Pusa Sharbati
A classic IARI variety with medium, round, netted fruit, a firm greenish rind and highly sweet, aromatic salmon-orange flesh. Grown across north and central India; the netted rind travels better than the smooth-skinned types.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Zaid / summer
- Maturity period
- First harvest ~85–90 days
- Expected yield
- 15–20 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Release
- Released by ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi
About this variety
Pusa Sharbati is a long-standing open-pollinated muskmelon from ICAR-IARI, New Delhi. The fruit is medium and round with a firm, greenish, well-netted rind and highly sweet, aromatic salmon-orange flesh. It is grown widely across north and central India, and the netted rind gives it better handling and transport tolerance than smooth-skinned sweet types like Hara Madhu. It reaches the first harvest at about 85–90 days.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
First harvest ~85–90 days
Expected yield
15–20 t/ha
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Highly sweet, aromatic salmon-orange flesh
- Netted rind — better handling and transport than smooth-skinned sweet types
- Wide adaptability across north and central India; open-pollinated, so seed can be saved
Things to consider
- No special disease resistance — downy and powdery mildew need a spray programme in a humid or dry-warm spell
- Ripens all at once and does not store — must be sold within 2–3 days
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Uttar Pradesh
- Madhya Pradesh
- Delhi
- Rajasthan
- Punjab
- Haryana