In India, wheat farming has taken an important role after rice. Wheat is a rabi season crop in India. Indian wheat is mostly a soft-to-medium-hard, white-bread wheat with medium protein content. Triticum Aestivum is the official scientific name for wheat. Wheat is a nutritious and wholesome food, but many people only cultivate a small amount of it to meet their daily dietary needs.
Given that it has a higher protein content than maize and rice, wheat is undoubtedly the greatest cereal grain. It is also regarded as the world’s best staple food nowadays. Additionally, it is used to make a variety of foods such as pasta, noodles, bread, biscuits, cereal, cookies, and cakes.
A major increase in the productivity of what has been observed in the states of Haryana, Punjab, and UP. and higher area coverage is reported from Madhya Pradesh in recent years.
However, wheat farming in India can be very easily done as compared to many other cereal crops. Here is how can start with it.
Processes Of Wheat Cultivation:
Compared to many other cereal crops, wheat can be farmed or grown with great ease. Here’s how you can get started:
Choose A Good Location:
The choice of an ideal location is a crucial aspect of wheat production. You need to look for a location with good soil for growing wheat. You must take into account a number of elements when growing wheat, including soil with a loam texture, good structure, and a reasonable water-holding capacity.
Soil Preparation:
Before beginning to grow wheat, the soil needs to be adequately prepared. You can either use a disc plough or a mouldboard plough to do this. The soil should next be prepared by making one deep plough, two to three light ploughs, and planking. Add organic fertilisers now. In order to grow wheat commercially, one acre of land needs an average of 50 kilogrammes of nitrogen, 25 kg of phosphorus, and 12 kg of potash. As you are preparing the soil, add more organic materials.
Weather Requirements:
There are many agriculture products environments in which wheat plants can be raised and planted. Because of their high adaptability, plants can be grown in temperate, subtropical, and tropical climates. Whether that is damp or cool is best for growing wheat. The optimal temperature for wheat farming is between 21°C and 26°C, although the plants can live in temperatures as high as 35°C.
Pick A Variety:
Around the world, there are numerous types and variations of wheat. The following are some common wheat cultivars that are grown and accessible in India:
- DBW 17
- HD 2851
- HD 2932
- PBW 1 Zn
- PBW Unnat 343
- PDW 233
- WHD 943
- TL 2908, etc
A good rule of thumb is to match the wheat variety you chose to the local climate. To assist you in selecting the ideal wheat type, you can also speak with an experienced farmer in your neighbourhood.
Seeding:
The market has access to wheat seeds with ease. Make sure the seeds you buy are high-yielding, disease-free, and of good quality. Typically, one acre of land needs 40 to 50 kg of seeds. Although the kind and sowing technique affect the precise number of seeds needed.
Planting:
It is necessary to plant the wheat seeds 4 to 5 cm deep in the ground. Always arrange the seeds in rows, with 20–22.5 cm between each row. The seeds must be planted or sown at the proper time, as delayed planting can result in a progressive drop in yield. It is typically sown in India between the end of October and the beginning of November.
Prior to planting, make sure the wheat seeds are properly graded and washed. A fungicide can be used here to treat the seeds.
Caring:
Wheat plants are very resilient and powerful. They typically thrive in a good climate and need little maintenance. And if you take extra precautions, it will be beneficial and guarantee maximum output.
Fertilization: If you have already added fertiliser when preparing the soil, you don’t need to do it again.
Watering: Wheat farming necessitates effective irrigation. Twenty to twenty-five days after the seeds are sown, the first irrigation must be performed. Then, every 20 days, another 4 to 5 irrigations should be performed.
Weed control: The majority of the weeds in your field are manageable when the soil is being prepared. Therefore, be sure to adequately eliminate the weeds. You can utilise a variety of decorations for an additional wedding.
Irrigation In Wheat Farming:
- The first irrigation ought to be applied three to four weeks after sowing.
- The second irrigation should be performed 40 to 45 days following planting.
- 60 to 65 days after planting, perform your third irrigation.
