WHEAT (Triticum sp.), PoaceaeORIGIN OF WHEAT:Wheat is believed to have originated in south-western Asia. Some of the earliest remains of the crop have been found in Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. Primitive relatives of present day wheat have been discovered in some of the oldest excavations of the world in eastern Iraq, which date back 9,000 years. Other archaeological findings show that bread wheat was grown in the Nile Valley about 5,000 B.C. as well as in India, China, and even England at about the same time. Wheat was first grown in the United States in 1602 on an island off the Massachusetts coast

Wheat growing states in India

Wheat is grown in India in an area of about 30 Million ha. with a production of 93 Million tonnes. The normal National productivity is about 2.98 tonnes/ha. The major Wheat producing States are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. These States contribute about 99.5% of total Wheat production in the country. Remaining States, namely, Jharkhand, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and other North Eastern States contribute only about 0.5 % of the total Wheat production in the country.

The present status of wheat production in India

Currently, India is second largest producer of Wheat in the world after China with about 12% share in total world Wheat production. Now, India is surplus and in a position to export Wheat in the International Market and can earn foreignexchange. India has exported about 30 lakh tonnes of Wheat worth Rs.1,490 crore during 2001 02. Three species of Wheat namely, (i) T. aestivum, (ii) T. durum and (iii) T. dicoccum are being cultivated in the country

Botanical characteristics of wheat

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 Wheat is an annual grass in the genus Triticum that comprises a large number of wild as well as cultivated species.  The wild species are often weeds.  Cultivated wheat, Triticum aesticum, reaches a height of 2-4 ft.  The flower is a terminal spike or head consisting of 15-20 spikelets that are borne on a zigzag axis. Individual spikelets are sessile and solitary, consisting of 1-5 flowers each.  The mature grain consists of the embryo (6 %), a starchy endosperm (82-86 %), the nitrogenous aleurone layer (3-4 %), and the husk or bran (8-9 %).  The husk is made up of the remains of the nucellus, the integuments of the seed coat and the ovary walls or pericarp. 

Wheat cultivation

Conditions of growth for wheat are more flexible than those of rice. In contrast to rice, wheat is a rabi crop which is sown in the beginning of winter and is harvested in the beginning of summer. The time of sowing and harvesting differs in different regions due to climatic variations.The sowing of wheat crop normally begins in the September-October in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal; October-November in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan and Nov.-Dee. In Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

Wheat cultivation contd….

The harvesting is done in Jan.- Feb. in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, M.P., and in West Bengal; March-April in Punjab, Haryana, U.P. and Rajasthan and in April-May in Himachal Pradesh and J&K. The growing period is variable from one agro climatic zone to other that effects the vegetative and reproductive period leading to differences in potential yield. The important factors affecting the productivity are seeding time and methodology, crop establishment and climatic conditions during the growing season.

Climate for wheat cultivationWheat is primarily a crop of mid-latitude grasslands and requires a cool climate with moderate rainfall. The ideal wheat climate has winter temperature 10° to 15°C and summer temperature varying from 21°C to 26°C. The temperature should be low at the time of sowing but as the harvesting time approaches higher temperatures are required for proper ripening of the crop. But sudden rise in temperature at the time of maturity is harmful.Wheat thrives well in areas receiving an annual rainfall of about 75 cm. Annual rainfall of 100 cm is the highest limit of wheat cultivation. In areas of less than 50 cm annual rainfall, irrigation is necessary for its successful growth. In fact, wheat can be grown in areas with as little as 20-25 cm annual rainfall provided proper irrigation faculties are available.

Improved varieties of wheat

Northern Hills Zone (NHZ)HS-240, VL 907 (2010), SKW 196

(2004), VL 832 (2003), VL 804 (2002), HS 365 (1997), VL 738

(1996)Triticale-TL 2942 (2006)

Irrigated/Rainfed, Medium Fertility, Timely Sown

VL-829,HS-277, HPW 251 (2007), VL 829 (2002)

Rainfed, Medium Fertility, Early Sown

HS-375(Himgiri), HS-207, HS-420 (Shivalik), HS 490 (2007), VL 892

(2007), HS 295 (1992)

Irrigated/Rainfed, Medium Fertility, Late Sown

HS375 (Himgiri), HPW42, SKW 196 (2004), VL 832 (2003), HS 365 (1997)

Very High Altitude

Improved varieties of wheat

Noth Western Plains Zone (NWPZ)HD2687,WH-147, WH-542,

PBW-343, WH-896(d), PDW-233(d), UP-2338, PBW-502, Shresth (HD

2687), Aditya (HD 2781)

Irrigated, High Fertility,Timely Sown

PBW-435, UP-2425, PBW-373, Raj-3765

Irrigated, Medium Fertility, Late Sown

Improved varieties of wheatNorth Eastern Plain Zone (NEPZ)

PBW-443, PBW-502, HD-2733, K-9107, HD-2824(Poorva), HUW-468, NW-

1012, HUW-468, HP-1731, Poorva (HD 2824)

Irrigated,High Fertility,Timely Sown

Raj-3765, HD-2643, NW-1014, NW-2036, HUW-234, HW-2045, HP-1744,

DBW-14

Irrigated, Medium Fertility, Late Sown

HDR77, K8027, K8962 Rainfed, Low Fertility, Late Sown

HD-2888 Rainfed, Timely Sown

Improved varieties of wheatCentral Zone (CZ)

DL-803-3, GW-273, GW-190, Lok-1, Raj-1555, HI-8498(d), HI-

8381(d)

Irrigated, High Fertility, Timely Sown

DL-788-2, GW-173, NI-5439, MP-4010, GW-322, Urja (HD

2864)

Irrigated, Medium Fertility, Late Sown

C-306, Sujata, HW-2004, HI-1500, HD-4672(d), JWS-17

Rainfed, Low Fertility, Timely Sown

Improved varieties of wheatPeninsular Zone (PZ)

DWR-195, HD-2189,DWR-1006(d), MACS-2846(d),

DWR-2001(di), Raj-4037, DDK-1009(di)

Irrigated,High Fertility,Timely Sown

HUW-510, NIAW-34, HD-2501, HI-1977,Pusa Tripti (HD-2833)

Irrigated, Medium Fertility, Late Sown

A9-30-1, K-9644,NIAW-15(d), HD-2380 Rainfed, Low Fertility,Timely Sown

Southern Hills Zone (SHZ)HW-2044, HW-1085, NP-200(di), HW-

741Rainfed, Low Fertility, Timely Sown

HUW-318, HW-741, HW-517, NP-200(di), HW-1085

Irrigated, High Fertility, Timely Sown

Uses of wheat

The properties that make wheat suitable in food products gluten (protein) and starch also make wheat functional in nonfood and industrial applications. Wheat gluten is unique due to its ability to be elastic, bind water and form films that can be stabilized with heat. These properties render wheat gluten useful for the preparations of adhesives, coatings, polymers and resins.

Industrial uses of wheat

Straw Particle Board (wood) One-Acre of wheat stubble produces approximately two bales of wheat straw. 64 pounds of wheat straw produce on sheet of strawboard 4" x8" 1/2 thick. Primary uses of strawboard include ready to assemble furniture, flooring a, foundation for lamination and kitchen cabinets.

Paper Wheat starch makes paper stronger. Five billion pounds of starch are sued in the manufacturing of paper per year in the U.S.

Adhesives (Many types) Starch is used as an adhesive on postage stamps and is used to hold the bottom of paper grocery sacks together.

Wheat field

Wheat spikelet

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