Multi Cut Variety of Jowar(SORGHUM) in India

1. SSG 59-3 (Meethi Sudan): The variety was developed by CCS HAU, Hisar and released in 1977 for all sorghum growing areas in the north zone of the country. It is derived from pedigree selection of non sweet sudan grass × IS-263. The variety is tall and profuse tillering with quick growth. It is tolerant to drought and water logging. The stems are sweet and thin. The variety produces 75 t/ha green fodder and 22 t/ha dry fodder.

2. Ruchira Maldandi: The variety was developed by MPKV, Rahuri following intervarietal hybridization (35-1 × Kalbondi) with pedigree selection. It is recommended for cultivation in Maharashtra state in 1982. It has multi-cut ability and yields 40–50 t/ha green fodder and 8.2 t/ha dry matter.

3. Jawahar Chari-69: The variety was developed at JNKVV, Jabalpur and released in 1981 for cultivation in MP state. It was developed by hybridization (K-38 × J-98) followed by pedigree method of selection. It is a multi cut Sudan variety, the seed is covered ¾ th by black glumes, inflorescence lax, average height 250 cm, leaf long and narrow. It becomes ready for 1st cut in 55–60 days and subsequent cuttings at an interval of 40–45 days. It gives 4–5 cuts under irrigated conditions and 2 cuttings under rainfed situation. The total green fodder and dry fodder yield is 53 and 15 t/ha respectively. (CVRC- Notification no. 19(E) dated 14th January 1982)

4. Proagro Chari (SSG-988): This is a hybrid (PFF1 × PFG 2) × PFM 1 developed by Proagro Seed Co. Ltd, Aurangabad in 1991. The variety is suitable for cultivation in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, MP, UP and Delhi. It is high tillering, thin stem, leafy, dark green in colour producing 40–45 t/ha green fodder. The variety produces 40 t/ha green fodder and 10 t/ha dry matter. (CVRC- Notification no. 527(E) dated 16th August 1991)

5. PCH-106 (Hybrid): The variety was developed by PAU, Ludhiana and released in 1985. It has profuse tillering and quick regeneration capacity and provides 3–4 cuts. It yields up to 65 t/ha of green fodder and is recommended for sorghum growing areas in north zone of the country.

6. Punjab Sudex Chari-1: The variety was released in 1994 and developed by PAU, Ludhiana. The variety was developed by intervarietal hybridization (2077 A × SGL-87). (CVRC Notification no. 408(E) dated 4th May 1995)

7. Harasona 855: This variety was developed by Pro Agro Seed Co., Aurangabad and released in 1994 and has been notified for cultivation in sorghum growing areas in north India, Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP and Gujarat. The variety has been derived from the cross (PFS5A × PFS5C) × PFS5R followed by pedigree method of selection. It is high tillering, thin stemmed, tall, multi-cut, high in protein content, low in HCN. The green fodder yield is 60–65 t/ha. It is widely grown SSG hybrid in India. (CVRC Notification no. 408(E) dated 4th May 1995)

8. Safed Moti (FSH-92079): The variety was developed through hybridization (PSA 93016 × FSR 93025) by Pro Agro Seed Co., Aurangabad and was recommended for cultivation in Haryana, Punjab, UP, Gujarat in 1999. The variety is tall with thick stem and is tolerant to leaf diseases, high protein content, high DPM and low HCN. It gives 65–70 t/ha green fodder. (CVRC Notification no. 425(E) dated 8th June 1999)

9. Pant Chari-5 (UPFS- 32): This variety was developed by GBPUA&T, Pantnagar and released in 1999 for cultivation in all the kharif sorghum growing areas of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh for fodder under irrigated conditions in summer. The plants are 245 cm tall, semi-erect, tan type, highly juicy and internodes are fully enclosed. The leaves are 74 cm long and 6.2 cm broad with light green mid rib. The panicles are cylindrical, semi-compact, glumes are  traw coloured. The seeds are pearly white, medium bold, soft and round. It is highly resistant to anthracnose, zonate leaf spot and other foliar diseases. The nutritional qualities are good with protein content (6.58%), digestibility (47.7%) and low HCN (100.4 ppm). Average yield is green fodder 48.2 t/ha, dry fodder 13.4 t/ha and seed 18 q/ha. (CVRC- Notification no. 1050(E) dated 26th October 1999)

10. COFS- 29: The variety was released in 2001 and developed by TNAU, Coimbatore by interspecific hybridization followed by pedigree method of selection (TNS 30 × S. sudanense). It gives 5–6 cuts in one year at 60 days intervals. The leaves and stem is highly succulent in nature. It contains high protein (8.41%) and less crude fibre (34.0%). It attains 50% flowering in 65–70 days and ready for seed harvest in 105–110 days. The variety is recommended for cultivation in Tamil Nadu under irrigated conditions. The plants are 220– 250 cm tall with 2.5–3.0 cm stem girth, having 10–15 tillers per plant. Number of leaves are 80–105 and leaves are 75–90 cm long, leaf breadth is 3.5–4.6 cm, leaf stem ratio 0.20– 0.25. Panicle lax, 30–35 cm long, seeds are small covered with blackish purple glumes. It is tolerant to shootfly/ stem borer. Average yield of green fodder is 170 t/ha, 34.5 t/ha dry matter and seed yield is 5 q/ha. (CVRC Notification no. 1134(E) dated 15th November 2001)

