Bhavya
A CTRI FCV variety recommended for the Karnataka Light Soils, bred for yield and quality with reasonable leaf-spot tolerance.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Tobacco
- Type
- FCV tobacco variety
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- About 110тАУ120 days after transplanting
- Seed rate
- About 2.5тАУ3 g per m┬▓ of nursery bed; ~100 m┬▓ of nursery per hectare
- Expected yield
- Cured leaf around 2,000тАУ2,500 kg/ha under Karnataka light-soil management
- Suitable soil
- Karnataka Light Soils (Mysore belt)
- Release
- A CTRI FCV variety for the Karnataka Light Soils (Mysore belt)
About this variety
Bhavya is a flue-cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco variety from the Central Tobacco Research Institute recommended for the Karnataka Light Soils тАФ the Mysore belt around Hunsur, Periyapatna and Hassan. It combines a good cured-leaf yield with acceptable bright-grade quality and reasonable tolerance to the region's common leaf spots. It has no black-shank resistance and depends on rotation.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeNursery JulyтАУAugust; transplant hardened seedlings September to October in the Mysore belt
- Seed rateAbout 2.5тАУ3 g per m┬▓ of nursery bed; ~100 m┬▓ of nursery per hectare
- Spacing100 ├Ч 55 cm on ridges
- Sowing methodTransplant hardened nursery seedlings one per hill onto ridges
- IrrigationLight frequent irrigations to topping, then a controlled dry-down for ripening
- FertilizerAbout 60:60:90 kg N:P2O5:K2O/ha, sulphate of potash, all nitrogen within 30 days of transplanting
- HarvestingPrime ripe leaves bottom-up in 5тАУ7 rounds; flue-cure each batch to schedule over about a week
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Light sandy loams and red loams of the Karnataka light-soil belt
- pH
- 5.0тАУ6.5
Climate
- Climate
- Adapted to the Karnataka Mysore-belt rabi conditions; a dry, bright ripening period is still needed for a good cure
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
About 110тАУ120 days after transplanting
Expected yield
Cured leaf around 2,000тАУ2,500 kg/ha under Karnataka light-soil management
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Management notes
- Rotate 2тАУ3 years with a non-host; keep the nursery clean
- Top and desucker on time; all nitrogen early and chloride-free
- Use its leaf-spot tolerance as a buffer, not a substitute for a spray in a wet ripening
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Good yield with acceptable bright-grade quality on the Karnataka Light Soils
- Some tolerance to the common leaf spots of the Mysore belt
Things to consider
- No black-shank or virus resistance
- Recommended for the Karnataka Light Soils; not bred for the Andhra black soils
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for тАФ check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Karnataka
Frequently asked questions
Which region is Bhavya tobacco recommended for?
Bhavya is a CTRI FCV variety recommended for the Karnataka Light Soils тАФ the Mysore FCV belt around Hunsur, Periyapatna and Hassan. It is not bred for the Andhra Pradesh light or black soils, which have their own recommended varieties.
Does Bhavya's leaf-spot tolerance mean I can skip fungicide?
No. Bhavya has some tolerance to frog-eye and brown leaf spot, which reduces the pressure, but in a humid, cloudy ripening spell a susceptible spot epidemic can still riddle the leaf and cut its grade. Use the tolerance as a buffer and still spray as the crop ripens in wet weather.
Sourced from: ICAR-Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI), Rajahmundry, Tobacco Board, India. editorial policy.