MUSTARD

India is fourth largest contributor of oilseeds and Rapeseed and mustard contributes about 28.6% in total oilseeds production. After soybean and palm oil, it is third important oilseed in world. Mustard seeds and its oil is used for culinary purpose. Young leaves are used for vegetable purpose. Its oil cake is used for feeding cattle.
In Rajasthan, mustard gives profitable results when grown under irrigated conditions. It can be taken as sole crop or can be cultivated with other crops as mix crop.

Light to heavy soil is good for mustard and rapeseed cultivation.

Aashirwad (RK 01-03): Suitable for late sowing. Plant height is about 130-140cm. Oil percentage is about 39-42%. Ready to harvest in 120-130 days. Gives average yield of 5-6 qtl/acre.

Swarn Jyoti (RH 9801): Suitable for late sowing and irrigated areas. Plants are of medium height i.e 130-140cm. Ready to harvest in 130-140 days. Oil percentage is about 39-42%. Gives average yield of 5.2-6 qtl/acre. 

RGN 73: Suitable for normal sowing and irrigated areas. Plant height is about 160-170cm. Oil percentage is about 40-41%. Ready to harvest in 125-130 days. Gives average yield of 8.8-10 qtl/acre.

Lakshmi (RH 8812): Suitable for normal sowing and irrigated areas. Plant height is about 160-180cm. Ready to harvest in 140-145 days. Grains are big and black in color. Oil percentage is about 40%. Gives average yield of 8.8-10 qtl/acre.

VSL 5: Suitable for normal sowing and irrigated areas. Plant height is about 165-170cm. Ready to harvest in 125-130 days. Grains are medium size and black color. Oil percentage is about 39-40%. Gives average yield of 8-8.8 qtl/acre.

Aravali (RN 393): Plant height is about 155-165cm. Ready to harvest in 135-138 days. Oil percentage is about 42%. Gives average yield of 8.8-10 qtl/acre.

Vansudhara (RH 9304): Suitable for timely sowing and irrigated areas. Plant height is about 180-190cm. Ready to harvest in 130-135days. Gives average yield of 10-11qtl/acre.

Maya (RK 9902): Suitable for timely sowing and irrigated areas. Plant height is about 165-170 days. Ready to harvest in 130-135 days. Oil percentage is about 39-40%. Gives average yield of 10-11.6 qtl/acre.  

Pusa Jaykisan: Plant height is about 160-180cm. Ready to harvest in 130-140 days. Oil percentage is about 38-40%. Gives average yield of 7.2-8 qtl/acre. 

Pusa Bold: Plants are of medium height. Oil percentage is about 37-38%. Ready to harvest in 130-140 days. Gives average yield of 4.8-10 qtl/acre.

T 59(Varuna): Plants are of medium height. Ready to harvest in 125-140 days. Grains are bold and black. Under irrigated conditions, gives average yield of 6-7 qtl/acre whereas under unirrigated conditions, gives average yield of 4-6 qtl/acre.    

RH 30: Suitable for irrigated as well as unirrigated areas. Plant height is about 196cm. It is suitable for late sowing. Ready to harvest in 130-135 days. Gives average yield of 4.8-7 qtl/acre.

Other state varieties:

NRCDR 02: High yielding variety.

NRCHB 101 : Suitable for late sowing areas.

NRCDR 601: Suitable for timely sown irrigated areas.

NRCYS-05-02: Yellow sarson variety.

Mustard 30: Developed by IARI, New Delhi, gives more yield also its oil is good for health.
 

For good germination of crop it required a fine seed bed. Do ploughing of soil for two to three times followed by two harrowing. Do planking after every ploughing. Prepared firm, moist and uniform seed bed as it will help in uniform germination of seed.
 

Time of sowing
In unirrigated areas, complete sowing from 15 September to 15 October whereas under irrigated conditions, complete sowing from 10-25 October.   

Spacing
For sowing, use plant to plant spacing of 10cm and 30-45cm as row to row spacing.

Sowing Depth
Seeds are sown at depth of 4 to 5cm.

Method of sowing
When taken as single crop, use drilling method of sowing and if it taken as mixed crop, use broadcasting or drilling method for sowing.

Seed Rate
For dry unirrigated areas, use seed rate of 1.5 -2 kg/acre and for irrigated areas, seed rate of 1.2-1.6 kg/acre is required.

Seed Treatment
To protect seed from soil borne pest and disease, before sowing do seed treatment with Thiram@3 gm per kg of seeds. To protect crop from aphid and painted bug, do seed treatment with Imidacloprid@8 ml/kg of seeds.

Two to three weeding and two hoeing at interval of two weeks are required to keep check on weed intensity.

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

Apply 8 to 10 ton farm yard manure or well decomposed cowdung in soil, three to four week before sowing. For accurate fertilizer dose, soil testing is necessary. Under irrigated condition, apply Nitrogen@20 kg and Phosphorus@12-16 kg/acre in form of Urea@40kg and Super phosphate@75 kg/acre. Apply Potash dose only when soil show deficiency of it. Apply half of Nitrogen and full dose of Phosphorus at time of sowing and remaining half dose of Nitrogen at time of first irrigation.

Grain yield has been increased by 10-15% through spray with Thiourea@0.05%.

Give first irrigation, 30-40 days after sowing (before flowering) and second irrigation, 70-80 days after sowing. Apply irrigation on the basis of soil type, availability of water etc.

Aphid: They suck the sap and plant get weak, pale and plant remain stunted and in later stage do not bear pods.
To control, do timely sowing of crop. Avoid excessive use of nitrogen fertilizer. In infestation is observed in field, take spray of any one pesticide like Thiamethoxam@80gm or Quinalphos@300ml or Oxydemeton Methyl@40gm in 100-125Ltr water per acre.

Painted bug: It destroys crop at germination stage also at maturity stage. They suck sap and leads to drying of crop.
Application of irrigation three to four week after sowing helps in reducing pest population. If infestation is observed in field, take spray of Malathion@400ml/acre.

Hairy caterpillar: Young larva feed on leaves and destroyed them completely.
If infestation is observed in field, take spray of Malathion 5% dust@10kg/acre or Dichlorvos@200 ml/acre in 100-125 ltr of water.

• Disease and their control:
  

Blight: Dark brown spot with dot like bodies developed on stem, branches, leaflet and pods. In severe infestation, withering of stem and pod is observed.
For cultivation use resistant varieties. On incidence of disease spray with Indofil M-45@400gm/150Ltr of water per acre. If necessary repeat the spray at interval of 15 days.

Downy Mildew: Whitish growth is observed on lower surface of leaves. The leaves give green or yellow coloration appearance.
Destroy debris of previous crop before sowing of crop. Spray crop with Indofil M-45@400gm in 150 Ltr of water per acre for four times with interval of 15 days.

White Rust: White pustules are observed on leaves, stem and on flower. Swelling of affected part is observed. Because of infection flower become sterile. 
If infestation observed in field, to control spray with Metalaxyl 8%+Mancozeb 64%@2 gm/Ltr of water or spray with Copper  oxychloride@2.5 gm/Ltr of water. If necessary repeat the spray with interval of 10-15 days.

Depending upon a variety, crop take 110 to 140 days to mature. Harvest crop when pods turn yellow and seed become hard. To avoid shattering loss carried out harvesting in morning hours. With the help of sickle, cut crops close to ground. After then stacked harvested crops for seven to ten days. After proper drying complete threshing operation.

Cleaned seed must be dried in the sun for four to five days or till the moisture content comes down to 8 percent. After proper drying of seeds, stored seeds in gunny bags or bin.