Published May 25, 2023
Wheat is a vital cereal crop for food and nutrition in India. It is used for making chapati, bread, biscuits, etc. Wheat bran is also a good animal feed.
There are three types of wheat: bread wheat, durum wheat and dicoccum wheat. Bread wheat is the most common and widely grown. Durum wheat is used for pasta and couscous. Dicoccum wheat is an ancient variety.
Wheat can grow in different soils, but loamy soils are ideal. Make sure you plant it when the climate is chill, as wheat prefers cold climates at the sapling stage (10-15°C) and when it grows up it prefers a warmer weather (21-26°C).
The land should be ploughed, harrowed and leveled before sowing. Weeds or stones might hamper growth, so make sure you remove every last bit. Keep the soil at a 6.5 to 8.5 pH level.
Wheat is sown from October to January. The seed rate depends on the variety and method. The recommended seed rate is 75-125 kg/ha.
In general, wheat is harvested from February to May. The crop is ready when the grains are hard and the straw is yellow. The crop should be harvested at low moisture (12-14%).