🌾 Mustard — Production Technology
Production technology of mustard with emphasis on climate, sowing, sulphur nutrition, irrigation timing, and integrated protection in Rabi systems.
Mustard is a major Rabi oilseed crop in India, and its productivity depends strongly on sowing time, sulphur nutrition, and timely protection at flowering and pod filling. This lesson summarizes production technology for field-level application.
Importance
Rapeseed-Mustard (Brassica juncea, B. napus, B. campestris) is the third most important oilseed crop globally and second in India after soybean.
- India's area: ~7 million ha
- Production: ~10 million tonnes
- Major states: Rajasthan (45%), MP, UP, Haryana, Gujarat
Climate and Soil
- Temperature: 15–25°C (optimum), frost sensitive during flowering
- Rainfall: 40–60 cm; excess moisture harmful
- Soil: Sandy loam to clay loam, well-drained, pH 6.0–7.5
- Photo-thermoperiod: Requires cool, short days for vegetative growth and warm, long days for maturity
Improved Varieties
| Species | Varieties | Oil Content |
|---|---|---|
| B. juncea (Indian mustard) | Pusa Mustard 28, RH 749, NRCHB 101 | 38–42% |
| B. napus (Gobhi sarson) | GSC 7, Sheetal, DRMR 150-35 | 40–44% |
| B. campestris (Yellow sarson) | Pusa Gold, B-9, PT 303 | 42–44% |
Agronomic Practices
Sowing
- Time: October 10–25 (irrigated), September 15–October 10 (rainfed)
- Seed rate: 4–5 kg/ha (B. juncea), 3–4 kg/ha (B. napus)
- Row spacing: 30–45 cm
- Thinning: Maintain 15 cm plant-to-plant spacing at 15–20 DAS
Nutrient Management
- Irrigated: 80-40-20 kg N-P₂O₅-K₂O/ha + Sulphur 40 kg/ha
- Rainfed: 40-20-0 kg N-P₂O₅-K₂O/ha
- Half N + full P, K, S at sowing; remaining N at first irrigation
- Sulphur is critical for oil synthesis (apply as gypsum or elemental S)
Irrigation
- Critical stages: Pre-flowering (40–45 DAS), pod filling (70–80 DAS)
- Total irrigations: 2–3 for irrigated crop
- Over-irrigation causes luxuriant vegetative growth at expense of seed yield
Pest Management
- Mustard aphid (Lipaphis erysimi): Most destructive; spray neem oil or dimethoate
- Painted bug: Early season pest; dust with malathion
- White rust + Alternaria blight: Spray mancozeb at disease onset
Yield: 15–20 q/ha (irrigated), 8–12 q/ha (rainfed)
Summary Cheat Sheet
| Topic | Key point |
|---|---|
| Importance | Mustard is a key Rabi oilseed after soybean in India |
| Sowing | Optimum sowing window is mainly October for irrigated areas |
| Nutrient focus | Sulphur application is essential for oil synthesis |
| Irrigation | Pre-flowering and pod-filling are critical stages |
| Yield range | Irrigated productivity is higher than rainfed conditions |
References
3 sources
References
ICAR rapeseed-mustard agronomy package of practices.
Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard varietal and management advisories.
State agricultural university oilseed crop recommendations.
Lesson Doubts
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