Arka Rakshak
From IIHR Bengaluru — the resistance stack alone often justifies the hybrid seed price where leaf curl virus has wiped out a crop before.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Tomato
- Type
- Hybrid
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- 60–65 days from transplanting
- Expected yield
- 500–600 q/ha under good management
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released by ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru — India’s first publicly bred, triple disease-resistant tomato F1 hybrid
About this variety
Arka Rakshak is a semi-determinate F1 tomato hybrid bred by ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru, crossing an advanced IIHR breeding line with a line from AVRDC (World Vegetable Center), Taiwan. Developed through a combined breeder–virologist–bacteriologist–pathologist–molecular biologist effort, it became India’s first publicly bred tomato F1 hybrid to carry triple resistance — to tomato leaf curl virus, bacterial wilt and early blight — in one package. Fruits are oblong to square-round, deep red, 80–100 g and firm, with 15–20 days’ keeping quality; IIHR’s own pages cite yields anywhere from 75–80 t/ha to 90–100 t/ha over about 140–150 days.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
60–65 days from transplanting
Expected yield
500–600 q/ha under good management
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Triple resistance to leaf curl virus, bacterial wilt and early blight in one hybrid cuts down the spray burden against three of tomato’s most damaging problems in Indian fields
- Firm fruit with 15–20 days’ keeping quality holds up well over long-distance transport, useful for both fresh market and processing sale
Things to consider
- Being a hybrid, seed must be bought fresh each season — saved seed from the harvest won’t breed true
- IIHR’s own published yield figures range from 75–80 t/ha to 90–100 t/ha across different pages, so treat the number as a broad range rather than a fixed figure
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Karnataka
- Andhra Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Tamil Nadu
Frequently asked questions
What makes Arka Rakshak different from most other tomato hybrids sold in India?
It is the first publicly bred (non-private) Indian tomato F1 hybrid to combine resistance to three major problems — leaf curl virus, bacterial wilt and early blight — in one package, developed by ICAR-IIHR through a combined breeding, virology, bacteriology and pathology effort.
Sourced from: Arka Rakshak: High yielding triple disease resistant tomato F1 hybrid with export potential — ICAR-IIHR, Tomato - Arka Rakshak — ICAR-IIHR. editorial policy.