RH 749
Higher ceiling than Pusa Bold on a decent loam, at the cost of a slightly longer duration.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Mustard
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- 135–140 days
- Seed rate
- 1.5 kg per acre sown alone
- Expected yield
- 22–25 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- White rust and Alternaria blight
- Release
- Released around 2013 · CCS Haryana Agricultural University (HAU), Hisar
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
RH 749 was bred by CCS Haryana Agricultural University (HAU), Hisar and released for irrigated mustard cultivation around 2013. It became one of HAU's standard recommended varieties across Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, offering a higher yield ceiling than older HAU releases such as Pusa Bold. The university's newer RH 1975 release, reported to out-yield it by about 12%, has since arrived to supersede it in the same belt.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick RH 749 if you farm Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab or Uttar Pradesh on a decent loam and disease, not duration, is what costs you yield. This CCS HAU Hisar release of about 2013 stands against white rust and Alternaria blight and gives 22–25 q/ha in 135–140 days — a higher ceiling than Pusa Bold, at the cost of a slightly longer season. Before you buy seed, ask your dealer about HAU's newer RH 1975, reported to out-yield RH 749 by about 12% under timely sowing. Choose PM 32 if your buyer pays for canola-quality oil, and Pusa Bold if the field is light and you need an early crop.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeMid-October to mid-November (PAU raya window)
- Seed rate1.5 kg per acre sown alone
- Spacing30 cm rows, plants thinned to 10–15 cm apart at three weeks, sown 4–5 cm deep
- Sowing methodA single-row oilseed drill set to 3 mm flute exposure gives about 1.5 kg per acre at an even depth, which matters more in mustard than in most crops because the seed is so small
- IrrigationHeavy pre-sowing irrigation of 10–12 cm, then one 3 to 4 weeks after sowing, and a second at flowering if the crop needs it (PAU)
- Fertilizer40 kg N and 12 kg P2O5 per acre under irrigation, half the nitrogen with the full phosphorus before sowing and the rest at the first irrigation. Add 10 kg zinc sulphate per acre where the soil tests low in zinc (PAU)
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Higher yield ceiling than older HAU releases such as Pusa Bold on a decent loam
- Well established in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh with years of on-farm use before newer HAU releases arrived
Things to consider
- HAU's newer release, RH 1975, is reported to out-yield RH 749 by about 12% under timely sowing — worth comparing before choosing seed
- Publicly verified agronomic detail (seed rate, precise disease-resistance rating, oil content) is thinner for this variety than for more recent releases — check with the local KVK or HAU extension office for the current recommended package
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Haryana
- Rajasthan
- Punjab
- Uttar Pradesh
Living with white rust and Alternaria
RH 749 is the north-west choice where white rust and Alternaria blight keep coming back, and it gives a higher ceiling than older releases such as Pusa Bold on a decent loam. Both diseases are weather-driven, so the field work is about not helping them.
Sow in your area's recommended window, because very late sowing runs the crop into the cool, humid weather both diseases like. Keep the recommended row spacing instead of crowding plants, so the canopy dries after dew. Walk the field from flowering and look for the white blisters of rust on leaf undersides and the dark ring spots of Alternaria on leaves and pods, and ask your KVK which spray is cleared this season if it is building up. One more thing worth knowing: HAU's newer RH 1975 is reported to out-yield RH 749 by about 12% under timely sowing, so ask your dealer about both before you buy.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This is an open-pollinated variety, so seed from a healthy crop of your own can be sown again. Keep seed only from disease-free plants, dry it properly, store it cool and dry, and bring in fresh certified seed every three to four years so the variety does not drift.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Mustard variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRCHB 101 | Late-sown irrigated mustard in Zone III and Zone V | 135–140 days | 25–28 q/ha | Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh |
| Pusa Bold | Early, bold-seeded mustard on light soil with little water | 110–115 days | 18–20 q/ha | Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh |
| Pusa Mustard 32 (PM 32) | Canola-quality mustard oil from a timely-sown irrigated Zone II field | 132–145 days | 27–33 q/ha | Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir |
| RH 749this page | North-west mustard where white rust and Alternaria keep coming back | 135–140 days | 22–25 q/ha | Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh |
| Varuna (T 59) | A steady, familiar mustard for medium soils and low spending | 135–140 days | 15–18 q/ha | Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh |
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 Mustard is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Mustard 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 Mustard variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Mustard into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Mustard in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Mustard rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Mustard seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
What is RH 749 mustard?
An irrigated mustard variety bred by CCS HAU, Hisar and released around 2013, popular across Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh before newer HAU releases arrived.
Which regions are suitable for RH 749?
Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh — the same north-west belt as most CCS HAU mustard releases.
Is there a newer alternative to RH 749?
Yes — CCS HAU's RH 1975 is reported to yield about 12% more than RH 749 under timely sowing in the same belt.
RH 749 or Pusa Bold: which is the safer choice?
It depends on what goes wrong on your farm. RH 749 gives 22–25 q/ha and resists white rust and Alternaria, but needs 135–140 days. Pusa Bold gives 18–20 q/ha, finishes in 110–115 days and is susceptible to both diseases. Disease pressure means RH 749; short moisture or a late field that must be cleared early means Pusa Bold.
Should I switch from RH 749 to RH 1975?
RH 1975 is HAU's newer release and is reported to yield about 12% more than RH 749 under timely sowing in the same belt. Compare both at your dealer or KVK before the season, and if you switch, keep part of the field under the variety you already trust for the first year.
Can I keep my own RH 749 seed?
Yes, it is an open-pollinated variety, so saved seed comes up true to type. Keep it from a clean, well-grown block, and replace it with certified seed every three or four years, or sooner if the stand or seed size falls off.
How much RH 749 seed do I need per acre?
1.5 kg per acre sown alone. Use treated seed from a certified lot. Where white rust and Alternaria keep coming back, clean seed and a clean field edge do more than an extra spray later.
When should I sow RH 749, and when will it be ready?
Mid-October to mid-November, the raya window PAU gives. At 135–140 days, a mid-October sowing is ready around the end of February and a mid-November sowing by the end of March. Sowing later pushes pod-fill into the heat and costs yield.
Sourced from: Package of Practices for Rabi Crops, Punjab Agricultural University: raya sowing window, seed rate and drill setting, spacing and thinning, fertiliser including zinc, and irrigation. editorial policy.