Parbhani Kusum (PBNS-12)
A central release from the VNMKV Parbhani centre of the safflower AICRP, listed for all India with 1,900–2,000 kg/ha irrigated and 29% oil. PBNS-12 is its code; it is a different variety from Phule Chandrabhaga.
Quick facts
- Type
- Safflower variety (spiny or non-spiny not stated in the record)
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- 135–140 days to maturity; 50% flowering in 83–90 days (ICAR-IIOR)
- Seed rate
- Sole crop 10–12 kg/ha in 45 cm rows; border or intercrop about 5–6 kg/ha (crop-level rate)
- Expected yield
- Potential 1,900–2,000 kg/ha irrigated and 1,200–1,500 kg/ha rainfed; 29% seed oil (ICAR-IIOR)
- Suitable soil
- Deep black soils holding stored moisture
- Release
- Central release, year 2001 (ICAR-IIOR); notified S.O. 122(E), 6 February 2007; AICRP safflower centre, VNMKV Parbhani; recommended for all India
About this variety
Parbhani Kusum (PBNS-12) is a safflower variety bred at the AICRP safflower centre of Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth (VNMKV), Parbhani. ICAR-IIOR gives its pedigree as PBNS-9-97 x PI 248567, made by the pedigree method, and lists it as a central release for all India, with release year 2001 and notification S.O. 122(E) dated 6 February 2007. Potential yield is 1,900 to 2,000 kg/ha under irrigation and 1,200 to 1,500 kg/ha rainfed. Seed oil is 29%. It flowers 50% in 83 to 90 days and matures in 135 to 140 days. The only disease note is moderate tolerance to aphid and Alternaria leaf blight. The record says nothing about wilt or about spines, so the practice below is the crop-level routine for safflower, not numbers measured on this variety.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Parbhani Kusum when you can give at least one irrigation and your sowing date is early. ICAR-IIOR lists 1,900 to 2,000 kg/ha irrigated and 1,200 to 1,500 kg/ha rainfed, 29% oil, and moderate tolerance to aphid and Alternaria leaf blight. It matures in 135 to 140 days, which is longer than PBNS-40 (118 to 128 days) from the same centre. Pick PBNS-40 instead if you want a non-spiny crop with a wilt rating, though its listed yields are lower (937 kg/ha rainfed, 1,579 irrigated). The record for Parbhani Kusum gives no wilt rating and does not say if it is spiny, so check at the seed counter before you buy.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeLate September to end of October, drilled into the receding-monsoon moisture; earlier in that window suits this 135–140 day variety
- Seed rateSole crop 10–12 kg/ha in 45 cm rows; border or intercrop about 5–6 kg/ha (crop-level rate)
- Spacing45 cm rows; thin to about 20 cm within the row
- Sowing methodDrill behind the plough into moist black soil, 4–6 cm deep
- IrrigationRainfed on stored moisture; one irrigation at rosette-to-branching gives the biggest response, and ICAR-IIOR's irrigated potential is 1,900–2,000 kg/ha against 1,200–1,500 rainfed
- FertilizerRainfed about 25:25:0 kg N:P2O5:K2O/ha below the seed; 40–60 kg N/ha split under irrigation (crop-level dose)
- HarvestingHarvest at 135–140 days when the plants are straw-dry. If the crop is spiny, cut in the cool early morning with gloves and long sleeves
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Deep black soils with a full stored-moisture profile
- pH
- 6.5–8.0
Climate
- Climate
- A rainfed rabi crop. A wet flowering spell still needs Alternaria watching, even with the moderate tolerance in the record
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
135–140 days to maturity; 50% flowering in 83–90 days (ICAR-IIOR)
Expected yield
Potential 1,900–2,000 kg/ha irrigated and 1,200–1,500 kg/ha rainfed; 29% seed oil (ICAR-IIOR)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Major pests
Management notes
- Sow early in the window. At 135 to 140 days this is a long variety, and late sowing pushes grain filling into the March heat.
- Give one irrigation at rosette-to-branching if you can: 1,900–2,000 kg/ha irrigated against 1,200–1,500 rainfed.
