IPU 94-1 (Uttara)
From ICAR-IIPR Kanpur — an older (1999), widely adopted release for the North West and North East Plain Zones, black-seeded, 100-seed weight about 3.6 g.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 80–85 days
- Expected yield
- 12–14 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- MYMV resistant, attractive plant type
- Release
- Released 1999 per ICAR-IIPR's current variety database (another source gives 2000 — not independently confirmed here) for the North West and North East Plain Zones.
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
IPU 94-1, commercially sold as 'Uttara', is a blackgram (urdbean) variety bred by ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), Kanpur. ICAR-IIPR's variety database gives a 1999 release year (a separate source gives 2000, which is not confirmed). It is recommended for the North West Plain Zone (Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, western Uttar Pradesh and most of Rajasthan) and North East Plain Zone (eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Jharkhand, per standard AICRP pulse-zone definitions). It matures in 80–85 days at 12–14 q/ha. It resists Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus (MYMV), has an attractive plant type and black seed, and its 100-seed weight is about 3.6 g. A 2026 Frontiers in Genetics study lists its pedigree as NP 19 × T-9, distinct from IPU 02-43's DPU88-31 × DUR-1 cross — independent confirmation that these are two separate varieties. Its well-characterised MYMV resistance made it the subject of a dedicated 2022 genome-sequencing study. A separate, newer release, IPU 02-43, is covered on its own page.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Uttara if you farm in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh or Bihar and want the highest published yield on this list, 12–14 q/ha, with well-proven yellow mosaic resistance. It takes 80–85 days, longer than TAU 1, Pant U 31 or T-9, and the seed is black with a 100-seed weight of about 3.6 g. Choose IPU 02-43 instead only in the South Zone, because it is a separate variety and not a substitute for Uttara. Choose Pant U 31 or TAU 1 if you must be done in 70–80 days. Choose Shekhar-3 if you want four diseases covered in Uttar Pradesh.
Sowing & cultivation
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus (MYMV) resistance well-characterised enough that a dedicated 2022 study produced a draft genome specifically for this variety.
- Higher yield potential (12–14 q/ha) than IPU 02-43, a separate ICAR-IIPR release, alongside a longer duration (80–85 days) suited to the North West and North East Plain Zones.
Things to consider
- IPU 94-1 (Uttara) and IPU 02-43 are two distinct ICAR-IIPR releases with different release years, durations, yields and recommended zones per the institute's own variety database — see 'IPU 02-43' for the other.
- ICAR-IIPR's current variety database gives a 1999 release year; another source gives 2000, but could not be independently confirmed. Both are stated here rather than one being preferred.
- Recommended states (Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar) are the North West/North East Plain Zone mapping, per standard AICRP pulse-zone definitions.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Uttar Pradesh
- Bihar
A 100-seed check you can do at the shop
Uttara's 100-seed weight is about 3.6 g, and that gives you a quick check on a bag of seed. Count out 100 seeds and weigh them on a scale that reads in grams.
A lot close to 3.6 g is what ICAR-IIPR describes. A lot much lighter may be shrivelled, old or mixed with another variety, and it is worth asking the seller about before you buy. This is a rough guide, not a lab test, because seed weight shifts a little with the season.
Do the same on your own crop at harvest. Seed from plants whose pods filled well is the seed worth keeping, and Uttara is open-pollinated, so saved seed gives the same type of plant.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This is an open-pollinated variety, so seed from a healthy crop of your own can be sown again. Keep seed only from disease-free plants, dry it properly, store it cool and dry, and bring in fresh certified seed every three to four years so the variety does not drift.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Urad (Black Gram) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPU 02-43 | The South Zone's short urad, 70–72 days, with yellow mosaic and powdery mildew cover | 70–72 days | 10–12 q/ha | Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha |
| IPU 94-1 (Uttara)this page | Higher-yield north Indian urad, 12–14 q/ha, with well-proven yellow mosaic resistance | 80–85 days | 12–14 q/ha | Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar |
| Mash 338 | An older Punjab kharif urad with bold black seed, still grown but no longer PAU's newest | 85–90 days | Medium (~8.6–8.7 q/ha) | Punjab |
| Pant U 31 | The proven Gangetic plain urad, insensitive to day length, resistant to yellow mosaic, 70–75 days | 70–75 days | 9–11 q/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar |
| Shekhar-3 | Uttar Pradesh urad covered against four diseases: yellow mosaic, leaf crinkle, leaf spot and powdery mildew | 75–80 days | Medium–high | Uttar Pradesh |
| T-9 | The parent of most Indian urad: an old, medium-yield variety for Uttar Pradesh fields with little whitefly | 70–75 days | Medium | Uttar Pradesh |
| TAU 1 (Taru) | Urad for Haryana and Rajasthan with yellow mosaic and powdery mildew cover, from HAU Hisar | 75–80 days | 10–12 q/ha | Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab |
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 Urad (Black Gram) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Urad (Black Gram) 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 Urad (Black Gram) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Urad (Black Gram) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Urad (Black Gram) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Urad (Black Gram) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Urad (Black Gram) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Uttara the same variety as IPU 02-43?
No. ICAR-IIPR's own variety database lists IPU 94-1, commercially sold as 'Uttara' (1999, North West and North East Plain Zones), and IPU 02-43 (2008, South Zone) as two separate releases. 'Uttara' belongs only to IPU 94-1; see 'IPU 02-43' for the other variety.
Why was IPU 94-1 chosen for genome sequencing?
A 2022 study specifically targeted it because of its well-documented, strong resistance to Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Disease, producing a draft genome to help future breeding programmes track the resistance genes involved.
What does 3.6 g per 100 seeds mean for Uttara?
It means 100 seeds weigh about 3.6 g, roughly 28 seeds to a gram. You can weigh 100 seeds from a bag to see whether the lot is close to that.
How does Uttara compare with Pant U 31?
Uttara gives 12–14 q/ha in 80–85 days, while Pant U 31 is listed at 9–11 q/ha in 70–75 days. Some sources put Pant U 31 as high as 15. Pick Uttara for yield, and Pant U 31 when you need the field about ten days earlier.
Can I grow Uttara in West Bengal or Jharkhand?
Those states fall inside the North East Plain Zone it was recommended for, along with eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Assam, going by the standard AICRP pulse-zone definitions. The states listed here are only the main ones. Ask your KVK about your own district.
Uttara or TAU 1 in Haryana or Punjab?
Uttara gives more, 12–14 q/ha against 10–12 q/ha, but needs about five more days: 80–85 against 75–80. TAU 1 adds powdery mildew cover to its yellow mosaic resistance. If the extra days fit your rotation and yield is the goal, take Uttara. If powdery mildew worries you, take TAU 1.
Uttara or Shekhar-3 in Uttar Pradesh?
Uttara has the higher published yield, 12–14 q/ha, with well-proven yellow mosaic resistance, in 80–85 days. Shekhar-3 yields 10–13 q/ha in 75–80 days and resists four diseases: yellow mosaic, leaf crinkle, Cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew. If disease usually ruins your urad, take Shekhar-3. If yield decides, take Uttara.
Sourced from: Varieties — ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), Kanpur, Frontiers in Genetics (2026) — pedigree table for ICAR-IIPR blackgram releases, Data: Long-read-based draft genome sequence of Indian black gram IPU-94-1 'Uttara' — Dryad. editorial policy.