Indian grams  (Bengal Gram)Varieties & its Characteristics

The Indian grams have been classified into two broad groups viz. (1) Desi or brown gram (2) Kabuli or white gram.

 A. Desi or brown gram varieties.: The important brown gram varieties are :

1. CO-2: It is most suitable for Tamil Nadu. It matures in 90-100 days, grown in rainfed and irrigated conditions and yields about 16 quintal per hectare. The seeds are medium in size and yellowish-brown in colour.

2. BDN-9-3: This variety is best for growing in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. It matures in about 96-108 days, depending upon the season, soil fertility, etc. and produce 11-12 quintals of grain per hectare. The seeds are yellowish-brown in colour.

3. Chaffa: It is an early maturing variety and takes about 105 to 110 days to mature. It is suitable for Gujarat and Maharashtra. Seeds are yellow-brown, yields 26-30 quintals per hectare and the plants are dwarf and bushy type.

4. Uliain: It is a very suitable variety for southern district of Madhya Pradesh. The variety matures in about 110-115 days. It is an early maturing one, produces about 19-25 quintals of grains per hectare and the grains are yellowish-brown, bold and rough in texture.

5. JG-S: It is a late maturing 'variety suitable for central Madhya Pradesh. The seed is medium sized having pink coloured with round smooth seed coats. It yields about 13-15 quintals of grains per hectare.

6. JG-221: This variety is suitable for rainfed conditions of Satpura plateau of Madhya Pradesh. The seeds are medium in size, I bold and brown in colour. It is a high yielding variety producing about 21-25 quintals per hectare. The variety has been developed in 1974.

7. Uijain-24: It is a late maturing variety matures in about 120 days and suitable for southern Madhya Pradesh. The flower is pink in colour, seeds small light brown in colour and smooth. It requires heavy soil and yields about 19~25 quintals of grains per hectare.

8. JG-l: The variety matures about 120 days, is suitable for Madhya Pradesh and yields about 13-15 quintals per hectare of grains. It is green seeded and suitable for table purpose3.

9. JG-74: The variety is most suitable for rainfed conditions of Madhya Pradesh and as late sowing variety in Bihar and West Bengal. It matures in about 120 days. This early maturing variety produces about 16 -18 quintals of grains per hectare. The variety has been released in 1976 and the grains are coarse and medium in size.

10. JG-62:It is best for short drier growing seasons in parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa,and western parts of Madhya Pradesh. The seeds are medium, yellowish brown in colour, double seeded, early maturing variety and matures in about 120 days. It yields about 16-20 quintals per hectare. The variety has been released in 1972.

11. ST-4: The variety is suitable for heavy soil of Bihar. The seeds I ire brown, small in size and flowers are pink in colour. This late maturing crop matures in about 140-145 days and produces about 17-18 quintals of grains per hectatare.

12. BR- 77: It is recommended for Bihar and is a late maturing variety. Flowers are pink in colour, seeds are medium in size and light brown in colour and matures in about 167-170 days yielding 19-20 quintals of grain per hectare.

13. BR- 78: The variety is suitable for whole of Bihar state. Flowers are pink in colour, seeds are brown and small in size. The variety has been selected from local material which matures in about 140-145 days and yields about 20 quintals of grains per hectare.

14. BR-65: This variety is suitable for southern region. The seeds are medium in size, brown in colour and the flowers are pink in colour. The crop matures in about 156-160 days and yields about 19-20 quintals of grains per hectare.

15. H-355: This variety is most suitable for irrigated areas of Haryana. Seeds are brownish-yellow in colour and small in size. The variety matures in about 160 days and produces about 21-25 quintals of grain per hectare.

16. H-208: The variety has been developed at Haryana Agriculture University, Hissar and released in 1977 for northern plains and west zone. The seeds are medium, bold, brown in colour, foliage is light green, medium spreading and tall. The variety immatures in about 151-155 days and yields about 26-30 quintals of grains per hectare.

