Wheat Crop Management

 

Wheat Crop

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Wheat is grown on 13 percent of the cropped area of India. Next to rice, wheat is the most important food-grain of India and is the staple food of millions of Indians, particularly in the northern and north-western parts of the country.
It is rich in proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates and provides balanced food. India is the fourth largest producer of wheat in the world after Russia, the USA and China and accounts for 8.7% of the world’s total production of wheat.

SOIL

Soils with a clay loam or loam texture, good structure and moderate water holding capacity are ideal for wheat cultivation. Heavy soil with good drainage is suitable for wheat cultivation under dry conditions.

LAND PREPARATION

After harvest of previous crop, the field should be ploughed with disc or mould board plough. Field is usually prepared by giving one deep plough with iron plough followed by two or three times local plough and planking. Carried out plough in evening time and kept furrow open whole night to absorb some moisture from dew. Planking should be done after each plough early in the morning.

SOWING- Time of sowing

Wheat must be sown at the optimum time. Delayed sowing causes a gradual decline in the yield of wheat. The time of sowing is 25 October – November.

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

The sowing depth should be 4-5 cm.

Method of sowing

For sowing different methods of planting such as- 

  1. Seed drill
    2. Broadcasting method
    3. Zero tillage drill
    4. Rotavator

SEED Rate

Use seed rate of 45 kg per acre. The seed should be cleaned and graded thoroughly before sowing.

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

UREA DAP or SSP MURIATE OF POTASH ZINC
110 55 or 100 20 –

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

NITROGEN PHOSPHORUS POTASH
50 25 12