World’s First Three-way Pearl Millet Hybrid RHB 273 by ICRISAT and ICAR

27 January 2026, New Delhi: ICRISAT, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) through the All India Coordinated Research Project on Pearl Millet (AICRP) at the Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute (RARI), has announced the release of RHB 273, the world’s first three-way pearl millet hybrid, marking a significant milestone in dryland crop innovation.

The hybrid was formally released on 4 January 2026 by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, as part of the notification of 184 improved crop varieties across 25 crops for cultivation in India. RHB 273 has been approved for cultivation in A1 dryland zones, which include parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana, regions characterized by annual rainfall below 400 mm.

Unlike conventional pearl millet hybrids developed using two parental lines, RHB 273 is a three-way hybrid, combining three parental lines to integrate multiple desirable traits. This approach enables higher grain yield, improved drought tolerance and enhanced fodder quality, making the hybrid particularly suitable for stress-prone agro-ecologies.

“Millets are a lifeline for drought-prone regions in Asia and Africa, and pearl millet stands out for its resilience to high temperatures and low water availability,” said Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General, ICRISAT.
“The ICRISAT–ICAR partnership has delivered several ‘world’s-first’ and ‘India’s-first’ pearl millet innovations. We are proud to add yet another global milestone with the release of the world’s first three-way pearl millet hybrid, developed in partnership with RARI,” he added.

RHB 273 demonstrated exceptional adaptability and productivity during three years of extensive multi-location trials conducted between 2022 and 2024 across 30 locations in three states. The hybrid recorded an average grain yield of approximately 2,230 kg per hectare, delivering a 13–27% yield advantage over existing regional varieties.

The hybrid also outperformed the widely cultivated HHB 67 Improved by nearly 28% and exhibited good resistance to major pearl millet diseases, including downy mildew, blast and smut.

Commenting on its impact, Dr Tara Satyavathi, Director, ICAR–Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad, said, “RHB 273 is an innovative hybrid, and its adoption—particularly in the A1 belt—will significantly strengthen pearl millet production in the drought-prone states of north-western India. It will play a vital role in enhancing food, nutrition and fodder security.”

Senior representatives from partner institutions, including Dr P. S. Chauhan, Vice-Chancellor, SKNAU, Jobner; Dr Ummed Singh, Director of Research, SKNAU; and Dr S. K. Jain, In-charge, AICRP on Pearl Millet, RARI, highlighted the hybrid’s strong potential to meet regional food and fodder demand, especially in arid and semi-arid environments.

In the arid and hyper-arid belts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana, chronic water scarcity often results in acute fodder shortages. Beyond improving grain productivity, RHB 273 offers enhanced fodder availability, supporting livestock sustainability and strengthening rural livelihoods in vulnerable farming communities.

Explaining the scientific approach, Dr S. K. Gupta, Principal Scientist, Pearl Millet Breeding, ICRISAT, said, “Three-way hybrids provide greater buffering capacity against both biotic and abiotic stresses, making them highly suitable for stress-prone ecologies. We initiated this novel work in pearl millet in 2019 with our partners, and the results now validate the strategy.
“This dual-purpose hybrid delivers an integrated solution—higher farm yields, improved nutrition and better fodder for livestock,” he added.

Through the successful development and release of RHB 273, ICRISAT reaffirms its commitment to science-led partnerships that deliver transformative, climate-resilient solutions for smallholder farmers across the arid and semi-arid tropics.

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