WHEAT (KANAK/GEHU)

Wheat is an important cereal grain next to rice and important staple food of India. It is rich source of protein, vitamin and fiber. In India, it is mainly grown in Rabi (winter) season. Its three species, namely Triticum aestivum, Triticum durum and Triticum dicoccum are cultivated in the country. India is the fourth largest producer of wheat in the world and accounts for 8.7 percent of the world’s total production.
 
In Uttarakhand state total cultivation of wheat is done in 0.1 million acre of land and the production of wheat is 0.7tonne/acre.

It is grown in variety of soils of India. Soils with a clay loam or loam texture, good structure and moderate water holding capacity are ideal for wheat cultivation. Very poros and soil having less water holding capacity are not suitable for wheat cultivation. Under dry condition, heavy soil with good drainage are suitable for cultivation. Heavy soils with poor structure and poor drainage are not suitable as wheat is sensitive to water logging.

Irrigated timely sown varieties:    

UP 2785: The variety is sown in November month. It gives an average yield of 22qtl/acre.

UP 2382: The variety matures in 125-135 days and gives an average yield of 23qtl/acre. The variety is susceptible to brown rust.

UP 2785: The variety matures in 140 days. The plant attains the height of 90-100cm.

UP 2628: The variety matures in 138 days. The plant attains the height of 90-100cm.

UP 2554: The variety matures in 135 days. The plant attains the height of 90-100cm.

DBW 17: The variety matures in 130-135 days and gives an average yield of 21-23qtl/acre. The variety is resistant to brown rust and karnal bunt.

PBW 502: The plant possesses the height of 86cm. Suitable for timely sown irrigated conditions. It is resistant to leaf rust and stripe rust.

PBW 343: Suitable for irrigated and late sown areas. The variety is ready to harvest in 130-135days. It is resistant to lodging, water logging conditions. It is also resistant to karnal bunt and tolerant to blight. It gives average yield of 19-20qtl/acre.

PBW 550: The variety matures in 135 days. The plant attains the height of 90-100cm. The variety is resistant to red rot.

WH 542: The variety matures in 130-135 days and gives an average yield of 19-20qtl/acre. The variety is resistant to yellow rust.

UP 2554: The variety matures in 130-135 days and gives an average yield of 19-20qtl/acre. The variety is resistant to brown rust and karnal bunt and is tolerant to blight.

PDW 291 (Durum), PDW 251 (Durum), WH 896 (Durum) and PDW 233 (Durum) are timely sown irrigated varieties.

Irrigated late sown varieties:

UP 2748: Suitable for late sowing i.e. it is mainly sown in December month. It gives an average yield of 18qtl/acre. The variety is good for making chapatis and bread.
 
DBW 16: Recommended for late sown area under irrigated conditions.

PBW 373: The variety matures in 120-125 days and gives an average yield of 17-18qtl/acre. The variety is resistant to many diseases and is moderately resistant to karnal bunt.

RAJ 3765: The variety matures in 120-125 days and gives an average yield of 15-16qtl/acre. The variety is moderately susceptible to karnal bunt.

UP 2565: The variety matures in 125 days. The plant attains the height of 100-110cm.
 
UP 2526: The variety matures in 125 days. The plant attains the height of 100-110cm.

UP 2425: Recommended for late sown area under irrigated conditions.

PBW 226: Recommended for late sown area under irrigated conditions.

Rainfed timely sown varieties:

PBW 396: The variety matures in 136-140 days and it gives an average yield of 15-16qtl/acre. The plant attains the height of 80-90cm.
 
PBW 299: The plant of this variety attains the height of 100cm. It is a double dwarf variety. The variety is resistant to yellow rust, brown rust and karnal bunt. It gives an average yield of 12-14qtl/acre and it matures in 165 days.

WH 533: Recommended for timely sown under rainfed conditions. 
 

Wheat crop requires a well pulverized but compact seed-bed for good and uniform germination. After harvest of previous crop, the field should be ploughed with disc or mould board plough. Take one deep ploughing followed by two or three harrowing with disc harrow and 2-3 planking should be given to prepare a well pulverized seed bed. For good germination, apply pre-sowing irrigation 7-10 days before sowing. Carried out ploughing in evening time and kept furrow open whole night to absorb some moisture from dew. Planking should be done after each ploughing early in the morning.
 
In rain-fed areas, to protect crop from termite attacked, treat seeds with Chlorpyriphos 20EC@700ml per 100 kg of seed by mixing in 5 litres of water. After then dry seeds in shade.

