Fennel variety · Released variety
Ajmer Fennel-1 (AF-1)
Also known as AF-1
ICAR-National Research Centre on Seed Spices (NRCSS), Ajmer · ICAR-NRCSS Ajmer
Tall, erect plants with large umbels and bold, medium-sized, fragrant seeds. High essential oil content suits both culinary and industrial use. Tolerant to Ramularia blight. Suitable for both rabi and late-maturing cultivation cycles.
Key facts
| Type | Released variety |
|---|---|
| Origin | ICAR-National Research Centre on Seed Spices (NRCSS), Ajmer |
| Breeder / source | ICAR-NRCSS Ajmer |
| Parentage | NRCSS germplasm selection |
| Yield | 1950 kg/ha (rabi); 2510 kg/ha (late-maturing group) |
| Tolerance | Ramularia blight |
| Distinctive features | Attractive, bold, medium-sized seeds, fragrant, essential oil 1.6%, 145–150 cm plant height |
| Grown in | Rajasthan, Gujarat |
| Also known as | AF-1 |
Figures are indicative, compiled from public agricultural sources (ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities, the Spices Board and the National Innovation Foundation) and vary with soil, season and management. Confirm with your local package of practices.
Ajmer Fennel-1 (AF-1) in detail
AF-1 is an erect, tall fennel cultivar from ICAR's Ajmer research centre (NRCSS), bred for bold seeds and good essential oil content, suitable across both winter (rabi) and late-maturing cultivation cycles.
Origin & story
Released by ICAR-National Research Centre on Seed Spices (NRCSS), Ajmer, Rajasthan. The centre runs an ongoing fennel breeding programme, and AF-1 sits earlier in the Ajmer Fennel series than the later AF-2 (released 2018) and AF-3.
How it grows
Grown in the semi-arid rabi (winter) belt of Rajasthan and Gujarat, the main fennel-growing regions of India. It can be grown both as an early crop and as a regular rabi crop. Plants reach 145–150 cm in height. Tolerant to Ramularia blight, a fungal disease of fennel. Reported yields are around 1950 kg/ha as a rabi crop and up to 2510 kg/ha under the late-maturing group.
Quality & character
Bold, medium-sized seeds that are attractive and fragrant. Essential oil content around 1.6%, suiting it to both culinary use and essential oil extraction. Plants are tall and erect, bearing large umbels.
Why it matters to buyers
The roughly 1.6% essential oil content makes the variety useful for both distillation into fennel oil and culinary ground fennel. Bold, fragrant, fairly uniform seed makes it attractive to spice traders supplying the domestic masala and mukhwas markets as well as export channels for Indian fennel.
About fennel
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) has been cultivated across India for centuries, particularly in the arid and semi-arid regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan, which together account for approximately 90-96% of national production. From traditional landraces to modern released varieties bred by ICAR institutes and state agricultural universities, Indian fennel…
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