17. B-124: This variety is best suitable for growing in West Bengal area, released in 1976-77 for general cultivation. The seeds are small. It matures in about 136-140 days and yields about 23-25 quintals of grains per hectare.

18. B-110: It is suitable for West Bengal. The variety matures in about 142 to 145 days and. yields about 22-25 quintals per hectare.

19. B-108: This variety is best for West Bengal, released in 1973, matures in about 130-140 days and yields about 26-30 quintals per hectare under good crop management. The seeds are i small in size. It is resistant to wilt disease.

20. B-115: This variety was released in 1976-77 for general cultivation in West Bengal. The seeds are medium in size. The average yield of the variety is about 22-23 quintals per hectare i under good crop management.

21. Selection: The variety is suitable for West Bengal. It matures in about 134-140 days.

22. Annegri 1: This variety is most suitable for Karnataka region of the country. The seeds are medium in size, yellowish-brown in colour. It is an early maturing variety, matures in about 100 , days. Yields about 12-15 quintals of grains per hectatare. It is developed from a local material.

23. ASS-II: This variety is suitable for rich soils having well irrigation facilities in the areas of Rajasthan state. The seeds are brown in colour and medium bold. The variety has been released in 1968, and is a mutant from RS-10. It is a medium maturing variety and yields about 21 to 25 quintals per hectare. It is drought resistant variety.

24. RS-I0: This variety is good for Rajasthan especially Kota and Ajmer areas of the state. It is a drought resistant variety. The seeds are semi-spreading type and brown in colour. The variety matures in about in 154-158 days and yields on an average about 21-25 quintals per hectare.

25. C-214: The variety is suitable for Punjab and has been released in 1971 by crossing G-24 x, IP-58. The plant is semi-spreading type, medium in matl1rity, large number of pods per plant, slightly bolo seeds, grains are yellowish brown and most attractive one. The crop can withstand adverse climatic conditions, adapted to rainfed condition. It is also good for Haryana. The crop matures in about 140-150 days. On an average the crop yields about 16 to 18 quintals per hectare.

26. C-235: This variety is best for Haryana and Punjab, released in 1960"by crossing of IP-58 and C-1234. It is tolerant to stem rot and blight diseases. The seeds are medium in size and yellowish brown in colour. The variety matures in about 145 to 150 days and yields 21-25 quintals per hectare of grains.

27. Hare-chhole No.1: The variety has been released in 1973 developed from a cross 526 X GG Bijapur. The branches bear a good number of pods, the plant is erect having green foliage even at maturity. The grains retain the green colour even on cooking. Most of the people like because of its green colour, and is used for preparation of many dishes. It. is best suited for culinary purposes. It matures in about 170 days and produces an average yield of 23 quintals per hectare under good crop management practices.

28. G-543: It. is recommended for Haryana and Punjab areas. The variety was released in 1977. after crossing C-235 X C-168. It. is late maturing variety, matures in about 170 days and produces an average yield of 21 to 25 quintals per hectare.

29. G-24: The variety is good for rainfed condition. It. is best for Haryana and Punjab zones of the country. The variety is semi-spreading, having small sized leaves of medium tall height. It is mostly recommended for light sandy soils. It is bushy type, having a number of branches. Grains are reddish brown in colour. It matures in about 140-145 days and produces on an average yield of about 26-30 quintals per hectare. It was developed in 1958.

30. G-130: This variety is best for Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh ! and Madhya Pradesh. It IS a medium maturing variety, released in 1971. The plant has vertical leaves, erect and up- right stem. It yields in about 20 to 30 quintals per hectare under good cropping management.

31. Radhey: The variety has been released in 1968 after crossing T -197 X 76. It is good for Uttar Pradesh area. It has light green foliage, semi-spreading and tall plant. The pods are generally two-seeded, grains are bold, light brown in colour and smooth and flowers are pink in colour. It is a medim maturing variety and matures in about 150 days and yields an average of 26 to 30 quintals per hectare under good crop management practices.