Time of sowing:
In plain areas late varieties should be grown in first fortnight of November and early varieties should be grown in second fortnight of November. In hilly irrigated areas sowing is done till first week of November, in rainfed hilly areas sowing is done in end-October and in high hilly areas sowing is done in mid-October.
 
Spacing
For normal sown crop a spacing of 20 - 22.5 cm between rows is recommended. When sowing is delayed a closer spacing of 15-18 cm should be adopted.
 
Sowing Depth
For tall varieties use sowing depth of 6-7 cm where as for other varieties use sowing depth of 5-6 cm.

Method of sowing
Sowing can be done manually by
1. Seed drill
2. Broadcasting method
 

Seed rate:
For timely sown varieties, use seed rate of 40-45kg/acre.
 
Seed Treatment
To protect seed from Termite, false smut, loose smut treat seed with Chlorpyriphos@4ml/kg of seed or Tebuconazole 2 DS@1.5-1.87gm/kg of seed or with Carbendazim or Thiram@2gm/kg of seed 24 hours before sowing. After chemical treatment, treat seed with Trichoderma viride 1.15 % WP@4gm/kg of seed.
 

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

Application of Urea@110kg/acre, SSP@156kg/acre and MOP@20kg/acre should be done. 1/3rd dose of nitrogen and full dose of phosphorus and potash should be done at the time of last ploughing and at the time of land preparation. Rest of nitrogen is added in two equal splits. First half nitrogen dose is added after first irrigation (20-25 days) and second nitrogen dose is added after second irrigation (40-45 days).

If zinc deficiency is seen in the soil then zinc sulphate@8-10kg/acre is added at the time of ploughing. For more yield well decomposed cow dung is added@4-5kg/acre after 10-15 days of seed sowing.   

Cultural and Preventive: Cultural practices such as time and method of sowing, crop density and geometry, crop varieties, dose, method and time of fertilizer application, time and method of irrigation have pronounced effect on crop-weed interference. Use clean wheat seed that is free from weed seeds. Pull out weeds before seed setting. Keep irrigation channels free from weeds.
 
Chemical weed control: Preferred because of less labor requirement and no mechanical damage during manual weeding. As pre-emergence, apply Pendimethalin (Stomp 30EC)@1320ml/acre at 0-3 days after sowing in 200liters of water/acre.
 
Broad leaf weeds control: Apply 2, 4-D@ 0.2-0.4Kg/acre, 25-30 days after sowing (after the crop has received its first irrigation at CRI stage). Fluroxypur@0.08-0.24kg/acre is a good alternative to 2, 4-D for controlling broad leaf weeds.
Spray the herbicides, both pre and post emergence, when there is sufficient moisture in the soil. Spray on clear and sunny days.
If mixed weeds are a problem, at 30-35 days, spray 160gm Clodinafop-propargyl + Metsulfuron-Methyl ready mix +500ml Surfactant /200Ltr water/acre.
 

The number of irrigations required will vary depending upon soil type, water availability etc. Crown root initiation and heading stages are the most critical to moisture stress. For dwarf high yielding varieties, give pre sowing irrigation. Four to six irrigations are enough for wheat crop. First irrigation should be given 20-25days after sowing. This is crown root initiation stage and moisture stress at this stage will lead to yield loss. In cooler regions like hilly tracts and in late sown wheat, it is desirable to apply 1s irrigation approximately 25-30 DAS. At tillering stage within 40-45days after sowing, apply second irrigation. Do third irrigation within 70-75 days after sowing at late jointing stage. At flowering stage (within 90-95days) give fourth irrigation. Give fifth irrigation at dough stage (within 110-115DAS).
Under limited water supply apply irrigation only at critical stage. When only one irrigation is available then water at crown root initiation stage. When two irrigations are available then apply at crown root initiation and flowering stage. Where three irrigations are a possible, 1st irrigation should be given at CRI stage and 2nd at late jointing (boot) and 3rd at milking stage. CRI stage is most important stage for irrigation. It has been found that each week delay in 1st irrigation from CRI stage results in yield reduction of 80-120kg per acre.

• Pest and their control:
  

Aphid: These are nearly transparent, soft-bodied sucking insects. When present in sufficient numbers, aphids can cause yellowing and premature death of leaves. Infestation usually occurs during second fortnight of January till crop harvesting.
 
For management of Aphid, use Chrysoperla predator 5-8 thousand/acre or use 50 ml/litre neem concentrate. In cloudy weather infestation of aphid is occurred. Spray with Thiamethoxam @ 80 gram or Imidacloprid 40-60ml/ acre in 100 litre of water.

