Pusa Chetki
An IARI white radish selected from material introduced from Denmark. It tolerates heat, is sown from mid-March to mid-August in northern and central India, and has thick, stumpy roots of 15–22 cm ready in 40–45 days.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Radish (Mooli)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- 40–45 days
- Expected yield
- 25 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Deep, loose, stone-free sandy loam to loam
- Disease resistance
- No special resistance; watch Alternaria and white rust
- Release
- Released by ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Pusa Chetki is a white radish from ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, selected from material introduced from Denmark. It tolerates high temperature, so it is the standard warm-season radish. NHB lists mid-March to mid-August for northern and central India and the whole year for the south and west, and IARI lists April to August for the northern plains. The roots are thick, stumpy, pure white and smooth, 15–22 cm long and mildly pungent, and they are less pungent in summer sowings. It is ready in 40–45 days and is open-pollinated, so you can save seed. The national checklist of vegetable varieties gives a slightly wider 40–50 days, a yield potential of 200–250 q/ha, an April–September summer and monsoon crop, and profuse seed set in the plains.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Pusa Chetki if you want radish in the warm months when cool-season types bolt. IARI lists thick, stumpy, pure white roots of 15–22 cm ready in about 45 days, 25 t/ha, selected from material introduced from Denmark. NHB gives mid-March to mid-August for northern and central India and all year for the south and west. Choose Japanese White for the cool winter market, Pusa Desi for a sharp traditional mooli, Pusa Mridula for a 25–30 day salad radish.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeMid-March to mid-August in northern and central India (April–August in the northern plains); through the year in the south and west
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Heat-tolerant — bulbs a root where temperate types would bolt
- Very fast (40–45 days) with a long, wide sowing window
- Open-pollinated — seed can be saved
Things to consider
- No special disease resistance — watch Alternaria leaf blight and white rust
- Still needs a deep, stone-free seedbed and only well-rotted manure for straight roots
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Delhi
- Uttar Pradesh
- Punjab
- Karnataka
Sow a strip every week through the warm months
Pusa Chetki is ready in 40–45 days and has a long window, mid-March to mid-August in northern and central India. That fits strip sowing better than one big sowing.
Sow a small strip every week. Each strip then gives you a pull seven days after the last, and you are never stuck with a whole field that is ready on the same hot day.
In warm weather, water often enough that the soil never dries and cracks, because stress makes roots tough and sharp. TNAU's general radish advice is irrigation about once a week in the plains, so adjust upward in a heat wave.
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 Radish (Mooli) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arka Nishant | Forgiving harvest window, resists pithiness and bolting | 50–55 days | 25–40 t/ha | Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra |
| Japanese White | Mild white daikon for the main winter market | 60–65 days | 30–35 t/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal |
| Kashi Hans | Quick 40–45 day radish for Uttar Pradesh, tolerant of pithiness | 40–45 days | 430–450 q/ha | Uttar Pradesh |
| Pusa Chetkithis page | Heat-tolerant warm-season white radish | 40–45 days | 25 t/ha | Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Karnataka |
| Pusa Desi | Sharp traditional mooli with leafy tops for saag | 50–55 days | 25–30 t/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana |
| Pusa Himani | Sweet, mild European radish for hills and cold plains | About 55 days | 30–35 t/ha | Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir |
| Pusa Mridula | Small red salad radish, ready in about 25 days | About 25 days | 130 q/ha | Delhi (NCR) |
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 Radish (Mooli) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Radish (Mooli) 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 Radish (Mooli) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Radish (Mooli) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Radish (Mooli) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Radish (Mooli) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Radish (Mooli) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
In which months can I sow Pusa Chetki?
NHB lists mid-March to mid-August for northern and central India, and all year for the south and west. IARI lists April to August for the northern plains. For the main winter crop, other varieties do better.
Will summer-sown roots be too sharp?
IARI notes that Pusa Chetki roots are less pungent in summer sowings, which is useful when buyers want a milder radish in hot months. Taste still changes with water and temperature, so test a few before selling a lot.
How long are the roots?
IARI lists 15–22 cm, thick and stumpy. That is shorter than Pusa Desi (30–35 cm) or Japanese White (25–30 cm), so it will look small in a mandi that expects long mooli.
Which disease should I watch for?
Alternaria leaf blight and white rust. TNAU's general radish guide lists mancozeb or copper oxychloride at 2 g per litre for white rust. Check the current label and ask your KVK before spraying.
Can I save Pusa Chetki seed?
Yes, it is open-pollinated, and the national checklist notes that it sets seed freely in the plains, so a seed plot is worth keeping. Keep seed plots away from other radish, and choose thick, smooth, pure white roots true to the type.
How much yield should I expect?
IARI lists 25 t/ha and the national checklist gives 200–250 q/ha, which is the same 20–25 t/ha band. Both are potential figures from trial plots, so on a first crop plan nearer the lower end and weigh your own pulls.
Sourced from: NHB — Radish varieties, ICAR-IARI — Radish varieties, TNAU Agritech Portal — Radish, National Checklist of Commercial Varieties of Vegetables (TNAU Agritech hosting) — radish. editorial policy.