Punjab Green
A PAU (Ludhiana) palak released in 1990, with semi-erect plants and shining dark green, thick, long, sweet, succulent leaves free from sourness. It is a slow bolter with low oxalic acid.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Spinach (Palak)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- First cut about 30 days after sowing
- Seed rate
- Winter crop 4–6 kg per acre; summer crop 10–15 kg per acre (PAU)
- Expected yield
- 125 q/acre (about 310 q/ha)
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- No special resistance claimed; slow to bolt, low oxalic acid
- Release
- Released by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, in 1990
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Punjab Green was released in 1990 by Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. The plants are semi-erect, and the foliage is shining dark green, thick, long, sweet, succulent and free from sourness, with mild purple pigmentation on the stem. PAU lists it as ready for the first cutting 30 days after sowing, with an average yield of 125 q/acre, about 310 q/ha. It is a slow bolter and has low oxalic acid, which PAU calls a desirable trait in greens.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Punjab Green if you farm in Punjab or the north-west and want a palak with a full PAU package behind it. PAU released it in 1990: semi-erect plants, shining dark green, thick, long, sweet, succulent leaves free from sourness, a slow bolter with low oxalic acid. The first cutting is about 30 days after sowing, and the average yield is 125 q/acre, about 310 q/ha. PAU says take only one cutting in summer. Choose Pusa Bharati for the highest checklist yield and Jobner Green for alkaline soil.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeSeptember–October for the winter crop; mid-February to April for the spring and summer crop (PAU)
- Seed rateWinter crop 4–6 kg per acre; summer crop 10–15 kg per acre (PAU)
- SpacingSeed 3–4 cm deep in rows 20 cm apart (PAU)
- IrrigationFirst irrigation right after sowing, then every 4–6 days in summer and every 10–12 days in winter (PAU)
- FertilizerPer acre: 10 tonnes farmyard manure, 35 kg N (75 kg urea) and 12 kg P2O5 (75 kg superphosphate). All the manure and P2O5 and half the N before sowing; the other half of N in two splits after each cutting, followed by irrigation (PAU)
- HarvestingFirst cutting about 30 days (3–4 weeks) after sowing; later cuttings every 20–25 days depending on variety and season; in summer take only one cutting (PAU)
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Sweet, succulent leaves free from sourness
- Slow bolter with low oxalic acid
- A PAU package gives you sowing dates, seed rate, manure and cutting gaps
Things to consider
- PAU says in summer only one cutting should be taken, so it is mainly a winter-and-spring crop
- Best documented for Punjab. Outside the north-west, try a small strip first
- No special disease resistance is claimed
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Uttar Pradesh
Follow the PAU calendar: winter cuts, one summer cut
PAU gives a full calendar for Punjab Green. Sow the winter crop in September–October, with 4–6 kg of seed per acre. The first cutting is about 30 days later, and later cuttings every 20–25 days.
For a sowing on 1 October, that is a first cut about 31 October, a second about 20–25 November and a third about 10–20 December. Irrigate every 10–12 days in winter, and give half the nitrogen in two splits after the cuts.
The spring and summer crop goes in from mid-February to April, with 10–15 kg of seed per acre, and PAU says to take only one cutting in summer. If you want leaf all year, plan the weight of your income on the winter crop.
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 Green | 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 Greenthis page | 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
When should I sow Punjab Green and how much seed?
PAU says sow the winter crop in September–October and the spring or summer crop from mid-February to April. Use 4–6 kg of seed per acre for winter and 10–15 kg per acre for summer, sown 3–4 cm deep in rows 20 cm apart.
How often can I cut it?
PAU gives the first cutting about 30 days after sowing, then later cuttings every 20–25 days depending on variety and season. In summer take only one cutting. Water right after each cut.
What manure and fertiliser does PAU advise?
Per acre, 10 tonnes of farmyard manure, 35 kg N (75 kg urea) and 12 kg P2O5 (75 kg superphosphate). Give all the manure and P2O5 and half the N before sowing, and the other half of N in two splits after each cutting, followed by irrigation.
How often should I irrigate?
PAU says the first irrigation right after sowing, then every 4–6 days in summer and every 10–12 days in winter.
What does low oxalic acid mean for me?
Oxalic acid is part of what makes some greens taste sour. PAU lists low oxalic acid, with sweet leaves free from sourness, as a desirable trait. If your buyers complain about sour palak, this is the variety to test.
Sourced from: PAU Ludhiana — Package of Practices for Cultivation of Vegetables (2021), Palak. editorial policy.