Pusa Basmati 1509
An early-maturing basmati that uses less water than older basmati lines — useful where sowing time or water supply is tight.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Paddy (Rice)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 120–125 days
- Seed rate
- 8 kg of heavy, graded seed per acre. Float the light grains off in water and keep only the seed that settles
- Expected yield
- 40–48 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Moderate — the newer Pusa Basmati 1847 line adds blast and bacterial blight resistance on the same background
- Release
- ICAR-IARI, New Delhi (Division of Genetics) — notified 19 September 2013 by the Central Sub-Committee on Crop Standards, Notification and Release of Varieties
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Pusa Basmati 1509 (IET 21960) is a basmati rice variety developed by the Division of Genetics, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, notified for commercial cultivation on 19 September 2013 by the Central Sub-Committee on Crop Standards, Notification and Release of Varieties. It matures in 120 days — the shortest duration of any released basmati variety at the time — while saving about 33% irrigation water and 5–6 irrigations compared with older basmati lines, and yields around 4.25 t/ha on average, outperforming the older Taraori Basmati by over 50%.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick Pusa Basmati 1509 if you want a basmati that is ready in about 120 days and saves about 33% irrigation water compared with older basmati. It averages around 4.25 t/ha, which is more than 50% above the older Taraori Basmati. Choose Pusa Basmati 1121 instead if grain length matters more than time and water. Its disease resistance is only moderate. The 2013 notification named Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, so ask your seed supplier or Krishi Vigyan Kendra before sowing in other states.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeSow the nursery in the second fortnight of June and transplant in the second fortnight of July — a fortnight later than the longer basmatis (PAU, Punjab)
- Seed rate8 kg of heavy, graded seed per acre. Float the light grains off in water and keep only the seed that settles
- SpacingTwo seedlings per hill at 20 x 15 cm, about 33 hills per square metre. For late transplanting go to 15 x 15 cm
- Sowing methodTransplant seedlings at about 25 days. PAU names this variety specially: younger seedlings tiller better in a short-duration basmati
- Fertilizer54 kg urea per acre, the highest of the Punjab basmatis, in two equal splits 3 and 6 weeks after transplanting. No basal urea. Add 75 kg superphosphate per acre before the last puddling only in phosphorus-poor fields (PAU)
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- The 2013 notification named Uttar Pradesh and Delhi as the commercial-cultivation area. The states listed above (Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh) reflect the wider GI-protected basmati belt, where basmati varieties are commonly grown. Ask your seed supplier or KVK before sowing outside Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Uttar Pradesh
What to do with the time and water it saves
At 120–125 days this finishes well ahead of Pusa Basmati 1121 at 140–145 days, with fewer irrigations behind it. The saving is real, but only if you plan for it before the season, not after.
Two good uses. First, wheat behind it can be sown in the timely window instead of late, and a timely-sown wheat crop yields more than a late one, so the gain carries into the next season. Second, the field is cleared before the peak of the late-season water shortage, which matters where canal turns thin out in September. The trap is to treat an early variety as a late-sown one: sow it on the recommended date for your area, because sowing it too early pushes flowering into hotter weather and sowing too late throws away the advantage you paid for.
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 Paddy (Rice) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IR 64 | Medium-duration kharif rice with good eating quality | 115–120 days | 55–60 q/ha | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh |
| MTU 1010 (Cottondora Sannalu) | Short-duration irrigated rice; rabi crop after | 120–125 days | 55–65 q/ha under irrigated conditions | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka |
| Pusa Basmati 1121 | Export-grade extra-long basmati; price over yield | 140–145 days | 35–40 q/ha — basmati trades yield for grain quality | Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi |
| Pusa Basmati 1509this page | Early basmati when water or time is short | 120–125 days | 40–48 q/ha | Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh |
| Sahbhagi Dhan | Rainfed uplands with an unreliable monsoon | 100–110 days | Up to 40 q/ha (rainfed) | Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh |
| Swarna (MTU 7029) | Rainfed lowland in eastern India; steady yield in a poor-water year | 145–150 days | 45–55 q/ha under rainfed lowland | West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, 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 Paddy (Rice) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Paddy (Rice) 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 Paddy (Rice) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Paddy (Rice) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Paddy (Rice) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Paddy (Rice) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Paddy (Rice) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Who developed Pusa Basmati 1509 and when was it notified?
The Division of Genetics, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, developed it, and the Central Sub-Committee on Crop Standards, Notification and Release of Varieties notified it on 19 September 2013.
How much water does Pusa Basmati 1509 save?
About 33% less irrigation water and 5–6 fewer irrigations compared with older basmati lines.
How does Pusa Basmati 1509 compare to older basmati varieties on yield?
It averages around 4.25 t/ha, outperforming the older Taraori Basmati by over 50% — while also being the shortest-duration basmati variety released up to that time (120 days).
Which states were officially notified for Pusa Basmati 1509?
The 2013 notification named Uttar Pradesh and Delhi specifically. The states listed above (Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh) show the wider basmati belt where it is grown.
Why is a 120-day duration significant for basmati rice?
It was the shortest duration of any released basmati variety at the time, so you finish the crop faster and free the field earlier for the next one — useful where the sowing window or water supply is tight.
Is Pusa Basmati 1509 a good choice if I am short of water?
Yes, among basmati varieties it is one of the better choices. It saves about 33% irrigation water and 5–6 irrigations compared with older basmati lines, and it matures in about 120 days.
Should I pick Pusa Basmati 1509 over Pusa Basmati 1121?
It depends on what you want. Pusa Basmati 1509 gives 40–48 q/ha in about 120 days. Pusa Basmati 1121 gives 35–40 q/ha in 140–145 days but has the longer, more export-favoured grain. Pick 1509 for time, water and a higher yield. Pick 1121 for grain length.
Does Pusa Basmati 1509 resist blast and bacterial blight?
Only to a moderate level. A newer line, Pusa Basmati 1847, adds blast and bacterial blight resistance on the same background. If these diseases are a problem in your field, ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra whether that line suits your area.
Does Pusa Basmati 1509 leave time for the next crop?
Yes, and that is one of its main points. At 120–125 days it clears the field about three weeks before Pusa Basmati 1121 at 140–145 days. That is often the difference between sowing wheat on time and sowing it late.
Can I save Pusa Basmati 1509 seed?
Yes, it is open-pollinated, so your own seed breeds true. Rogue out off-type plants before flowering and keep the seed plot away from other paddy. Even so, refresh from certified seed every few years, because export buyers pay on uniform grain.
Sourced from: Package of Practices for Kharif Crops, Punjab Agricultural University: basmati nursery and transplanting dates, seedling age, spacing and variety-wise urea dose. editorial policy.