Improved Mustard / Rai Cultivation
Varieties, soil, sowing, fertilizer, irrigation, weeds, pests & frost — full English guide.
Recommended varieties for timely sowing RH-30, RH-725, RH-1424, RH-1706, RH-1975, RH-8812 (Laxmi), Varuna (T-59), Pusa Bold. Quality Seeds varieties Moti-87, Vaishali, Abhay-64. Soil and climate Mustard grows on many soils, but fertile sandy loam with good drainage is best. Highly acidic or alkaline land is not suitable. It performs well in medium to higher rainfall belts. Field preparation Prepare a fine seedbed. After monsoon, do one deep ploughing for moisture conservation and weed control, followed by 2–3 cross ploughings and planking after each pass. On alkaline soils, apply gypsum as per soil test. Sowing time In irrigated areas, 10–25 October is ideal. Timely sowing reduces pest, disease and weed pressure and improves yield. Late sowing can continue up to 20 November. Seed rate About 1 kg per acre under irrigation; up to 1.5 kg per acre in rainfed conditions depending on moisture. Sowing method Sow in rows 45 cm apart at 4–5 cm depth with pora or drill. Thin to 10–15 cm plant spacing about three weeks after sowing. Adequate soil moisture at sowing is essential. Fertilizer In irrigated fields apply about 75 kg urea and 75 kg single super phosphate (SSP) per acre. Use half urea + full SSP + 10 kg zinc sulphate at sowing; apply remaining nitrogen at first irrigation. Prefer SSP for phosphorus because it also supplies sulphur. If DAP is used, add about 100 kg gypsum per acre before sowing. Zinc deficiency Slow growth, smaller leaves with pinkish margins and interveinal chlorosis. Correct with 10 kg zinc sulphate per acre before final ploughing, or foliar spray of 0.5% zinc sulphate + 2.5% urea twice at 10–15 day intervals. Irrigation Usually two irrigations — first at flowering (35–40 days) and second at pod formation (75–80 days). Weed control Hand weeding at 3 and 5 weeks. For broomrape (Orobanche), follow recommended glyphosate schedule carefully with soil moisture; incorrect dose/timing can injure the crop. Key diseases Downy mildew, white rust (including staghead), Alternaria blight and stem rot. Use seed treatment with carbendazim where stem rot is common, and protectant sprays as symptoms appear. Main pests Aphids (chepa), painted bug, and hairy caterpillar. Timely October sowing reduces aphid pressure. Spot-remove early colonies; spray only when thresholds are crossed using recommended insecticides. Frost protection Light irrigation and smoke in nearby areas help reduce frost damage, especially in rainfed fields.