- 80 to 85 days after seeding, perform your fourth watering.
- about 100 to 105 days following seeding, the fifth irrigation.
- around 115 to 120 days after sowing, the sixth irrigation.
Pest & Disease Control:
Numerous diseases and pests, such as termites and aphids, can infect wheat plants. While brown rust, powdery mildew, flag smut, etc. are some of the frequent diseases in wheat plants. Use high-quality pesticides or insecticides to control diseases or pests. You can also speak with an expert who can provide you with sound guidance, the local agriculture extension office, or both.
Harvesting:
When the leaves and stems turn yellow and start to look quite dry, harvesting can begin. Keep in mind that to prevent yield loss, the wheat must be picked before it is completely ripe. As a result, timely harvesting is essential for both optimum quality and maximum wheat output.
The wheat is ready to be harvested when its moisture content reaches between 25 and 30 per cent. There are combine harvesters on the market that can harvest, thresh, and winnow a wheat crop all at once.
Yielding Tips:
The variety and farming techniques affect wheat yield. By fertilising the fields with nitrogen and gypsum, intensifying the wheat farming method by sowing seeds at the right time, and cultivating vegetable peas, the production of wheat can be boosted.
Storage:
Before storing, the grains should be completely dried. The grain’s moisture content has a direct impact on how long it can be stored. Grains with a moisture content of less than 10% keep well. To prevent pests like rats from living in the stored grain, the pits, bins, or godowns should be moisture-proof and fumigated. Rats respond very well to zinc phosphide.
Classification Of Indian Wheat:
Emmer Wheat(Triticum Dioccum Schub L.):
The states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka were said to be growing this kind of. This variety of wheat is thought to have originated from the wild variety T. decides koru. Additionally, it is grown in Russia, Germany, Spain, and Italy.
Macaroni Wheat |(T.Durum Desf.):
Indian farming of macaroni wheat is, nevertheless, thought to be very old. It is the ideal wheat for areas like Punjab, MP, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujrat, West Bengal, and HP that experience droughts or have limited access to irrigation. Macaroni Wheat is employed in the making of suji.
Common Bread Wheat (T.Vulgare Host):
It is the usual wheat grown in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and some areas of Rajasthan, which are alluvial soils of the Indo-Gangetic plains. Therefore, this kind makes up the majority of the Indian crop.
Indian Dwarf Wheat (T.Spherococcum Mihi.):
This is a member of the club wheat for western nations. There are a few places in M.P., U.P., India, and Pakistan where you can find this. These are distinguished by their extremely brief, compact heads with shorter grains.
Triticum Astivum:
This variety is currently grown in practically all of India’s wheat-growing regions. It is mostly used for baking bread.
Wheat Production In India:
Rice is the next most extensively consumed cereal crop in the world after wheat. China leads the world in wheat output, with India coming in second. India’s greatest producer of wheat in Uttar Pradesh. India’s wheat production is closely followed by Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh.
Wheat productivity was extremely low during India’s independence period (663 Kg per hectare in 1950–1951). This clearly wasn’t enough to feed the Indian populace. India used to import wheat primarily from the US as a result.
But in 1961, the Indian government established a commission to investigate the reasons behind the low yield of wheat. The causes discovered were:
- tall-growing vegetation
- high likelihood of illness
- considerably decreased ability to adjust to changes in the climate
Crops that are grown for a longer period of time exposes to climate change for longer. The 1960s’ green revolution is to thank for this. The situation drastically shifted, and India quickly achieved wheat self-sufficiency.
Conclusion:
So the process of wheat farming is the main topic here. It is the best cereal food and offers more nutrition to people than any other type of food. Due to the wheat plant’s agronomic versatility, ease of grain storage, and simplicity of turning grain into flour for generating edible, tasty, intriguing, and gratifying dishes, wheat is a significant dietary component.
The primary food and economic source for millions of smallholder farmers, wheat are grown in almost every region of the world. According to the authors, global food and nutritional security depend on foods based on wheat.