FCH 201
An FCV hybrid from CTRI for the Karnataka Light Soils, combining high yield with good early vigour and bright-leaf quality; fresh seed must be bought each year.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Tobacco
- Type
- FCV tobacco hybrid
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- About 110тАУ120 days after transplanting
- Seed rate
- About 2.5тАУ3 g of hybrid seed per m┬▓ of nursery bed; ~100 m┬▓ of nursery per hectare
- Expected yield
- Cured leaf around 2,200тАУ2,800 kg/ha тАФ a clear yield advantage over the open-pollinated varieties
- Suitable soil
- Karnataka Light Soils (Mysore belt)
- Release
- A CTRI FCV hybrid for the Karnataka Light Soils
About this variety
FCH 201 is a flue-cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco hybrid from the Central Tobacco Research Institute for the Karnataka Light Soils. Hybrid vigour gives it faster early growth, more uniform plants and a higher cured-leaf yield than the open-pollinated varieties, while keeping an acceptable bright-leaf grade under good curing. Because it is a hybrid, seed cannot be saved тАФ fresh certified seed must be sourced each year.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeNursery JulyтАУAugust; transplant hardened seedlings September to October
- Seed rateAbout 2.5тАУ3 g of hybrid seed 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; never sow direct
- IrrigationLight frequent irrigations to topping to feed the faster growth, then a controlled dry-down for ripening
- FertilizerA light-soil FCV dose of about 60:60:90 kg N:P2O5:K2O/ha (do not overshoot for the hybrid), sulphate of potash, all nitrogen within 30 days
- HarvestingThe uniform stand ripens more evenly, so priming rounds are cleaner; prime bottom-up in 5тАУ7 rounds and flue-cure to schedule
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Light sandy loams and red loams of the Karnataka light-soil belt
- pH
- 5.0тАУ6.5
Climate
- Climate
- Suited to the Karnataka Mysore-belt rabi conditions; the higher yield needs good, timely management тАФ a hybrid rewards and punishes management more than an OP variety
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
About 110тАУ120 days after transplanting
Expected yield
Cured leaf around 2,200тАУ2,800 kg/ha тАФ a clear yield advantage over the open-pollinated varieties
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Management notes
- Buy fresh certified hybrid seed every year тАФ do not save seed from the crop
- Do not over-fertilise chasing the hybrid yield; keep nitrogen to the recommended dose and early
- Rotate 2тАУ3 years with a non-host; top and desucker on time
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- A clear cured-leaf yield advantage over the open-pollinated FCV varieties
- Faster early growth and a more uniform stand that ripens and primes evenly
Things to consider
- Hybrid seed must be bought fresh each year тАФ a recurring cost the OP varieties do not have
- No black-shank or virus resistance; needs tighter management to realise the yield
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
Can I save seed from an FCH 201 crop for next year?
No. FCH 201 is a hybrid, so seed saved from the crop will not breed true тАФ the next generation loses the uniformity and yield advantage. Fresh certified hybrid seed must be sourced every season through the recommended channel.
Is a tobacco hybrid worth the extra seed cost?
It can be, where the grower manages the crop tightly. FCH 201 gives a meaningfully higher cured-leaf yield and a more uniform stand than the open-pollinated varieties, which more than covers the recurring seed cost тАФ but only if nursery, nutrition, topping and curing are all done well. On a loosely managed crop the yield gap narrows and the extra seed cost is harder to justify.
Sourced from: ICAR-Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI), Rajahmundry, Tobacco Board, India. editorial policy.