Pusa Harit
An IARI palak with erect, upright, thick, dark green leaves, quick regrowth after cutting and very late bolting. In the hills, a summer sowing keeps giving cuttings through the year.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Spinach (Palak)
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- Quick regrowth after each cut; very late bolting
- Seed rate
- Winter crop 10–15 kg per hectare; summer crop 25–30 kg per hectare; soak seed overnight (course note)
- Expected yield
- 260 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Wide adaptability; no soil limit published
- Disease resistance
- No special resistance claimed; very late bolting
- Release
- Released by ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Pusa Harit is a palak from ICAR-IARI, New Delhi. The national checklist describes erect plants with upright, thick, dark green leaves with slightly wavy margins and a short petiole, quick rejuvenation after cuttings and very late bolting. Under hill conditions, if grown during summer, it keeps giving leaf cuttings through the year. The checklist gives a yield of 260 q/ha and lists it for all of India, while a university course note gives 150–200 q/ha.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Pusa Harit if you want a palak that regrows quickly after each cut and bolts very late, especially in the hills. The national checklist describes erect plants with thick, dark green leaves with slightly wavy margins and a short petiole, and says that under hill conditions a summer sowing keeps giving cuttings through the year. It lists 260 q/ha and all of India, while a course note gives 150–200 q/ha, so budget on the lower figure. In the hot plains summer, do not expect year-round cuts. Choose Pusa Bharati for the highest checklist yield, Punjab Green for a PAU package.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeMarch–May in the hills; main crop September–November in the plains (course note)
- 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
- Quick regrowth after each cutting
- Very late bolting
- In the hills, a summer sowing keeps giving cuttings through the year
Things to consider
- Sources give 260 q/ha (checklist) and 150–200 q/ha (course note), so budget on the lower figure
- Its year-round cutting is described for hill conditions, so do not expect it in the hot plains summer
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- All over India
Build the hill calendar with your KVK
A university course note says palak is generally sown in March–May in the hills, and the national checklist says that under hill conditions a summer sowing of Pusa Harit keeps giving cuttings through the year. Those are the two facts to build on.
Neither gives dates for your altitude, so ask your KVK or the state horticulture department, and note the last safe sowing before the coldest weeks.
Then use its strength. Quick regrowth means you can cut again soon, so give 20–25 kg per hectare of nitrogen after every cut and water the strip. Budget on 150–200 q/ha, the lower of the two published figures, until your own cuts show more.
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 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 Haritthis page | 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 Pusa Harit in the hills?
A university course note says palak is generally sown in March–May in the hills. The national checklist says a summer sowing under hill conditions keeps giving cuttings through the year. Ask your KVK for the exact dates for your altitude.
Why do I see 260 and 150–200 q/ha?
The national checklist gives 260 q/ha, and a university course note gives 150–200 q/ha. IARI publishes no release-paper yield for this old variety, so the checklist is the firmer of the two. They use different methods, so plan on 150–200 q/ha until your own cuts show more.
What does quick rejuvenation mean for me?
The plants push new leaf quickly after each cutting, so you can cut again sooner and more often. Give the nitrogen after every cut, 20–25 kg per hectare per the course note, and water right after.
Can I grow it in the plains?
The checklist lists it for all of India, so yes, as a normal September–November palak. The year-round cutting is described for hill summers, so do not count on it in the hot plains.
Can I save Pusa Harit seed?
Yes, it is open-pollinated. It bolts very late, so seed takes longer to come. Keep seed plants away from other palak and beet and choose upright, thick-leaved plants.
Sourced from: National Checklist of Commercial Varieties of Vegetables (TNAU Agritech hosting) — palak, Palak (spinach beet) — university course notes, Rama University. editorial policy.