Kufri Pukhraj
Bulks up fastest of the two, which is exactly why it carries no built-in blight protection — plan the spray calendar before you plant it.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Potato
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- 70–80 days
- Expected yield
- 300–350 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Release
- Released 1998 · ICAR-CPRI, Shimla · bred from the Craig’s Defiance line
About this variety
Kufri Pukhraj was released in 1998 by ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla, descended from the Craig’s Defiance breeding line. It is CPRI’s fastest-bulking early variety, bred specifically for early lifting and a low-input package, which is also why it was not bred with built-in blight protection the way some later releases were.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
70–80 days
Expected yield
300–350 q/ha
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Fastest bulking of the widely grown Kufri table varieties — suited to early lifting and a low-input, quick-turnaround crop
- Medium-to-large, oval tubers with smooth light-brown to gold skin and a firm, waxy flesh that markets pay a premium for
Things to consider
- No built-in blight protection at all — the spray calendar has to be planned before planting, not reacted to after symptoms appear
- Bred for a low-input, early package; yield ceiling under a full irrigated, high-input regime is lower than dual-purpose varieties like Kufri Bahar
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Uttar Pradesh
- Gujarat
Frequently asked questions
Why does Kufri Pukhraj need a spray schedule if other potato varieties don’t always?
It was bred for fast bulking and early lifting, not for built-in blight resistance — so unlike a moderately blight-tolerant variety, it needs its protective sprays planned from the start of the season.
Sourced from: KUFRI PUKHRAJ variety profile — PotatoPro, ICAR-CPRI Kufri Potato Varieties — IndianPotato.com. editorial policy.