Him Shakti
India's first and, so far, only ICAR-released quinoa variety, bred at ICAR-NBPGR's regional station in Shimla under the All India Coordinated Research Network on Potential Crops.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Quinoa
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- 120–150 days
- Seed rate
- 8–10 kg/ha for line sowing
- Expected yield
- High among genotypes evaluated in Indian trials
- Suitable soil
- Saline / marginal
- Release
- Released by ICAR-NBPGR, Regional Station, Shimla, under the All India Coordinated Research Network on Potential Crops — India's first indigenous quinoa variety
About this variety
Him Shakti is India's first indigenous quinoa release, developed by the ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources' regional station at Shimla under the All India Coordinated Research Network on Potential Crops (AICRN-PC). It is the only quinoa variety formally released in India to date; virtually all other commercial quinoa grown in the country comes from imported or privately traded seed lines sold by grain colour rather than a named bred variety. In multi-genotype field evaluations in Rajasthan alongside germplasm accessions sourced from ICAR's National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Him Shakti was noted for early and stable flowering — a useful trait for timing the crop's vulnerable flowering stage away from disease-favouring humid spells and heat stress. Specific duration and yield figures for Him Shakti track the crop's general Indian range of 120–150 days and, depending on region and management, 800 kg/ha to over 2,000 kg/ha.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeNovember–December, or the first half of December for the best yield under Indian subtropical trial conditions
- Seed rate8–10 kg/ha for line sowing
- Spacing30 cm rows, thinned to about 20 cm within the row
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Tolerates saline and alkaline soils; needs good drainage
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
120–150 days
Expected yield
High among genotypes evaluated in Indian trials
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- Documented early and stable flowering in Indian trial conditions; no separate pathogen-specific resistance data published
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- The only quinoa variety in India with a formal ICAR release and documented evaluation history, rather than an unverified imported seed line.
- Documented early and stable flowering in Indian trial conditions, a useful trait for managing the crop's downy mildew and heat-stress risk windows.
Things to consider
- Availability is more limited than imported or privately traded seed lines, since it moves through ICAR's own seed-multiplication channels rather than open commercial seed trade.
- Detailed disease-resistance data specific to downy mildew or leaf spot has not been separately published for this variety.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Himachal Pradesh
- Rajasthan
- Uttarakhand
Sourced from: ICAR-NBPGR Regional Station, Shimla, Performance Evaluation of Quinoa Genotypes for Agronomic Traits and Stress Resilience Under Arid Conditions in Rajasthan — Research Square. editorial policy.