods and as a short-duration grain pulse. Multiple agronomy sources consistently describe it as an early, compact bush plant maturing in roughly 55–65 days, well suited to intensive cropping where a field needs to be free again quickly for the next crop. It is commonly cited as carrying tolerance to bacterial blight and to the leaf curl/golden-mosaic disease complex that otherwise devastates unprotected cowpea plantings, though the exact breeding source of this tolerance was not confirmed against a primary IARI release notification in this research pass — it is stated here as a commonly reported trait rather than an independently verified one.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeOpen-pollinated
    Maturity55–65 days
    Yield potential8–10 t/ha green pod
    Disease resistanceCommonly reported as tolerant to bacterial blight and leaf curl/golden mosaic
    SoilLoam
    SeasonKharif

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeKharif with the monsoon (June–July); also grown as a February–March summer crop where irrigation is available
  • Seed rate15–20 kg/ha as a vegetable crop; up to 20–25 kg/ha where grown mainly for grain
  • Spacing45 cm between rows, 15–20 cm between plants for its compact bush habit

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

55–65 days

Expected yield

8–10 t/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

  • A short 55–65 day cycle makes it one of the fastest cowpeas to harvest, fitting easily as a catch crop between two main seasons.
  • Dual grain-and-vegetable use gives a grower flexibility to sell tender pods or let the crop mature for dry grain, depending on which market pays better that season.

Things to consider

  • Its reported bacterial blight and leaf curl/golden mosaic tolerance is a commonly cited trait across secondary agronomy sources; a grower in a high-disease-pressure area should still scout the crop rather than rely on tolerance alone.

Suitable regions

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

  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Karnataka
  • Delhi

Frequently asked questions

Is Pusa Komal grown for grain or as a vegetable?

Both — it is a dual-purpose bush cowpea. Growers pick the pods tender and green for the vegetable market, or leave the crop to mature fully and thresh it for dry grain (dal), depending on which use pays better that season.