Pusa Mustard 26

Late-sown variety (optimized for November sowing in rice and cotton belts) delivering exceptional yield (16.04 q/ha vs. 12.27 q/ha for checks) across 14 locations and 4 years of trials. Superior performance in fields vacated late from paddy or cotton, a critical niche for expanding mustard acreage.

Key facts

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.

Pusa Mustard 26 in detail

Pusa Mustard 26 is a late-sown Indian mustard bred for the November window when rice and cotton fields clear, delivering strong yields under rainfed-to-marginal-irrigated conditions across northern India.

Origin & story

Released by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi around 2010–2011, Pusa Mustard 26 (NPJ-113) was bred to fill a gap in the mustard calendar: a variety suited to delayed planting in regions where paddy and cotton stay in the ground into late October and November.

How it grows

Recommended for late-sown conditions in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, the plains of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and western Uttar Pradesh, particularly in rice and cotton belts where fields are vacated in November. It matures in about 126 days under late November sowing and carries terminal high-temperature tolerance, which helps it set seed as winter temperatures rise late in the season. It is intended for rainfed to marginal-irrigated systems. Standard mustard agronomy otherwise applies.

Quality & character

Small seeds weighing about 3.4 g per 1000, with an average yield around 16 q/ha in multi-location trials, outperforming check varieties (roughly 12–13 q/ha). Oil content is about 39.6%, typical for good oilseed mustard. The variety is noted mainly for its terminal heat tolerance; no distinct flavour or pod traits are reported in publicly available breeding data.

Why it matters to buyers

For oilseed crushers and processors, PM-26 addresses a real logistical problem: it extends the mustard window into November, when land becomes available after paddy and cotton. Yields hold up under the light or marginal irrigation common in those belts, and the small, uniform seed with stable oil percentage suits bulk processing. For farmers in delayed-harvest cotton and rice zones, it reduces the risk of missing the mustard window or settling for an ill-suited variety.

Other mustard varieties

• Varuna
• Kranti
• Pusa Bold
• Rohini
• Pusa Jagannath
• Pusa Mustard 25
• Pusa Mustard 28
• Pusa Mustard 30
• Giriraj
• NRCHB-101
• RH-749
• Brown Sarson / Brassica rapa (Tora type)