TC-25
An early, widely adapted variety useful for a summer or catch crop.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Sesame (Til)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Zaid / summer
- Maturity period
- 75–82 days; 80–85 for a July sowing in Punjab
- Expected yield
- Medium
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
- Disease resistance
- Moderate
- Release
- 1978 (institute not confirmed; the best-supported cultivation record ties it to Punjab)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
TC-25 is a white-seeded sesame variety released in 1978. The clearest documented record ties it to Punjab, where extension material recommends it for kharif (July) sowing at 80-85 day maturity, 700-800 kg/ha yield and 50-52% oil content — performing slightly better than the older Punjab Til-1 (650-700 kg/ha) and maturing a little earlier than the later TC-289.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose TC-25 if you farm in Punjab and want an early white sesame. At 75–82 days it is the quickest of the seven sesames here, and for a July sowing in Punjab extension material gives 80–85 days, level with RT 351 and TKG-22. It does a little better than the older Punjab Til-1 (650–700 kg/ha). Do not expect an edge on seed: Swetha, the other white sesame, publishes the same 50–52% oil and a 750–800 kg/ha yield that overlaps TC-25's, so the case for TC-25 is Punjab and earliness, not the numbers. Uttar Pradesh and summer sowing are listed above, but the clearest record is Punjab in July, so outside Punjab check locally before sowing. Choose RT 351 instead for a notified, well-documented variety in Rajasthan's dry belt.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeSecond fortnight of July in Uttar Pradesh and in Punjab and Haryana (AICRP sesame package). The package gives no summer date for Uttar Pradesh
- Spacing30–45 x 15 cm in Uttar Pradesh, and 30 x 10–15 cm in Punjab and Haryana
- Fertilizer20:10:0 kg NPK per ha in Uttar Pradesh. The package gives 30:0:0 for Haryana. Where the package gives no split, put half the nitrogen and all the phosphorus and potash in at sowing and the other half of the nitrogen 30–35 days after sowing, when the soil is moist
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- The clearest record, a Punjab farmer extension article, ties TC-25 to kharif sowing in July in Punjab. Uttar Pradesh and the summer (zaid) season are shown above, and no source connects TC-25 to either. Check locally before sowing outside Punjab.
- The breeding institute for TC-25 is not published. Its "TC" code and its sibling TC-289 suggest one breeding programme, but no source names it.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Uttar Pradesh
Following the Punjab record: July sowing
The clearest record for TC-25 is Punjab extension material that recommends sowing in July. At 80–85 days, a crop sown anywhere in July is ready from about the third week of September to the fourth week of October. Count from your own sowing date.
Against the older Punjab Til-1, the same material gives TC-25 700–800 kg/ha and Til-1 650–700 kg/ha, so TC-25 gives about 50 to 100 kg/ha more. That is a small edge, so it matters most if the seed costs the same.
The oil content of 50–52% is the other point. If you sell to an oil mill, ask what the mill pays for oil content, because that is where TC-25's edge may show up in the price.
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 Sesame (Til) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GT 10 | The black-seeded sesame with proven Phytophthora blight resistance, for Gujarat | 92–95 days | 6–8 q/ha | Gujarat |
| RT 351 | The multicapsular Rajasthan sesame: several capsules per leaf axil, notified for the hot, arid zone | 80–85 days | 5–7 q/ha | Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh |
| RT-346 | A steady rainfed sesame for Rajasthan, chosen for stability across seasons, not for a published peak yield | 82–88 days | Medium–high | Rajasthan |
| Swetha (TMV-3 type) | A white-seeded sesame for buyers who pay for pale til, with a December sowing pattern from the Tirupati trials | 82–86 days | 750–800 kg/ha (AICRP sesame package) | Andhra Pradesh |
| TC-25this page | A white-seeded, early sesame with 50–52% oil, best documented for July sowing in Punjab | 75–82 days; 80–85 for a July sowing in Punjab | Medium | Uttar Pradesh |
| TKG-22 | The long-standing Madhya Pradesh check variety: steady, well understood, with capsules that ripen together | 80–85 days | Medium–high | Madhya Pradesh |
| TMV 7 | The brown, high-oil sesame that fits every Tamil Nadu season: 80–90 days and tolerant to root rot | 80–90 days | 7.4–9.2 q/ha | Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh |
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 Sesame (Til) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Sesame (Til) 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 Sesame (Til) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Sesame (Til) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Sesame (Til) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Sesame (Til) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Sesame (Til) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
When was TC-25 released?
It was released in 1978, per the most detailed source found, though the exact releasing institute could not be confirmed.
Is TC-25 grown as a summer (zaid) or kharif crop?
It is listed above as a zaid (summer) crop, but the clearest record describes July (kharif) sowing in Punjab. Follow the July record in Punjab, and check locally before sowing it in summer elsewhere.
How does TC-25 compare to Punjab Til-1?
TC-25 yields slightly more (700-800 kg/ha versus 650-700 kg/ha) with a matching oil-content range, per Punjab extension material comparing the two.
What is TC-25's oil content?
Sourced material reports 50-52% oil content, on the higher end for a sesame variety.
Why is TC-25's institute of origin uncertain?
No source names a breeding institute for TC-25. Its "TC" code and its sibling TC-289 suggest a dedicated breeding programme, but which one is not published.
How many days does TC-25 take?
For a July sowing in Punjab, plan on 80–85 days, which is what the extension material gives. The card carries both: 75–82 days is the shorter reported range, and 80–85 is the Punjab July figure.
What yield can I plan on from TC-25?
Punjab extension material gives 700–800 kg/ha, which is 7–8 q/ha. That is for a July sowing in Punjab. Elsewhere the yield may differ, so try it on a small plot first.
Can I save TC-25 seed?
Yes, it is open-pollinated. TC-25 was released in 1978, so seed kept for many years can drift. Keep it from the healthiest, most uniform plants each year, dry the capsules fully and store the seed dry.
TC-25 or RT 351 — which one?
RT 351 if you farm Rajasthan's dry belt: it has a notification, 80–85 days and published field results. TC-25 if you farm in Punjab and want an early white sesame with 50–52% oil, 80–85 days and 700–800 kg/ha for a July sowing. Outside Punjab, the record for TC-25 is thin, so trial it on a small plot first.
How do I check that TC-25 suits my Uttar Pradesh field?
Uttar Pradesh and summer sowing are listed above, but the clearest record is a Punjab extension article for a July sowing, and no source connects TC-25 to either Uttar Pradesh or summer. Sow a small strip beside your usual sesame, note the days and the seed weight, and ask your KVK before you give it a full field.
Sourced from: Improved Technology for Maximizing Production of Sesame — AICRP on Sesame and Niger, ICAR (Ranganatha and others, revised 2013): Tables 3, 8 and 9 (sowing time, spacing and fertiliser by state). editorial policy.