DRSH 1
An ICAR-IIOR hybrid with the highest oil range of the five sunflowers here (40–44%). Recommended for all states, with a rabi–summer focus.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Sunflower
- Type
- Hybrid
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- Kharif 95–98 days, rabi 100–105 days
- Seed rate
- Hybrid seed: 5 kg/ha rainfed, 4 kg/ha irrigated (Tamil Nadu guide; no separate rate is published for this hybrid)
- Expected yield
- 12–15 q/ha average, 20–25 q/ha potential
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Moderate — Alternaria leaf blight
- Release
- Released 2005 by the Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (then Directorate of Oilseeds Research), Hyderabad. Notified as 599(E) on 25 April 2006 for all states.
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
DRSH-1 is a single-cross sunflower hybrid (ARM-243A × RHA-6D-1) bred at the Directorate of Oilseeds Research, now ICAR-IIOR, Hyderabad. It was released in 2005 and notified as 599(E) on 25 April 2006 for all states, for rabi–summer sowing under irrigated and rainfed conditions. IIOR gives an average seed yield of 12–15 q/ha and a potential of 20–25 q/ha, with 40–44% oil. It flowers in 60–65 days in kharif and 70–75 days in rabi, and matures in 95–98 days in kharif and 100–105 days in rabi. The plant stands 160–170 cm tall with a 15–16 cm head.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose DRSH-1 if the mill that buys your seed pays by oil percentage, since 40–44% is the highest range among the five sunflowers here. Pick it for rabi–summer sowing, where IIOR recommends it for both irrigated and rainfed fields. It gives 12–15 q/ha on average, less than KBSH-44 (15–18 q/ha), so check the mill rate before you accept the lower yield. Buy fresh seed every season.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeIn Tamil Nadu, irrigated hybrids are sown June–July, October–November, December–January and April–May. Other states follow their own kharif and rabi dates
- Seed rateHybrid seed: 5 kg/ha rainfed, 4 kg/ha irrigated (Tamil Nadu guide; no separate rate is published for this hybrid)
- Spacing60 cm between rows, 30 cm between plants
- Sowing methodPut 2 seeds per hole at 3 cm depth along the furrow, then thin to one healthy seedling on day 10
- IrrigationIrrigate before sowing, then a life irrigation, then on day 20, at early bud, twice at flowering and twice during seed filling. Flowering is the critical stage
- FertilizerIrrigated hybrid: 60:90:60 kg N:P2O5:K2O per hectare. Rainfed hybrid: 40:50:40. Add 12.5 t/ha FYM before the last ploughing
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- The highest oil range (40–44%) of the five sunflowers compared here, so it suits a mill that pays by oil percentage.
- Official recommendation for all states, for irrigated and rainfed rabi–summer sowing.
- Still named in state guides, for example the TNAU guide lists DRSH 1 among Tamil Nadu's irrigated hybrids.
Things to consider
- It is the slowest of the five in rabi: 100–105 days against 95–100 for KBSH-44. A late rabi sowing may run into summer heat at seed filling.
- The average yield (12–15 q/ha) is lower than KBSH-44 (15–18 q/ha). You trade some seed yield for more oil.
- IIOR recommends it for all states, while Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra are given above as its main growing areas. Ask your local dealer whether seed is available before you plan around it.
- IIOR gives no disease rating for it, so treat the Alternaria leaf blight rating given above as approximate.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Karnataka
- Andhra Pradesh
- Maharashtra
Oil percentage or seed weight: which does your mill pay for?
The case for DRSH-1 is oil. IIOR lists it at 40–44%, against 36–38% for KBSH-44 and 34–35% for LSFH-171.
The case against it is seed weight. Its average is 12–15 q/ha, and KBSH-44 gives 15–18 q/ha. Take 13.5 q/ha at 42% oil and 16.5 q/ha at 37% oil, the middle of each range. That is about 5.7 q of oil per hectare for DRSH-1 and about 6.1 q for KBSH-44.
So the oil advantage does not automatically win. DRSH-1 pays off when the mill adds a premium for oil percentage or when your sowing is late-rabi and you want a firmer oil figure. Ask the mill before you buy the seed, and write down what it will pay at 36% and at 42%.
Where the planting material comes from
This is a hybrid, so seed kept from your own harvest will not breed true. The next crop comes up uneven in height, maturity and yield. Buy fresh certified seed every season and keep the bag tag until harvest.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Sunflower variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRSH 1this page | The highest-oil hybrid here, for rabi–summer sowing where a mill pays for oil | Kharif 95–98 days, rabi 100–105 days | 12–15 q/ha average, 20–25 q/ha potential | Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| KBSH 44 | A mid-duration hybrid with an all-India recommendation and a long track record | Kharif 90–95 days, rabi 95–100 days | 15–18 q/ha average, 22–28 q/ha potential | Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu |
| KBSH-53 | A high-oil hybrid for irrigated Karnataka fields | 95–100 days (kharif and rabi) | Average 10 q/ha rainfed and 22 q/ha irrigated; potential 20 q/ha rainfed and 27 q/ha irrigated | Karnataka |
| LSFH-171 | The best rainfed average of the five, recommended for eight states | Kharif 90–95 days, rabi 95–100 days | 18–19 q/ha average rainfed, 20–24 q/ha potential irrigated | Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha |
| Modern (Morden) | A short, early, seed-saving sunflower for tight windows and low-cost farming | Kharif 80–82 days, rabi 85–88 days | 6–8 q/ha average, 12–15 q/ha potential | Karnataka |
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 Sunflower is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Sunflower 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 Sunflower variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Sunflower into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Sunflower in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Sunflower rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Sunflower seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is DRSH-1 better than KBSH-44?
It depends on what your buyer pays for. DRSH-1 has more oil (40–44% against 36–38%) but a lower average yield (12–15 q/ha against 15–18 q/ha) and takes longer in rabi (100–105 days against 95–100). If the mill pays by weight, KBSH-44 usually brings more money.
Is DRSH-1 a rabi or a kharif hybrid?
IIOR recommends it for rabi–summer sowing in all states, irrigated and rainfed, and also gives kharif figures (flowering in 60–65 days, maturity in 95–98 days). Rabi is the season it is built for. Rabi flowering takes 70–75 days and maturity 100–105 days.
How tall does DRSH-1 grow?
IIOR gives 160–170 cm with a 15–16 cm head, and a 100-seed weight of 5.0–5.5 g. Hull content is 28–30%, the lowest of the five, which helps oil recovery.
What spacing and fertiliser does DRSH-1 need?
IIOR gives no separate figures. The TNAU guide for sunflower hybrids uses 60 × 30 cm and, for an irrigated crop, 60:90:60 kg N:P2O5:K2O per hectare. For a rainfed crop it uses 40:50:40. Adjust with a soil test.
Sourced from: Success stories galore in media meet at NAARM, Hyderabad — ICAR, DRSH-1 (PCSH-243) — ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research variety datasheet, Sunflower — Crop Production Guide, TNAU Agritech Portal (Tamil Nadu). editorial policy.