Jobner Green
A palak from SKN Agriculture University, Jobner, evolved by spontaneous mutation and selection from a local collection, with long, thick, succulent, strong-flavoured leaves. It grows on alkaline soils of pH 7.0–10.5.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Spinach (Palak)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- First cut about 30 days (general palak guidance)
- Seed rate
- Winter crop 10–15 kg per hectare; summer crop 25–30 kg per hectare; soak seed overnight (course note)
- Expected yield
- About 300 q/ha (university course note)
- Suitable soil
- Grows on alkaline soil, pH 7.0–10.5
- Disease resistance
- No special resistance claimed
- Release
- Selection by SKN Agriculture University, Jobner, Rajasthan
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Jobner Green is a palak from SKN Agriculture University, Jobner (Rajasthan), evolved through spontaneous mutation and selection from a local collection. A university course note describes long, thick, succulent leaves with a strong flavour and entire margins, a taste comparable to All Green, and an average yield of 300 q/ha. Its stand-out trait is that it can be grown on alkaline soils of pH 7.0–10.5. Some farm sites say it suits acid soil, but the course note and most other sources say alkaline, so get your soil tested before you choose it.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Jobner Green if your soil is alkaline, with a pH of 7.0–10.5, and other palak has grown poorly. SKN Agriculture University, Jobner, selected it from a local collection after a spontaneous mutation. A university course note describes long, thick, succulent leaves with a strong flavour, a taste comparable to All Green and an average yield of 300 q/ha. Some farm sites say acid soil, but the course note says alkaline, so get a pH test first. Choose All Green for ordinary soil and Pusa Bharati for the highest checklist yield.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeMain crop September–November in the plains; also early spring and the start of the rains
- Seed rateWinter crop 10–15 kg per hectare; summer crop 25–30 kg per hectare; soak seed overnight (course note)
- SpacingRows 25–30 cm apart; thin to 5–10 cm between plants
- FertilizerPer hectare: 250–300 q farmyard manure, 80–100 kg N, 60 kg P and 60 kg K. All P and K and a quarter of N at sowing; the rest of N in three splits of 20–25 kg/ha after each cutting (course note)
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Grows on alkaline soil of pH 7.0–10.5
- Long, thick, succulent leaves with a strong flavour
- Taste comparable to All Green; open-pollinated
Things to consider
- The 300 q/ha figure comes from a university course note, not a release paper, so treat it as an upper figure until your own strip shows what it gives
- Sources disagree on acid against alkaline soil. The course note says alkaline, pH 7.0–10.5, so get a pH test before you plant it on either
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Rajasthan
- Haryana
- Punjab
Test the soil pH first: this one is for alkaline land
Jobner Green's special point, in a university course note, is that it can be grown on alkaline soils of pH 7.0–10.5. A few farm sites say acid soil, so the sources disagree, and a pH test settles it for your field.
Take samples from several spots, mix them, and give them to your KVK or the state soil-testing lab. If the result is in the alkaline range, Jobner Green is a good first strip. If the soil is acid, do not choose it for that reason.
A pH close to 10.5 is very alkaline, so ask the lab how to manage it. On near-neutral soil this variety gives you little extra, so choose on leaf quality instead and compare it with All Green in the same field.
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 Spinach (Palak) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Green | Early September-sown palak with tender, uniform leaves | First cut about 30 days; seed stalks form about 75 days after sowing | 125 q/ha of green leaves | Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka |
| Hisar Selection-23 (HS-23) | Quick-growing palak for frequent cuts | First cut about 30 days; 6–8 cuttings at 15-day intervals reported | No separate figure published | Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh |
| Jobner Greenthis page | Palak for alkaline soil, pH 7.0–10.5 | First cut about 30 days (general palak guidance) | About 300 q/ha (university course note) | Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab |
| Punjab Green | Sweet, slow-bolting palak with a full PAU package | First cut about 30 days after sowing | 125 q/acre (about 310 q/ha) | Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh |
| Pusa Bharati | Highest checklist yield, smooth tender leaves, all-India palak | First picking 30–40 days after sowing | 500 q/ha | All over India |
| Pusa Harit | Very late bolting palak that regrows fast, good in the hills | Quick regrowth after each cut; very late bolting | 260 q/ha | All over India |
| Pusa Jyoti | Giant-leaved, late-bolting palak for September sowing | First cut about 30 days; 6–8 cuttings reported; late bolter | 425 q/ha | All over India |
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 Spinach (Palak) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Spinach (Palak) 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 Spinach (Palak) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Spinach (Palak) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Spinach (Palak) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Spinach (Palak) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Spinach (Palak) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Jobner Green for acid or alkaline soil?
A university course note says it can be grown on alkaline soils of pH 7.0–10.5. A few farm sites say acid soil, so the sources disagree. Get your soil pH tested and rely on the course note.
How do I get my soil pH tested?
Take samples from several spots in the field, mix them, and give them to your KVK or the state soil-testing lab. Ask them how to manage a pH near the top of the range, since 10.5 is very alkaline.
Is 300 q/ha realistic?
It is the course note's average yield, not a release-paper figure, and another source lists about 3 t/ha for it. SKN Agriculture University's own horticulture department page confirms it bred the variety but publishes no yield for it. The two published figures differ widely, so weigh your own first strip and budget on that.
How does it taste compared with All Green?
The course note says the taste is comparable to All Green, with a strong flavour and entire leaf margins. Cook a small bunch and let your buyer taste it before you plant a large block.
Which states is it listed for?
The states listed for it are Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab, and its home is SKN Agriculture University, Jobner, in Rajasthan. Outside that belt, check pH and try a small strip first.
Sourced from: Department of Horticulture, SKN College of Agriculture, Jobner — achievements (Palak cv. Jobner Green), Palak (spinach beet) — university course notes, Rama University. editorial policy.