-Cultivation of wheat crop

Introduction:
Wheat (Triticum spp.) is world’s most widely cultivated food crops. It is
mainly a rabi season crop in India. It has played a very vital role in
stabilizing the food grain production in the country over the past few years.
In India , it is the second important staple cereal food.
Nutritive value of wheat grain
Component % in grain % in flour
Moisture 9-18 13-15
Protein (%N x 5.7) 8-15 8-13
Cellulose ( Fiber ) 2-2.5 0.2
Oil and Fat 1.5 0.8-1.5
Mineral matter ( ash ) 1.5-2 0.3-0.5
Carbohydrates 62-71 65-70
Importance and utility:
Wheat is also used for manufacturing of bread, flakes, cakes, biscuits, etc.
Classification of Indian Wheats:
1. Emmer Wheat (Triticum dicoccum schub L.)
2. Macroni Wheat ( T.durum Desf.)
3. Common Bread Wheat ( T. vulgare Host) :
4. Triticum aestivum :
Origin and History:
Wheat is being cultivated since pre-historic times. From all possible record, it
seems that its centre of origin is South Western Asia. It is believed that Aryans
brought wheat grains to India.
According to De Candolle, the wheat was originated in the Eupharates and
Tigris and spread from there to China, Egypt and other parts of the world.
Valilov(1950), after extensive studies came to the conclusion that the origin of
the durum (kathiya) wheat was probably in the region of Abyssinia, where as
the whole group of soft wheat, which includes bread wheats, probably
originated in the region of Pakistan, South-Western Afghanistan and the
Southern parts of mountainous Bokhara.
Climate Requirements:
Wheat has wide adaptability. It can be grown not only in tropical and sub-
tropical zones but also in the temperate zone and the cold tracts of the far
north, beyond even the 600 north latitude. Wheat can be cultivated from sea
level to as high as 3,300 m.
Other parameters are following:
Optimum Temperature Range- 200-250C (Ideal germination of wheat seed)
3.50 – 350C (Seed germination Temperature
range)
14-150C (Optimum average tem. At the time
of maturity)
Rainfall 25-150cm/year
Humidity 50-60%
Season for Wheat Cultivation in India:
Wheat, in India, is best grown as a rabi or winter season crop since the
conditions during that time are conducive for growth and ensures maximum
yield.
Soil Requirements:
Wheat needs soil with a moderate amount of water holding capacity. Well-
drained loams and clayey loams are considered to be a good for wheat.
Others characteristics of soils for wheat cultivation.
Salinity level (EC) 6ds/m, Yield is reduced by about 50% at
14ds/m.
pH 6-8
Improved varieties:
ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi released and
identified eight new varieties of major field crops and seven varieties of
horticultural crops during 2015.
HS 542 (Pusa Kiran), HW 1098 (Nilgiri Khapli), HDCSW 18, HD 3117, HD
4728 (Pusa Malvi), HS 562,
Other Varieties-
Arjun (HD 2009),Janak(HD 1982),HD 2285,HD 2329,U.P. 2338,WL 711,U.P.
215,262,301,319,368,2003, Jairaj(JNK 4W185), Malvika (HD 4502), HP
1102, 1100, 1633, K 8804, 9006, HD 2135,2177,2189 etc.
Seed and Sowing:
a) Sowing time:
The normal time of sowing of high-yielding cultivars in irrigated areas
start in the beginning of November.
Long and medium duration cultivars like UP2003 and Arjun etc.
should be sown in the first fortnight of November.
Short duration cultivars (120-125 days) like UP115, 162, etc in second
fortnight of November.
Under specific circumstances, wheat is also sowing in December.
In late-sown wheat, only short duration cultivars should be sown
because there is comparatively less reduction in their yields as
compared to late and medium duration cultivars. When wheat is sown
beyond December there is a drastic reduction in yield. After November
, delay in sowing by each day causes reduction of 5kg/ha/day in north-
eastern parts of the country and 41kg/ha/day in north-western and
central parts of the country.
 b) Seed rate:
Seed rate of wheat under various sowing methods
Method of Sowing Seed rate (kg/ha)
Line sowing behind plough 90-100
Sowing by kera/pora method 80-100
Sowing by dibbling 25-30
Late sowing by seed drill 125-155
Broadcasting Method 100-120

c) Spacing: :
For normal sown crop, 22-22.5cm.( Row spacing)
For irrigated, timely sown wheat, a row spacing of 15 to 22.5 cm.
Under irrigated late-sown conditions 15-18.
Depth:
Mexican cultivars is about 5cm.
Semi-dwarf(One zene dwarf), 5-6cm
For dwarf wheat’s, the planting depth should be between 5 and 6 cm.
d) Seed treatment:
The seed of loose smut-susceptible varieties should be given solar or
hot-water treatment. If the wheat seed is used only for sowing, it can
be treated with Vitavax,thyram 2.5 gm/kg seed.
