Wheat Crop Full Notes

Wheat Crop Study Guide – Agriculture Notes
Agronomy

WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.)

The King of Cereals & Backbone of Global Food Security

Chromosome Number
2n = 42

1. Introduction & Importance

Botanical Profile

Common NameWheat
Botanical NameTriticum aestivum L.
FamilyPoaceae (Gramineae)
OriginSouth-West Asia (Fertile Crescent)
PollinationSelf-pollinated
Photosynthetic PathwayC3 Pathway
Fruit TypeCaryopsis
Economic PartGrain

Global & National Status

Importance Second most important cereal crop globally (after Rice)
Key Proteins Gluten (essential for baking)

Nutritional Value Highlights

Remarkably rich in carbohydrates, dietary proteins, minerals, and gluten.

Carbs
High
Protein
Rich
Gluten
Present

2. Species & Ploidy Levels

Major Cultivated Species

Triticum aestivum
Common Bread Wheat
Hexaploid (2n = 42)
Triticum durum
Durum / Macaroni Wheat
Tetraploid (2n = 28)
Triticum dicoccum
Emmer Wheat
Tetraploid (2n = 28)

Key Uses & Traits

SpeciesPrimary Utility
Bread WheatChapatis, breads, and general baking.
Durum WheatPasta, semolina, and macaroni products.
Emmer WheatTraditional regional dishes.

3. Climate, Soil & Sowing

Optimum Season
Rabi Crop
Cool winter grower
Rainfall Zone
75–100 cm
Moderate moist fields
Soil Requirements
pH 6.5–7.5
Well-drained clay loam

Critical Phase Temperatures

Germination20–25°C
Tillering16–20°C
Grain Filling20–25°C

Sowing Standards

North India WindowMid-November
Crop Spacing22.5 × 10 cm
Seed TreatmentCarbendazim @ 2 g/kg

4. Seed Rates & Crop Nutrition

Sowing Conditions & Seed Rates

Sowing TimingSeed Rate
Timely Sown Irrigated100 kg/ha
Late Sown Conditions125 kg/ha

Recommended Fertilizer Management

Nutrient ComponentApplication Details
Macro Ratio (N:P₂O₅:K₂O)120 : 60 : 40 kg/ha
Zinc Sulphate25 kg/ha where deficient

5 & 6. Irrigation & Critical Water Milestones

Total Water Requirement

450–600 mm

Total Irrigations

5–7 Rounds

Most Critical Stage

CRI Stage

CRI Timeline

20–25 DAS

Critical Irrigation Schedule

Irrigation PhaseDAS (Days After Sowing)Critical Development & Importance
Crown Root Initiation (CRI) 20–25 DAS Most Critical Stage; crown roots develop & productive tillers form
Tillering Stage 40–45 DAS Productive tiller formation and expansion
Jointing Stage 60–65 DAS Stem elongation phase
Booting Stage 80–85 DAS Spike formation and development
Flowering Stage 95–100 DAS Pollination processes and early grain setting
Milk Stage 110–115 DAS Active grain filling with liquid starch
Dough Stage 125–130 DAS Grains firm up; crucial for dry test weight & quality

7 & 8. Weed Ecology & Control

Critical Crop-Weed Competition Period: 30–45 DAS

Classification & Mimicry

Major Mimicry Weed
Phalaris minor (Little Seed Canary Grass / Gulli Danda)
Closely resembles wheat in vegetative stages, making hand weeding difficult
Important Broad-Leaved Weeds
Chenopodium album (Bathua)
Melilotus indica (Senji)

Chemical Control Strategy

HerbicideDose / TimeControls
Pendimethalin 30% EC3.3 L/ha (Pre-emergence)Grassy + Broad-leaved
Clodinafop-propargyl400 g/ha @ 30–35 DASPhalaris minor
Metsulfuron-methyl20 g/ha @ 30–35 DASBroad-leaved weeds
Sulfosulfuron 75% WG25 g/ha @ 30–35 DASGrassy weeds

9 & 10. Plant Protection (Pathology & Entomology)

Wheat Rusts & Smuts

DiseaseCausal OrganismKey Diagnostic SymptomsManagement Remedy
Yellow Rust (Stripe) Puccinia striiformis Yellow stripes of pustules on leaves Propiconazole spray
Brown Rust (Leaf) Puccinia triticina Orange-brown scattered pustules Propiconazole spray
Black Rust (Stem) Puccinia graminis Dark black pustules on stems; lodging risk Tebuconazole spray
Loose Smut Ustilago tritici Earhead turns into black powdery spores Seed Treatment with Carboxin
Karnal Bunt Tilletia indica Few grains become black with rotten fishy odour Tebuconazole spray, crop rotation

Major Insect Pests

Insect PestScientific NameNature of Field DamageEffective Control Measure
Termite Odontotermes obesus Feeds on roots/stems; causes drying in patches Fipronil / Chlorpyrifos seed treatment
Wheat Aphid Sitobion avenae Sucks sap from foliage and emerging spikelets Imidacloprid spray
Armyworm Mythimna separata Caterpillars aggressively defoliate during cloudy weather Emamectin benzoate

11. Harvesting & Storage

Moisture at Harvest
18–20%
Moisture for Safe Storage
10–12%
Critical Storage Fact
Must prevent grain damping

12. Important Varieties

DBW 377 (Karan Bold)
2024

Early sown high fertility; highly rust tolerant.

DBW 327 (Karan Shivani)
2021

Biofortified (High Zinc: 40.6 ppm); heat & drought tolerant.

DBW 187 (Karan Vandana)
2019/21

Biofortified with exceptionally high Iron content.

HD CSW 18
Special

First variety built for Conservation Agriculture.

• HD 2967: Famous mega-variety covering massive crop acreage in India.
• HD 3226: Possesses multiple rust resistance & high protein (12.8%).
• DBW 303: Exceptional yield; resistant to rusts and Wheat Blast.

13 & 14. Key Research Institutes

IIWBR

ICAR-IIWBR

HQ: Karnal, Haryana (Est. 2014)

IARI

Indian Agricultural Research Institute

HQ: New Delhi (Originally Pusa, Bihar)

CIMMYT

CIMMYT

HQ: El Batán, Mexico (Est. 1966)

15. High-Yield PYQs

Q: What is the most critical irrigation stage in wheat?
A: Crown Root Initiation (CRI) at 20–25 DAS (DSSSB / IBPS AFO)
Q: Which herbicide controls Phalaris minor?
A: Clodinafop-propargyl (NABARD)
Q: Name the first wheat variety developed for Conservation Agriculture.
A: HD CSW 18 (FCI)
Q: What causes Loose Smut of wheat?
A: Ustilago tritici (Internally Seed-Borne) (FCI)
Q: Name the biofortified variety rich in Zinc.
A: DBW 327 (Karan Shivani) (NABARD)

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