Pusa Himani
An IARI Regional Station (Katrain) European (temperate) variety with white, semi-stump roots 30–35 cm long, tender and sweet with little pungency — grown year-round in the hills and in the coldest months in the plains.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Radish (Mooli)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- About 55 days
- Expected yield
- 30–35 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Deep, loose, stone-free sandy loam to loam
- Disease resistance
- No special resistance claimed
- Release
- Developed by ICAR-IARI Regional Station, Katrain (Himachal Pradesh)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Pusa Himani is a European (temperate) radish developed at the IARI Regional Station, Katrain, in the hills. Its roots are white, semi-stump, 30–35 cm long, tender and sweet with very little pungency, which suits the premium mild-radish market. It is grown almost year-round in the hills and only in the coldest months in the plains — sown into warm weather it will bolt without forming a proper root. Being open-pollinated, its seed can be saved.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Pusa Himani if your buyers want a sweet, mild, crisp radish and you farm in the hills or can sow in the northern plains in December–February. NHB lists white roots of 30–35 cm and 10–12 cm across, ready in about 55 days. It is the only variety NHB says can be grown through the year in the hills, except November–January. Choose Pusa Chetki for warm months, Japanese White for October–December sowing, Pusa Desi for a sharp traditional mooli.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeDecember–February in the northern plains; in the hills almost all year except November–January
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Tender, sweet, mild roots for the premium table market
- Long white semi-stump roots; grown almost year-round in the hills
- Open-pollinated — seed can be saved
Things to consider
- A temperate type — sown into warm plains weather it bolts without forming a root
- No special disease resistance — watch Alternaria and white rust
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Himachal Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
- Jammu & Kashmir
In the plains, the window is three months
NHB gives December to February for Pusa Himani in the northern plains. That is the cold part of the year, and sowing outside it is the usual way to lose this crop to bolting.
At about 55 days, a 1 December sowing is ready about 25 January. A 28 February sowing is ready in late April, when the days are already warm, so favour the earlier sowings.
In the hills the window is much wider, almost the whole year except November to January, which is why hill farmers value it. If you farm in the plains, write the three sowing months on your calendar and do not stretch them.
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 Chetki | 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 Himanithis page | 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
When can I sow Pusa Himani in the plains?
NHB gives December to February for the northern plains. A sowing on 1 December is ready about 25 January, and a sowing on 28 February about late April. Do not sow into warm weather, because it bolts without making a root.
Can I grow it in the hills all year?
NHB says it can be grown through the year in the hills except the winter months of November to January. That makes it useful when other radish types cannot be sown.
Why is the plains window shorter than the old page said?
NHB gives December to February for the northern plains, not October to December. October and November sowings are usually still warm for this temperate type, so follow the NHB window.
Is it pungent?
No. NHB describes the flesh as crisp and sweet-flavoured with mild pungency. It suits buyers who want a mild radish, not the sharp traditional mooli.
Can I save Pusa Himani seed?
Yes, it is open-pollinated. Choose true-to-type white roots for seed and keep other radish away. In the plains it may not set seed well in warm weather, so ask local farmers first.
Sourced from: NHB — Radish varieties. editorial policy.