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 110–120 days after transplanting
- Seed rate
- About 2.5–3 g of hybrid seed per m² of nursery bed; ~100 m² of nursery per hectare
- Expected yield
- Cured leaf around 2,200–2,800 kg/ha — 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 — fresh certified seed must be sourced each year.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeNursery July–August; transplant hardened seedlings September to October
- Seed rateAbout 2.5–3 g of hybrid seed per m² of nursery bed; ~100 m² of nursery per hectare
- Spacing100 × 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 5–7 rounds and flue-cure to schedule
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Light sandy loams and red loams of the Karnataka light-soil belt
- pH
- 5.0–6.5
Climate
- Climate
- Suited to the Karnataka Mysore-belt rabi conditions; the higher yield needs good, timely management — a hybrid rewards and punishes management more than an OP variety
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
About 110–120 days after transplanting
Expected yield
Cured leaf around 2,200–2,800 kg/ha — 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 — do not save seed from the crop
- Do not over-fertilise chasing the hybrid yield; keep nitrogen to the recommended dose and early
- Rotate 2–3 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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.