11. CSH-20MF (UPMCH- 1101): This variety was developed by GBPUA&T, Pantnagar by interspecific hybridization (2219 A × UPMC 503). This variety was notified for cultivation in medium irrigated summer and rainfed conditions of Uttar Pradesh, Uttranchal, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar and Gujarat. It has low HCN content and is highly resistant to foliar diseases and lodging under natural conditions. It is tolerant to drought and water logging. It is tall (215 cm), tan and has medium thick juicy stem with many basal tillers and long and medium broad semi-erect, stay-green leaves. This hybrid shows fast regeneration after cutting. (CVRC- Notification no. 1172(E) dated 25th August 2005)

12. Pusa Chari Hybrid-109 (PCH-109): It is a multi-cut hybrid developed by IARI, New Delhi and recommended for cultivation during early summer and normal kharif under timely sown irrigated/ rainfed areas in Delhi. The plants are 225 cm tall, semi-erect, stay green type, leafy (13/plant) with juicy stem. Its leaves are long (83 cm), broad (6.5 cm) with dull green mid rib. The panicles are semi-loose, the grains are creamy white. It attains 50% flowering in 61 days and matures in 101 days. The variety is tolerant to major foliar diseases, shoot fly and stem borer. It produces 82 t/ha green fodder and 21 t/ha dry fodder. (CVRC Notification no. 1566(E) dated 5th November 2005)

13. Pusa Chari-615: This variety is a derivative of the cross between Pusa chari 40 × Pusa Chari 67 and is developed by IARI, New Delhi. It has been recommended for cultivation during early summer and kharif seasons of NCR Delhi. The variety mid blooms in 70 days and matures in 110 days. The plants are 300–320 cm tall, erect, stay green type with 3–6 tillers in a plant. The leaves are dark green 75–85 cm long and 5.0–6.5 cm wide. The leaf stem ratio is 0.35–0.45. The panicles are semi loose. It produces 70 t/ha green fodder, 19.5 t/ha dry fodder and 12 q/ha seed. The protein content in forage is 8.1%, IVDMD 55.3% and HCN content 152 ppm. The variety is resistant to major foliar diseases and insect-pests. (CVRC Notification no. 1572(E) dated 20th October 2006)

14. CSH-20-MF (UPMCH-1101): The variety is a hybrid (2219 A × UPMC 503) developed by GBPUA&T, Pantnagar. It has been recommended for cultivation in medium irrigated summer and rainfed condition of U.P., Uttaranchal, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar and Gujarat. The seed to seed maturity is 105–110 days. The plants are 200–230 cm tall, erect with 4–5 basal tillers. The leaves are broad with green mid rib, semi erect with senescence up to 3–4 lower leaves. Panicles are narrow, cylindrical, semi-compact, borne on straight peduncle. The leaf stem ratio is 0.50–0.55. This is a fast growing variety with regeneration (ratooning ability) up to 4 cuttings for fodder. It produces 87 t/ha green fodder and 24 t/ha dry fodder. Nutritional qualities are: stalk semi-sweet (TSS 7–8%), crude protein (8.5–9.0%), HCN content (0–120 ppm), IVDMD (53–58%), DDM (140–152 q/ha) and protein yield (15–20 q/ha). The variety is resistant to major foliar diseases and insect-pests. (CVRC- Notification no. 1172(E) dated 25th August 2005)

15. Pant Chari-6 (UPMC-503): This variety was developed from selection in Zimbabwe germplasm line EC-438401 by GBPUA&T, Pantnagar. The variety has been recommendedfor cultivation in Uttranchal state under rainfed conditions during kharif season and under irrigated conditions in summer season. It reaches mid bloom in 65–70 days and matures in 105–110 days. The plants are tall, erect, tan pigmented and stem is sweet and juicy (TSS-6– 7%). The seed is red, semi-bold and circular in shape. It is resistant to major foliar diseases namely, zonate leaf spot, downy mildew, gray leaf spot and moderately resistant to anthracnose and sooty stripe under natural field conditions. It provides 80–100 t/ha green fodder and 25–35 t/ha dry fodder and 18–20 q/ha seed yield. (CVRC- Notification no. 1572(E) dated 20th September 2006).

16. Haryana Jowar-513 (S-513): The variety was developed at CCSHAU, Hisar and is a derivative of S-305 (PJ- 7R × SPV- 80) × HC-136. It is recommended for cultivation in Haryana under timely sown/ normal fertility/ irrigated conditions. The variety is ready for green fodder harvest in 100–110 days. The plants are 245–260 cm tall with white midrib leaves. The ear heads are very long, symmetrical and semi-compact. It is tolerant to major foliar diseases like gray spot (Cercospora sorghi) and zonate leaf spot (Gloeocercospora sorghi). The green fodder yield of the variety is 49 t/ha and dry matter yield is 12 t/ha. (CVRC- Notification no. 1178(E) dated 20th July 2007).