T-9
An old, widely adapted variety with medium yield that is susceptible to YMV, so best where whitefly pressure is low.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- 70–75 days
- Expected yield
- Medium
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Susceptible to yellow mosaic virus
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
T-9 traces back to a pre-institutional selection made from urad material collected at Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, in the early 1950s — well before India's coordinated pulses research programme (AICRP) was formally established. It went on to become one of the most influential black gram varieties ever released in India: pedigree analyses of advanced breeding lines entered into national urad trials between 1996 and 2005 found T-9 appearing as an ancestor in over 78% of them. It is estimated to sit somewhere in the pedigree of more than 60% of black gram varieties grown in India today. That makes it a foundational parent line for the crop, not just a standalone variety. Agronomically it is described as suited to all parts of Uttar Pradesh, maturing in 70–75 days with a yield of about 8–10 q/ha, matching the duration closely. As a decades-old release it lacks the yellow-mosaic-virus resistance bred into later varieties, which is why newer, YMV-resistant lines are generally preferred wherever whitefly pressure is high.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose T-9 only if your field has little whitefly and you already know the variety. It is a 1950s selection from Bareilly, suited to all parts of Uttar Pradesh, and it is the one urad here rated susceptible to yellow mosaic virus, which whitefly spreads. It takes the same time as Pant U 31, 70–75 days, and yields no more (8–10 q/ha against 9–11), so Pant U 31 gives the cover at no cost in time or yield. Choose Shekhar-3 instead in Uttar Pradesh if you want four diseases covered and 10–13 q/ha. Choose Pant U 31 for a variety with a long record across the Gangetic plain and yellow mosaic resistance.
Sowing & cultivation
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- T-9 matters beyond its own yield: it is an ancestor in 78% of the advanced lines entered in national urad trials in 1996–2005, and in an estimated 60% or more of Indian urad varieties overall.
- Plan on 70–75 days and about 8–10 q/ha. This is an old selection, so newer varieties are the safer pick when whitefly pressure is high.
- No single institute is credited with T-9, because it predates the formal AICRP structure. It is better described as an early selection than a modern institutional release.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Uttar Pradesh
Where T-9 still fits, and where it does not
T-9 comes from urad material collected at Bareilly in the early 1950s, before India had a national pulses research programme. Breeders used it as a parent so often that it sits in the ancestry of an estimated 60% or more of Indian urad varieties.
For a farmer, that history is not a reason to sow it. Its weakness is yellow mosaic virus, which whitefly spreads. In a field with little whitefly it can still give about 8–10 q/ha in 70–75 days. Where whitefly builds up, a susceptible variety can lose a large part of the crop.
Look at the fields around you. If their urad had yellow, patchy leaves last season, pick a resistant variety such as Shekhar-3 or Pant U 31 instead.
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-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-9this page | 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
Where did T-9 originate?
From urad material collected at Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, in the early 1950s, selected before India's coordinated pulses research programme existed.
Why is T-9 considered important beyond its own yield?
It is a foundational pedigree ancestor — found in over 78% of advanced national urad breeding lines from 1996–2005, and estimated to be in the ancestry of over 60% of Indian black gram varieties today.
What yield and duration does T-9 have?
About 8–10 q/ha, maturing in 70–75 days, suited to all parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Why is T-9 susceptible to yellow mosaic virus?
It is a decades-old selection that predates the YMV-resistance breeding built into later varieties like Shekhar-3 and Mash 338, which is why it is best grown where whitefly pressure is low.
Which institute released T-9?
No single modern institute is credited — it predates the formal AICRP coordinated-research structure and is better described as an early regional selection.
Can I save seed from my T-9 crop?
Yes. T-9 is an open-pollinated variety, so saved seed gives the same type of plant. Keep seed only from your healthiest plants and dry it well.
What does pedigree ancestor mean for me as a farmer?
It means breeders crossed T-9 with other lines to make newer varieties. For you it means T-9 is an old foundation variety, not the one to buy today for yield or disease cover.
How do I know whether my field is a low-whitefly field?
Look at the urad and moong crops around you last season. If their leaves turned yellow and patchy, whitefly pressure is high in your area, and a resistant variety such as Shekhar-3 or Pant U 31 is the safer choice. If you are not sure, ask your KVK.
T-9 or Shekhar-3 — what do I gain for the extra days?
Shekhar-3 takes 75–80 days against 70–75 for T-9, but gives 10–13 q/ha against about 8–10 q/ha and resists yellow mosaic, leaf crinkle, Cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew. T-9 is susceptible to yellow mosaic, which whitefly spreads. In Uttar Pradesh, Shekhar-3 is the safer pick unless whitefly pressure in your field is low and you know T-9 well.
Can I grow T-9 outside Uttar Pradesh?
T-9 is recommended for all parts of Uttar Pradesh only, and no zone recommendation outside the state is given. It is an old 1950s selection from Bareilly with no institute behind it. In another state, ask your KVK which urad they recommend, and expect a newer variety with yellow mosaic cover to be the better choice.