32. T-1: The variety has been released in 1958 and is the cross of T -87 X Banda local. It is most suitable for Bundelkhand arid eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh. Its flowers are violet coloured, blush green leaves, plant of medium height and semi-spreading one. It is a medium maturing variety, takes about 144 to 150 days and yields an average of 22 to 25 quintals per hectare.

33. T-2: The variety has been developed from a cross of Banda local X T-87, released in 1959 for general cultivation in irrigated as well as rainfed areas of eastern and central parts of Uttar Pradesh. The seeds are irregular, pods are two seeded, flowers are pink in colour, foliage light green, plant medium tall and semi-spreading type. The crop matures in about 150 days and yields on an average of 21-25 quintals per hectare.

34. T-3: This variety has been released in 1959, by crossing T -197 X T-195. This variety is good for western parts of Uttar Pradesh and parts of Madhya Pradesh. The grains are smooth, bold, round and light brown in colour, pods generally two seeded, flowers are pink and foliage dark-green, plants tall and spreading type. This variety is late maturing and matures about 165 days and yields an average of about 25 to 30 quintals per hectare.

35. Pant G-114: This variety has been released in 1981. The variety is moderately resistant to blight, most suitable for northern plains of the country. The seeds are medium in size, brown in colour ,foliage light green and plant somewhat erect. The crop matures in about 150 days and yields an average of 32 to 35 quintals per hectare under proper management practices.

36. K-850: The variety released in 1978 by the Chandra Shekar Azad University of Agricultural and Technology, Kanpur by crossing Banda local X Etah Bold. Seeds are bold, attractive, smooth, round and reddish brown in colour. Pods are generally double seeded and the flowers are violet. It is an early maturing variety, mature in about 140 to 150 days and produces an average yield of 26-30 quintals per hectare.

37. K-468 : It is also released by Agricultural University, Kanpur. (Seeds are small in size, yellowish brown, smooth, flower '. pink in colour, foliage is light green, plant medium tall and semi-spreading one. It is high yielding variety, matures in about 155 days and yields an average of 31-32 quintals per hectare.

B. Kabuli gram varieties: These varieties are taller, vigorous, white flowered, bold seeded and poor yielder, but are most preferred for' Dal' and Besan' purposes.

1. C-1O4: This variety is for Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Its seeds are creamy white, medium maturity variety and yields an average of 16 to 20 quintals per hectare. Most suitable for culinary purposes.

2. K-5: This variety is most suitable for Uttar Pradesh. Seeds are bold; smooth, round and green in colour. Most suitable for table purpose. It is a late maturing variety and takes about 171 to 175 days to mature and yields about 10 -20 quintals per hectare.

3. L-550: This variety is suitable for northern plains and central: zone of the country. It takes about 159 to 160 days to mature and yields an average of 19 -22 quintals per hectare. Its seeds are creamy white, round shape, attractive, foliage is light green, medium maturing, plants are tall and semi-spreading type.

C. Other important varieties: Some recently evolved, general purpose varieties are:

1. Pusa 209: This variety was released in 1980 by IARI, New Delhi for general cultivation in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. The plant is about 65 cm height, seeds light brown in colour, medium bold and attractive. It takes about 145 to 165 days to mature and yields an average of26- 30 quintals per hectare.

2. BG-203: The variety is most suitable for northern plains central and western parts of the country. Its seeds are small in size, yellowish brown in colour. The variety takes about 129 –140 days to mature and produce an average of 26 to 30 quintals per hectare.

3. ICCC-4: The variety has been released in 1983 and is a cross of H 208 X T -3. Its grains are light brown and medium bold. The plant is semi-erect and most suitable for irrigated tracts of Gujarat.

4. Pusa -261: The variety was released in 1985 and is a cross of P 827 X 9847. It is suitable for late planting in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. The plant is erect, tall, grains are golden yellow, medium, bold, highly resistant to blight disease.