- Scout for aphid and Alternaria from the first spots; moderate tolerance is not immunity.
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- A central release with a notification number (S.O. 122(E)) and an ICAR-IIOR entry, so its record can be checked
- Listed with both irrigated and rainfed yield, 29% oil and moderate aphid and Alternaria tolerance
Things to consider
- The record gives no wilt rating and does not say whether the crop is spiny
- At 135–140 days it is longer than PBNS-40 (118–128) and SSF-708 (115–120), so it needs an early sowing date
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Maharashtra
Count 135 to 140 days from your sowing date
Do the sum before you buy seed. Sown on 1 October, Parbhani Kusum reaches 50% flowering around 23 to 30 December (83 to 90 days) and matures around 13 to 18 February (135 to 140 days). Sown on 15 October, it matures around 27 February to 4 March. Each fortnight of delay moves harvest a fortnight later, into warmer weather when the grain is filling.
PBNS-40 from the same Parbhani centre matures in 118 to 128 days, and SSF-708 in 115 to 120 days (ICAR-IIOR). If your rains end late, or your last good moisture is in mid-October, a shorter variety may fit better than a 29% oil figure on paper. If you can sow in the first days of October and give one irrigation, the longer duration is easier to carry.
Parbhani Kusum, Sharda and PBNS-40: three Parbhani names
The Parbhani centre has released more than one safflower. Sharda is the older state release (1990, for Marathwada) with 1,000 to 1,200 kg/ha rainfed and 1,600 to 1,800 irrigated. Parbhani Kusum is the central release of 2001 with 1,900 to 2,000 irrigated and 1,200 to 1,500 rainfed. PBNS-40 (2006) is the non-spiny one, moderately tolerant to wilt, Alternaria and aphid, with lower listed yields.
Read them as three jobs. Sharda is the long-known Marathwada name. Parbhani Kusum is for yield and oil when you can irrigate. PBNS-40 is for a non-spiny crop on a field with a wilt history. The yields come from different trial sets, so do not subtract one list from another and call it the gain. Ask the KVK which of the three has certified seed in your district this season.
Can you save seed from this crop?
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 Safflower (Kusum) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-1 (Annigeri 1) | Rainfed black soils in Karnataka and nearby states where labour for a spiny crop is available | 125–130 days | Average 1,200 kg/ha, potential 1,500 kg/ha; about 28% oil (ICAR-IIOR) | Karnataka, Bihar, Odisha, Rajasthan |
| Bhima | Western Maharashtra rainfed black soils, sown early; a long 135 to 140 day crop | 135–140 days | Average 1,400 kg/ha, potential 1,600 kg/ha; 28–30% oil (ICAR-IIOR) | Maharashtra |
| DSH-129 | Irrigated or well-managed land where fresh hybrid seed can be bought every year | 120–125 days (50% flowering in 70–80 days) | Average 2,200 kg/ha under irrigation; about 30% oil (ICAR-IIOR). No rainfed average found | Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana |
| Manjira | Rainfed black soils of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh where local seed is on hand | 120–125 days | Average 1,000 kg/ha, potential 1,100 kg/ha; about 28% oil (ICAR-IIOR) | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| NARI-57 | Selling safflower seed by oil content; irrigated or well-managed rabi fields across central and western India | 118–151 days; 50% flowering in about 75 days (ICAR-IIOR) | Potential 1,500 kg/ha and 29–30% oil in the ICAR-IIOR table; NARI's 2018 table gives an average 1,519 kg/ha, seed yield on par with A-1, about 36.6% oil and 18.36% more oil per hectare than A-1 | Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal |
| NARI-6 | Rainfed or lightly irrigated black soils where spines are the labour problem | About 126 days | About 1,074 kg/ha average (NARI); 1,175 kg/ha in a 2012-13 rainfed trial; oil 35% (NARI), about 30% (AICRP) | Maharashtra, Karnataka |
