NRC 157
An ICAR-IISR Indore release specifically valued for tolerating delayed sowing (up to 20 July) with little yield penalty.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Soybean
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- ~94 days
- Seed rate
- 25–30 kg per acre (PAU)
- Expected yield
- ~16.5 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Clay / black soil
- Disease resistance
- Moderately resistant to Alternaria leaf spot, bacterial pustule and target leaf spot
- Release
- ICAR-IISR Indore (breeder: Dr. Sanjay Gupta); approved by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in September 2022
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
NRC 157 is a soybean variety bred by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Principal Scientist at ICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean Research (IISR), Indore. It was approved by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in September 2022 for cultivation in the state. Its standout trait is tolerance of delayed sowing — trials at the institute found that sowing as late as 20 July causes only a minimal yield penalty, so it is a useful fallback when the monsoon pushes sowing past early July.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick NRC 157 if your sowing date keeps slipping past early July while you wait for the monsoon. Institute trials at ICAR-IISR Indore found that sowing as late as 20 July costs it only a small amount of yield, which most soybean varieties cannot manage. It matures in about 94 days for about 16.5 q/ha and is moderately resistant to Alternaria leaf spot, bacterial pustule and target leaf spot — three common foliar diseases of the central belt. Madhya Pradesh approved it in September 2022. If you sow on time, JS 20-29 gives more; for a drought-prone field, NRC 136; for charcoal rot, NRC 131.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeFirst fortnight of June in north-west India (PAU)
- Seed rate25–30 kg per acre (PAU)
- Spacing45 cm rows, 4–5 cm between plants
- Sowing methodSow 2.5–5.0 cm deep with Bradyrhizobium-treated seed. Harvest as soon as the leaves fall and the pods change colour — delay and the pods shatter, and threshing hard enough to save them ruins seed germination
- IrrigationThree or four irrigations where rain falls short, including one at pod filling (PAU)
- Fertilizer12.5 kg N and 32 kg P2O5 per acre, drilled at sowing (PAU)
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- No exact IISR gazette date was found. The September 2022 date is when the Madhya Pradesh government approval was reported, not necessarily the CVRC/SVRC notification date.
- No pedigree or parentage information was found for NRC 157; only its release facts are documented.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Madhya Pradesh
When the monsoon is late: sowing into July
The institute that bred NRC 157 found that sowing as late as 20 July costs it only a small amount of yield, which is a useful thing to have when the monsoon arrives weeks behind and the normal early-July window has gone.
Use it as a plan B, not as a habit. Sow on the recommended date when the rain comes on time, because even a late-sowing-tolerant variety does best in its proper window. When you do sow late, keep the plant population right rather than thin, treat the seed, and watch Alternaria leaf spot, bacterial pustule and target leaf spot, which the variety tolerates moderately but does not shrug off. Also check what the late sowing does to the rabi crop behind it, since a July-sown soybean clears the field later than a June-sown one.
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 Soybean variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JS 20-29 | Central-zone soybean on land that holds water after heavy rain | 95–100 days | 20–22 q/ha | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan |
| JS 335 | The familiar soybean for fields that may face a rain-delayed harvest | 95–100 days | 15–18 q/ha | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan |
| JS 95-60 | Extra-early soybean that clears the field in time for rabi sowing | 85–90 days | 20–30 q/ha | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| NRC 131 | Cracking clay land in Madhya Pradesh where charcoal rot hits in a dry spell | ~93 days | ~15 q/ha | Madhya Pradesh |
| NRC 136 | Rainfed soybean where a mid-season dry spell is the main risk | ~105 days | ~17 q/ha | Madhya Pradesh |
| NRC 157this page | Soybean for a monsoon that arrives late, sown up to 20 July | ~94 days | ~16.5 q/ha | Madhya 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 Soybean is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Soybean 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 Soybean variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Soybean into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Soybean in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Soybean rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Soybean seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Who bred NRC 157 and where?
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Principal Scientist at ICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean Research (IISR), Indore, bred NRC 157.
What makes NRC 157 useful if monsoon sowing gets delayed?
Institute trials found it tolerates sowing as late as 20 July with only a small yield penalty, unlike most soybean varieties that lose significant yield when sowing slips past early July.
When was NRC 157 approved for Madhya Pradesh?
The Government of Madhya Pradesh approved it in September 2022, alongside two sibling ICAR-IISR releases, NRC 131 and NRC 136.
What diseases does NRC 157 resist?
It is moderately resistant to Alternaria leaf spot, bacterial pustule and target leaf spot — three of the more common foliar diseases in central India's soybean belt.
Is NRC 157 a short-duration or long-duration soybean?
It is a short-duration variety, maturing in about 94 days, close to its sibling NRC 131 (93 days) and shorter than NRC 136 (105 days).
How late can I sow NRC 157 without losing much yield?
Up to 20 July, per the institute's own trials, where that late sowing caused only a minimal yield penalty. Sowing on time is still better, but this variety gives you room when the rain does not arrive.
NRC 157 or JS 95-60 for a late sowing?
NRC 157 was tested for late sowing itself and holds its yield to a 20 July sowing, giving about 16.5 q/ha in 94 days with resistance to three foliar diseases. JS 95-60 is shorter at 85–90 days, which also helps a late crop finish, but it is susceptible to yellow mosaic virus and stem fly. For a late sowing with disease pressure, NRC 157 is the safer pick.
Which diseases does NRC 157 not protect me against?
Its listed tolerance covers Alternaria leaf spot, bacterial pustule and target leaf spot. Nothing is claimed about yellow mosaic virus or charcoal rot, so if those are your field's regular problems, look at NRC 136 and NRC 131 respectively.
What fertiliser does NRC 157 need?
PAU gives 12.5 kg N and 32 kg P2O5 per acre, drilled at sowing. Drilling matters: broadcast phosphorus on the surface stays where the roots are not. On a late sowing the starter dose is more important, because the crop has fewer weeks to build itself.
What seed rate and spacing does NRC 157 need?
25–30 kg per acre (PAU), in 45 cm rows with 4–5 cm between plants. For a sowing pushed towards 20 July, stay at the full seed rate rather than cutting it. A late crop has no time to branch out and cover a thin stand.
Sourced from: ICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean Research, Indore's NRC 157, 131, and 136 got the State Government's Recommendation — ICAR, Package of Practices for Kharif Crops, Punjab Agricultural University: soybean sowing time, seed rate, spacing, seed inoculation, harvesting and threshing care, fertiliser and irrigation. editorial policy.