Method of sowing:
Wheat is sown by the following 4 methods.
a- Broadcast.
b- Behind the plough.
c- Drilling.
d- Dibbling.
e- FIRB System- The furrow irrigated raised bed (FIRB) has been
recently developed and is being promoted by the Rice-Wheat
consortium of the CGIAR institute.
Application of Mannures and Fertilizer:
It is desirable that 2 to 3 tonnes of farmyard manure per hectare or some other
organic matter is applied 5 or 6 weeks before sowing.
The fertilizer requirement of the irrigated wheat crop is as follows:
a. With assured fertilizer supply:
Nitrogen (N) @80-120 kg/ha.
Phosphorus (P2O5) @ 40- 60 kg/ha.
Potash (K2O) @ 40 kg/ha.
b. Under fertilizer constraints:
N @ 60-80 kg/ha.
P2O5 @ 30-40 kg/ha.
K2O @ 20-25 kg/ha.
 Total quantity of Phosphorus and potash and half the quantity of nitrogen
should be applied at the time of sowing. Remaining quantity of Nitrogen
should be applied at the time of crown root initiation. For the late sown
irrigated wheat crop, the NPK fertilizer dose recommended is:
N – 60-80 kg/ha.
P2O5 – 30-40 kg/ha
K2O – 20-25 kg/ha.
Interculture:
Generally weeding is done after 1 ½ to 2 months after sowing or weedicides
like 2,4 D, Avadex or Nitrofen (Tok E-25) for controling Chenopodium sp,
Angallis sp. Asphodelus sp. Phalaris sp. of weeds.
Water Management:
In wheat cultivation, irrigation requirement depends on various factors viz.
type of soil, variety grown etc.
Irrigation in dwarf wheat verities: The critical stages of wheat are described
below.
1st Irrigation 20-25 DAS Crown root initiation stage
nd
2 Irrigation 40-45 DAS Tillering stage
3rd Irrigation 65-75 DAS Late joining stage
4th Irrigation 90-95 DAS Flowering stage
th
5 Irrigation 110-115 DAS Milking stage
6th Irrigation 120-125 DAS Dough stage
Crop rotation:
Maize-Wheat 1 year
Maize-wheat-cotton-barseem 2 years
Paddy-wheat 1 year
Cotton-wheat-green gram 1 year
Plant Protection:
Diseases-
Wheat crops suffer from several diseases causing reduced yield and quality.
The major diseases and their chemical control are given blow.
S.No Diseases Chemical control
1. Black or stem rust Spray 0.2% zineb or dithane M-45
2. Yellow or strip rust -do-
3. Brown or leaf rust -do-
Treat seed with vitavax @ 2.5g/kg of seed,
4. Alternaria leaf blight
Spray 0.2% zineb or dithane M-45
Spray propiconazole(Tilt 25EC)@0.1% at
5. Powdery mildew
emergence or appearance of disease
Seed treatment with trichoderma viride @
6. Loos smut
1.5g/kg seed
Seed treatment with ceresin G.N. @ 2.5g/kg of
7. Karnal bunt
seed is beneficial
8. Molya nematode Apply temik 10G @ 10kg/ha at sowing time
Insect-Pests:
Wheat is attacked by a number of insects- pests and rodents both in the fields
and in storage. Some insets-pests and their control are following.
S.No Insets-Pests Control
1. Aphids. The spray of imidacloprid @ 20 g a.i. per ha
Treated the seed with chlopyriphos (1g/kg
seed) or fipronil (0.3g/kg seed), broadcast
2. Termites
chlopyriphos mixed soil (3lt. in 40-45 kg
soil) 15 days after sowing.
Army worm and Spray of carbaryl(sevin 50 WP @ 2.5 kg/ha
3.
gram caterpillar in 800lt. of water/ha.
4. Fields rat Use rat trap or drowning them in water.
Harvesting:
The time of harvesting of wheat depends on the type and variety grown. The
wheat crop is usually harvest when the grains become hard and the leaves
become dry and brittle. General time for wheat harvesting in different zones is
given in table.
Wheat growing zones General time of harvesting
Last week of March and continues till mid
NEP zone
April
NWP zone Second fortnight of April
Central zone End of February to March
Second fortnight of February to beginning of
Peninsular zone
March
Hilly zone May-June
Yield:
40-45 q grain and 70-80 q straw/ha may be obtained from dwarf wheat
varieties under irrigated areas. Under rainfed condition, 20-25 q grain and 30-
35 q straw/ha may be obtained. From Deshi wheat varieties, 20-30 q grain and
60-70 q straw/ha may be obtained.
REFERENCES:
1. Indian Crops Ahlawat and Omprakash
2. Major Crops of India Dr. Kali charan Sharma
3. Principles of Agronomy S.R. Raddy
4. Agronomy of field Crops S.R. Raddy