Mustard variety-RH 761: Enhancing biotic and abiotic stress resistance for superior yield and stable production

Abstract

RH 761 was evaluated in adaptability zone-II (Jammu, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and northern Rajasthan) under timely sown rainfed conditions. It features large leaves (20+ cm length, 8+ cm width), flowers in 43–47 days, matures in 140–149 days, and has a main shoot 82–93 cm long with 58–68 siliquae (5.4–5.9 cm length, 0.9–1.1 cm beak). RH 761 matures in 141 days on average, comparable to check varieties. It demonstrates superior drought tolerance with a 22.0% seed yield reduction, minimal water loss (4.2%), a 9.7% reduction in harvest index, and a Drought Susceptibility Index (DSI) of 0.92, outperforming PM 25 (DSI 1.21).The variety shows low and decreasing white rust severity, moderate resistance to Alternaria leaf blight on leaves (31.8% severity) and pods (20.2%, better than Rohini at 23.7%), and moderate susceptibility to Sclerotinia rot (severity reduced from 34.0% in 2015-16 to 26.8% in 2017-18). Additionally, it has improved aphid resistance, with the Aphid Infestation Index (AII) decreasing from 2.93 in 2015-16 to 1.19 in 2017-18.