Termite: Termites attack the crop at various growth stages, from seedlings to maturity. The severely damaged plants can be easily uprooted and look wilted and dried. In case roots are partially damaged, the plants show yellowing. To control broadcast 1 litre of Chlorpyriphos 20 EC mix with 20 kg sand/acre then applies a light irrigation.

• Disease and their control:
  

Flag smut: It is seed borne disease. Infection spread through wind. It is favored by cool, humid conditions during flowering period of the host plant. Treat the seed with fungicides like carboxyl (Vitavax 75 WP @ 2.5 gram/kg of seed), Carbendazim (Bavistin 50 WP)@2.5 gram/kg seed), Tebuconazole(Raxil 2 DS)@1.25 gram/kg of seed) if the disease level in the seed lot is high. If it is low to moderate, treat the seed with a combination of Trichoderma viride@4 gram/kg seed) and half the recommended dose of Carboxin (Vitavax 75 WP)@1.25 gram/kg seed.

Powdery mildew: Grayish white powdery growth appears on the leaf, sheath, stem and floral parts. Powdery growth later become black lesion and cause drying of leaves and other parts. When incidence of disease is observed, spray with wettable sulphur@2 gram/litre of water or Carbendazim @400gm/acre. In case of high incidence, spray with Propiconazole@2 ml/litre of water.

Brown rust: It is favored by warm temperatures (15-30° C) and humid conditions. Brown rust is characterized by reddish- brown spores that occur in oval or elongated pustules. The disease can develop rapidly when free moisture is available and temperatures are near 20° C. Successive generations of urediospores can be produced every 10-14 days if conditions are favorable.
 
For control of this disease, follow mixed cropping with suitable crops. Avoid excessive use of Nitrogen fertilizer. Spray of Zineb Z-78@400 gram/acre or Propiconazole @2ml/litre of water.

Karnal bunt: It is seed and soil borne disease. Infection occurs at flowering stage. Cloudy weather condition during spike emergence to grain filling stage of crop leads to development of disease. If the rains occur during the month of February in north Indian plains (disease-prone areas), the disease is likely to come with higher severity.
 
For control of this disease, use karnal bunt resistant varieties. For management of this disease, take one spray of Propiconazole (Tilt 25 EC) @2ml/litre of water at ear head emergence stage.

Stripe/Yellow rust: The ideal growth conditions for yellow rust are temperatures of between 8-13° C for spore germination and penetration, and 12-15° C for further development and with free water. The yield penalties from yellow rust in wheat can range from 5% to as high as 30% in high disease pressure scenarios. The pustules of stripe rust, which, contain yellow to orange-yellow urediospores, usually form narrow stripes on the leaves.
 
For control of this disease, use rust resistant variety. Follow crop rotation and adopt mix cropping pattern. Avoid excess use of Nitrogen. When symptom observed, do dusting of Sulphur @5-10 kg/acre.
 

Harvesting of high yielding dwarf variety is carried out when leaves and stem turn yellow and become fairly dry. To avoid loss in yield crop should be harvested before it is dead ripe. Timely harvesting is needed for optimum quality and consumer acceptance. The right stage for harvesting is when moisture in grain reaches to 25-30%. For manual harvesting use serrate edge sickles. Combines harvester are also available which can do harvesting, threshing and winnowing of wheat crop in single operation.

After manual harvesting, dried crops for three to four days on threshing floor so that moisture content of grain comes down to 10-12 percent and then threshing is done by trampling bullocks or thresher attached to bullocks. Direct sun drying and excessive drying should be avoided and the grains should be packed in sound clean gunny bags to minimize the losses.
 
Improve storage structures: For storage of grains on small-scale use PAU bin, Pusa bin and Hapur tekka. The PAU bin is designed by Punjab Agricultural University it is galvanized metal iron structure having capacity ranges from 1.5 to 15 quintals. Pusa bin storage structure is made of mud or bricks with a polythene film embedded within the walls. While the Hapur tekka is a cylindrical rubberized cloth structure supported by bamboo poles on a metal tube base, and has a small hole in the bottom through which grain can be removed. Large scale grain storage is done in CAP (Cover and Plinth) and silos.
 
To keep away several pest and disease during storage, use 1% Malathion solution for disinfection of gunny bags. Properly clean the storage house, remove the cracks and fill the rat burrows with cement. White wash the storage house before storing grains and spray of Malathion 50EC@3litre/100 Sq.meters. Place the heap of bags 50 cm away from wall and in between the heaps give some gaps. Also there should be a gap between the roof and the bags.