Punjab Hybrid
A PAU F1 hybrid — one of India's first muskmelon hybrids — with round, netted, uniform fruit, firm orange flesh and higher, more even yield than the open-pollinated PAU varieties.
Quick facts
- Type
- Hybrid
- Season
- Zaid / summer
- Maturity period
- First harvest ~80–90 days
- Expected yield
- 22–28 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Disease resistance
- No special resistance claimed
- Release
- Released by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Punjab Hybrid is an F1 hybrid muskmelon from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and one of the first Indian muskmelon hybrids. It produces round, netted, uniform fruit with firm orange flesh and a higher, more even yield than the open-pollinated PAU varieties, which is why it is used for the commercial north-west crop where consistent fruit size and pack-out matter. It matures at about 80–90 days. As a hybrid, its seed must be bought fresh each season.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Punjab Hybrid if you sell in lots to a trader and need round, netted, uniform fruit with firm orange flesh. It is a PAU F1 hybrid, one of the first Indian muskmelon hybrids, with 22–28 t/ha on the card and about 80–90 days to harvest. The seed must be bought fresh each season and costs more than open-pollinated seed. It has no special disease resistance, so mildews, fruit fly and mosaic virus still need managing. Choose Punjab Sunehri for a cheaper open-pollinated net-skinned melon, Hara Madhu for local sweetness.
Sowing & cultivation
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Uniform, netted fruit — consistent size and pack-out for the commercial market
- Higher, more even yield than the open-pollinated PAU varieties
- Firm orange flesh that handles reasonably well
Things to consider
- Hybrid — seed must be bought fresh each season and costs more than open-pollinated
- No special disease resistance — downy and powdery mildew, the fruit fly and mosaic virus all still need managing
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Uttar Pradesh
- Rajasthan
Do the hybrid sum before you buy the seed
Punjab Hybrid shows 22–28 t/ha on the card. Punjab Sunehri, an open-pollinated PAU melon, shows 18–22 t/ha. The gap is about 4–6 t/ha.
To see whether the hybrid pays, multiply that gap by the price you expect, then subtract the extra cost of hybrid seed over the open-pollinated seed for one hectare. For example, at 10 rupees a kilo, 4 t/ha extra is 40,000 rupees. If the extra seed costs less than that, the hybrid wins. These are example numbers, so use your own.
Also count the grade. Uniform fruit puts more of the crop into the top grade that traders pay for, which can matter as much as the tonnage. Buy the seed from a reliable dealer, keep the packet and bill, and remember it cannot be saved.
Where the planting material comes from
This is a hybrid, so seed kept from your own harvest will not breed true. The next crop comes up uneven in height, maturity and yield. Buy fresh certified seed every season and keep the bag tag until harvest.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Muskmelon (Kharbuja) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arka Jeet | Small single-serve melon, resistant to powdery mildew | First harvest ~80–85 days | About 17 t/ha | Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu |
| Arka Rajhans | Powdery-mildew resistant melon with good keeping quality | First harvest ~90–100 days | 20–25 t/ha | Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana |
| Durgapura Madhu | Hardy open-pollinated melon for dry land and river beds | First harvest ~80–90 days | 15–22 t/ha | Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh |
| Hara Madhu | Very sweet melon for nearby markets only | First harvest ~90–100 days | 15–20 t/ha | Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan |
| Punjab Hybridthis page | Uniform F1 melon for the commercial north-west crop | First harvest ~80–90 days | 22–28 t/ha | Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan |
| Punjab Sunehri | Netted, transportable open-pollinated melon, north-west staple | First harvest ~85–95 days | 18–22 t/ha | Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh |
| Pusa Sharbati | Classic sweet, aromatic melon for north and central India | First harvest ~85–90 days | 15–20 t/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Muskmelon (Kharbuja) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Muskmelon (Kharbuja) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Germination CalculatorTest 100 seeds from the bag before sowing and see whether the lot is fit to sow.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Muskmelon (Kharbuja) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Muskmelon (Kharbuja) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Muskmelon (Kharbuja) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Muskmelon (Kharbuja) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Muskmelon (Kharbuja) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I save seed from Punjab Hybrid?
No. It is an F1 hybrid, so seed from your own fruit will not give uniform plants like the parent. Buy fresh seed every season from a reliable source.
How much more will it yield than an open-pollinated variety?
The card shows 22–28 t/ha against 18–22 t/ha for Punjab Sunehri, a gap of about 4–6 t/ha. Multiply that gap by your price and subtract the extra seed cost, to see if the hybrid pays on your land.
Why does uniform fruit matter?
Uniform size and shape mean a higher share of fruit goes into the top grade, which is what traders pay for. Grade at picking and sell each grade separately.
Which diseases and pests should I watch?
Downy and powdery mildew, fruit fly and mosaic virus. TNAU advises ploughing to expose fruit fly pupae, destroying damaged fruit and traps. Ask your KVK about the current plan for mosaic and sprays.
Punjab Hybrid or Punjab Sunehri?
Punjab Hybrid gives more and more even fruit but needs fresh seed. Punjab Sunehri gives less, but its seed is cheaper and can be saved, and the fruit is firm and travels. If your buyer pays for uniform grade, the hybrid. If not, Sunehri.
Sourced from: TNAU Agritech Portal — Muskmelon. editorial policy.