| NARI-NH-1 | Irrigated fields with labour problems from spines, where fresh hybrid seed can be bought | About 127 days (ICAR-IIOR) | Average 1,936 kg/ha, 10% above A-1 (NARI); oil 35% (NARI) or 30% (ICAR-IIOR); 1,175 kg/ha in a 2012-13 rainfed trial | Maharashtra, Karnataka |
| Parbhani Kusum (PBNS-12)this page | Irrigated or protected rabi land in Maharashtra that wants a 29% oil variety with a gazette notification and some aphid and Alternaria tolerance | 135–140 days to maturity; 50% flowering in 83–90 days (ICAR-IIOR) | Potential 1,900–2,000 kg/ha irrigated and 1,200–1,500 kg/ha rainfed; 29% seed oil (ICAR-IIOR) | Maharashtra |
| Phule Chandrabhaga | Only for farmers who can see a release record for the seed they are sold; Maharashtra | Not published in the sources we could open | No yield found; about 29% oil (course slide deck) | Maharashtra |
| Phule Kusuma | Maharashtra and neighbouring rainfed or irrigated rabi land that wants a central-release spiny variety with a record | 125–140 days (AICRP) | Potential 2,000–2,200 kg/ha irrigated and 1,200–1,500 kg/ha rainfed (ICAR-IIOR); 28–29% oil (AICRP) | Maharashtra, Karnataka |
| Sharda | Marathwada rainfed and irrigated black soils; a 1990 state release from Parbhani | 125–130 days; 50% flowering in 90–92 days (ICAR-IIOR) | Potential 1,000–1,200 kg/ha rainfed and 1,600–1,800 kg/ha irrigated; 29% oil (ICAR-IIOR) | Maharashtra |
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 Safflower (Kusum) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Safflower (Kusum) 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 Safflower (Kusum) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Safflower (Kusum) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Safflower (Kusum) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Safflower (Kusum) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Safflower (Kusum) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Parbhani Kusum the same as PBNS-12?
Yes. PBNS-12 is the code and Parbhani Kusum is the name, from the Parbhani centre of VNMKV. It is not the same as Phule Chandrabhaga, which is a different name from a different university.
Does Parbhani Kusum resist wilt?
No wilt rating is published for it. The ICAR-IIOR entry gives only moderate tolerance to aphid and Alternaria leaf blight. On a field with wilt history, rotate away from safflower for 3 to 4 years, or look at PBNS-40, which is listed as moderately tolerant to wilt.
How much does Parbhani Kusum give irrigated and rainfed?
ICAR-IIOR gives a potential of 1,900 to 2,000 kg/ha irrigated and 1,200 to 1,500 kg/ha rainfed, with 29% oil. These are trial potentials, not farm averages. The gap is large, so one irrigation at rosette-to-branching is worth planning.
Why do sources give different years for Parbhani Kusum?
ICAR-IIOR gives release year 2001 and notification S.O. 122(E) dated 6 February 2007. The national notified list we read gives 2006 as the year. A release in 2001 followed by a gazette notice later would explain both, but we found no notice that says so. The fact you can check is the notification number.
Parbhani Kusum or PBNS-40: which should I sow?
Parbhani Kusum lists higher yields (1,900–2,000 irrigated) and 29% oil but 135 to 140 days and no wilt rating. PBNS-40 is non-spiny, moderately tolerant to wilt, Alternaria and aphid, matures in 118 to 128 days, but lists 937 kg/ha rainfed and 1,579 irrigated with 27 to 28% oil. Irrigated, early sowing favours Parbhani Kusum; a wilt field or hand harvest favours PBNS-40.
Sourced from: ICAR-IIOR, Safflower cultivars and hybrids (Parbhani Kusum PBNS-12 and PBNS-40 descriptors: pedigree, release, notification, yield, oil, days, special attributes), ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (IIOR), Hyderabad, National notified varieties list (Safflower, Kusum/Kardi): notification numbers and dates, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth (VNMKV), Parbhani, Singh and Nimbkar, Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), in Genetic Resources, Chromosome Engineering and Crop Improvement vol. 4, CRC Press, 2007. editorial policy.