I have light rainfed land in north Gujarat and am thinking of castor. How do I grow castor and what should I expect?
Is castor a good rainfed cash crop and how do I grow it (castor)?
AAmrut Patel7 महीने पहले · 242 व्यू
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🌾Farmer.in Krishi Teamविशेषज्ञ ✓6 महीने पहले
Castor suits light rainfed and assured moisture land and is a major oilseed in north Gujarat, valued for its industrial oil, making it a reasonable cash crop where it is established. Use a recommended hybrid, sow at the right spacing on a well drained seedbed, and avoid waterlogging since castor dislikes standing water. The crop flowers and sets spikes in flushes, so picking is done in several rounds as spikes mature rather than one harvest. Watch for semilooper and capsule borer, and for wilt and root rot in heavy or waterlogged soil. Balanced nutrition and one or two protective irrigations at flowering boost yield where water is available. For the right hybrid, spacing, and pest schedule, check with your local KVK or the castor research centre.
MMaganbhai Patel6 महीने पहले
Castor has been steady for me on light land where other crops struggle in dry spells. It is hardy and the industrial oil demand keeps a market for it in north Gujarat. Just remember it gives several pickings over time, not one harvest, so plan your labour for the staggered picking.
DDahyabhai Chaudhary6 महीने पहले
The one thing that hurt my castor was waterlogging in a low patch after heavy rain, where the plants got wilt and root rot. Castor really cannot take standing water. Sow it on well drained land and keep the field from holding water and it stays healthy.
IIshwarbhai Patel5 महीने पहले
If you have even a little irrigation, one or two waterings at the flowering stage gave me a clear yield boost over fully rainfed. A recommended hybrid at the right spacing also makes a big difference compared to old seed. Watch for the semilooper and capsule borer and get the hybrid and pest schedule from the castor research centre.
PPravin Patel5 महीने पहले
Wilt was my main worry on the heavier patch, so I picked a wilt tolerant hybrid recommended for our area and rotated castor instead of growing it on the same land every year. That cut the wilt a lot compared to my old practice. On the light well drained land it is a hardy, reliable crop, so match the hybrid and the rotation to your soil and ask the research centre what suits north Gujarat now.