Kashi Nandini
An IIVR variety with good pod set and uniform maturity for the main season.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Peas
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- 70–80 days
- Expected yield
- 75–120 q/ha (sources differ)
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Moderate
- Release
- ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi. Released in 2004 and notified on 25 April 2006 (S.O. 597(E)), according to the national list of notified varieties (2015). Pedigree selection from the cross P 1542 × VT-2-1.
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Kashi Nandini is an early-maturing garden pea variety developed by ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi, through pedigree selection from the cross P 1542 × VT-2-1. It was released in 2004 and notified on 25 April 2006. It grows 47–51 cm tall, flowers first at 32 days after sowing, and bears 7–8 pods per plant, each 8–9 cm long and well filled with 8–9 seeds, giving a shelling percentage of 47–48% and a yield of 110–120 q/ha. It was released and notified for cultivation in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Kashi Nandini if you want the pea with the widest official reach on this list: it is the only one here notified for nine states, from Jammu & Kashmir down to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, so a southern grower has a notified choice at all. Read its yield as a range, not a promise — the ICAR-IIVR release figures give 110–120 q/ha, the national checklist only 75–80, and until your own crop is weighed the lower figure is the safer one to plan on. On timing it sits in the middle: it flowers early, but first picking comes at 70–80 days, well past Arkel's 60. The catch is the "Moderate" disease rating, so powdery mildew is not ruled out and the tolerance reported for leaf miner and pod borer is a pest trait, not a disease one. Choose Arkel for the earliest picking. Choose Rachna for bred-in mildew resistance. Choose Pusa Prabhal for wilt and mildew cover together.
Sowing & cultivation
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- Sources describe it as tolerant to leaf miner and pod borer. That is a pest trait. It is separate from the "Moderate" disease rating, so keep watching for powdery mildew.
- Yield figures differ. The ICAR-IIVR release figures give 110–120 q/ha. The national checklist gives 75–80 q/ha, with 50% flowering at 31 days and first harvest after 55 days. Plan on the lower figure until your own crop is weighed.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Jammu & Kashmir
- Himachal Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
- Punjab
- Uttar Pradesh
- Jharkhand
- Karnataka
- Tamil Nadu
- Kerala
Count from 32 days: a flowering calendar
Kashi Nandini's first flower comes 32 days after sowing, and the card shows 70–80 days to harvest. So there are about 38 to 48 days between the first flower and the end of picking.
Write the dates on a card: sowing date, 32 days for first flower, then the picking window. Put your waterings and your mildew checks on the same card, so they happen at flowering and pod fill and not after.
Keep it for a few seasons. After two or three, you will know the exact days in your own field.
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 Peas variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkel | The earliest common garden pea, for the early-season price, sown in time to dodge late-crop powdery mildew | 60–65 days | 80–100 q/ha (green pods) | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar |
| Azad Matar | A sweet, tender, long dark-green-pod garden pea from CSAUAT Kanpur (Azad P-1), for Uttar Pradesh fresh sale with a mildew plan | About 53 days to first picking in one Prayagraj plains trial; about 120 days in hill trials | High | Uttar Pradesh |
| Bonneville | A main-season, taller garden pea for the mid-season market, also suited to dehydration | 75–80 days | 65–110 q/ha (green pods; sources differ) | Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh |
| Kashi Nandinithis page | An early-maturing, ICAR-IIVR garden pea with good pod set, notified for nine states from Jammu & Kashmir to Kerala | 70–80 days | 75–120 q/ha (sources differ) | Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala |
| Pant Matar | An early GBPUAT Pantnagar garden pea (Pant Matar 2) that matches Arkel's days and gives about 10% more pods, for the northern hills and plains | About 60 days to first picking | About 100 q/ha (green pods; some reports lower) | Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand |
| Pusa Prabhal | A wilt-and-mildew-resistant, double-podded garden pea for land with Fusarium wilt or powdery mildew trouble | 80–100 days | ~138 q/ha | Himachal Pradesh |
| Pusa Pragati (Early Badger) | An early, powdery-mildew-resistant IARI garden pea with long 10 cm pods and 9 seeds per pod, recommended for all of India | 60–65 days to first picking | About 70 q/ha (green pods) | Punjab |
| Rachna | A powdery-mildew-resistant mid-season pea bred at CSAUAT Kanpur, for green pods or dry seed | 85–90 days | 100–120 q/ha (green pods) | Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh |
| VL Ageti | An early, dwarf ICAR-VPKAS garden pea (VL-7) for the hills of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand | About 120–125 days to first picking (hill sowing) | High | Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand |
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 Peas is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Peas 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 Peas variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Peas into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Peas in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Peas rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Peas seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Who released Kashi Nandini and when?
ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi, released it in 2004, and it was notified on 25 April 2006. It was developed through pedigree selection from the cross P 1542 × VT-2-1.
Which states is Kashi Nandini officially notified for?
Nine states: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
How quickly does Kashi Nandini start flowering?
The first flower appears just 32 days after sowing. That is an early-maturing trait and gives a fast turnaround. The card shows 70–80 days to harvest.
What yield can Kashi Nandini achieve?
ICAR-IIVR release figures give 110–120 q/ha, with 7–8 pods per plant and a shelling percentage of 47–48%. The national checklist gives a lower 75–80 q/ha, with first harvest after 55 days. Plan on the lower figure until you have weighed your own crop.
Is Kashi Nandini tolerant to any specific pests?
Yes. It is described as tolerant to leaf miner and pod borer, which is more specific pest detail than the broad "Moderate" disease rating.
Kashi Nandini or Arkel: which should I sow?
Kashi Nandini gives 110–120 q/ha in the ICAR-IIVR release figures (75–80 in a national checklist), in 70–80 days, against Arkel's 75–125 q/ha in 55–65 days. Arkel reaches the market first and gets the early-season price. If your market pays a big early premium, Arkel. If you want more weight per hectare and a notified release, test Kashi Nandini.
How heavy is a Kashi Nandini crop per plant?
Each plant bears 7–8 pods, each pod 8–9 cm long and filled with 8–9 seeds. The plant is 47–51 cm tall. Shelling percentage is 47–48%, which means about half the pod weight is peas. Use this to price shelled peas against pods.
Can I grow Kashi Nandini in the South?
It is notified for Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala as well as the northern states. Notification covers the states, not every district or season. Ask your local horticulture office which season to sow in your district.
What does tolerant to leaf miner and pod borer mean for my spraying?
It means the crop is reported to cope better with these two pests than a susceptible variety, which can help you cut the number of rescue sprays. It does not mean no spray at all. Scout your field each week and follow your state horticulture department's advice.
Can I save Kashi Nandini seed?
Yes. It is open-pollinated, so seed from healthy plants gives plants like the parent. Save from the well-filled first pods of the healthiest plants, and keep the lot dry and apart from other peas.
Sourced from: Checklist of Commercial Varieties of Vegetables (pea section) — TNAU Agritech Portal. editorial policy.