Shekhar-3
An improved CSAUAT Kanpur variety for Uttar Pradesh, resistant to YMV, leaf crinkle, Cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 75–80 days
- Expected yield
- Medium–high
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Resistant to YMV, leaf crinkle, Cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Shekhar-3, also catalogued as KU 309, was released in 2004 by Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology (CSAUAT), Kanpur, for general cultivation in Uttar Pradesh. Sourced material describes it as resistant to yellow mosaic virus, leaf crinkle and, notably, also Cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew, four diseases in all. Reported yields range from about 10 q/ha (in the original CSAUAT release figures) to 12–13 q/ha in some later agronomic write-ups, maturing in a fairly wide 66–84 day window depending on the source, broadly in line with the medium-to-high yield and 75–80 day duration shown here. It was bred at Kanpur, in central Uttar Pradesh, and released for general cultivation in the state. No release document limits it to eastern Uttar Pradesh, so ask your KVK whether it suits your district.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Shekhar-3 if you farm in Uttar Pradesh and disease is what usually ruins your urad. It resists yellow mosaic virus, leaf crinkle, Cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew, the widest cover among the urad varieties here. It takes 75–80 days (sources give 66–84) and gives 10–13 q/ha. It was bred at Kanpur and released for general cultivation in Uttar Pradesh. Choose Uttara instead if you want the highest published yield, 12–14 q/ha. Choose Pant U 31 for a longer record in 70–75 days. Choose TAU 1 in Haryana, Rajasthan or Punjab.
Sowing & cultivation
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- CSAUAT (Chandra Shekhar Azad University), Kanpur is in central Uttar Pradesh, and the release is for general cultivation in the state, not only the east. Ask your KVK whether it suits your district.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Uttar Pradesh
Four diseases covered: what the list does not cover
Shekhar-3 resists yellow mosaic virus, leaf crinkle, Cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew. That is more than any other urad variety compared here carries.
Resistance covers the disease, not the insect or the weather. Whitefly still feeds on the crop, and a wet spell can still hurt a flowering crop. Look at your plants every few days from flowering, and ask your KVK for the right insect control if numbers build up.
Ratings also drift over the years as diseases change. If your district had a bad disease year, ask the KVK what is being recommended now before you buy seed.
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) | 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-3this page | 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
Which institute released Shekhar-3?
Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology (CSAUAT), Kanpur, in 2004; it is also catalogued as KU 309.
What diseases is Shekhar-3 resistant to?
Yellow mosaic virus and leaf crinkle, plus Cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew per release material, four diseases in all.
Is Shekhar-3 really specific to eastern UP?
No. It was released for general cultivation in Uttar Pradesh. Its home institute, CSAUAT, is in Kanpur (central UP), and no release document limits it to the east.
What yield does Shekhar-3 give?
Reports range from about 10 q/ha to 12–13 q/ha depending on the source, maturing in roughly 66–84 days.
What does "KU 309" refer to?
It is Shekhar-3's alternate breeding-line designation from CSAUAT Kanpur.
Does Shekhar-3's disease resistance mean I can skip spraying?
Not entirely. Resistance covers the four diseases named, not insects. Whitefly carries yellow mosaic virus and other pests still feed on the crop, so look at the field every few days.
Should I plan on 66 days or 84 days for Shekhar-3?
Sources range from 66 to 84 days, and the figure used here is 75–80. Plan the next crop on the longer end, because the sowing date and the weather move the maturity.
How does Shekhar-3 compare with T-9?
T-9 is an old selection from the 1950s, susceptible to yellow mosaic and giving about 8–10 q/ha. Shekhar-3, released in 2004, resists four diseases and gives 10–13 q/ha. For most farmers it is the safer pick.
Shekhar-3 or Uttara in Uttar Pradesh?
Shekhar-3 if disease usually ruins your urad: it resists yellow mosaic, leaf crinkle, Cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew, takes 75–80 days and gives 10–13 q/ha. Uttara has the higher published yield, 12–14 q/ha, in 80–85 days, with yellow mosaic resistance only. Pick by the disease you actually see in your village.
Can I save Shekhar-3 seed for the next season?
Yes. Shekhar-3 is an open-pollinated variety bred at CSAUAT Kanpur, so seed from your own crop grows true to type. Select healthy plants with no disease symptoms, dry the pods fully and store the seed dry. Resistance does not mean you can skip seed treatment, so treat the seed before sowing.
Sourced from: PPV&FR Authority — Compendium of Registered Varieties (up to October 2018). editorial policy.