As many farmers are planting wheat very late this year due to delayed harvesting of sugarcane, cotton, paddy, mustard and potato, the Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR) has recommended some varieties as best suited for each State. In addition, it has asked them to complete it by December 25. The Centre has been taking various steps, including fixing a target to cover 60 per area under climate-resilient varieties, in view of a warmer-than-normal winter beign predicted.
“Now that the normal sowing window for wheat is over, the late varieties can be sown, which are of shorter duration and lower yield,” scientists said. Besides, the planting should be ideally completed by December 21 so that the crop gets enough time to mature and also reduce impact of any higher temperature during grain filling stage, scientists said.
According to the advisory issued by IIWBR, the research body of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for wheat crop, PBW 752, PBW 771, DBW 173, JKW 261, HD 3059, WH 1021 varieties have been recommended for the North-West plain of Punjab, Haryana, parts of Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh.
For East UP, Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand, IIWBR has suggested DBW 316, PBW 833, DBW 107, HD 3118 varieties and for Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan farmers should go for HD 3407, HI 1634, CG 1029, MP 3336 varieties. However, HD 3271, HI 1621 and WR 544 can be sown anywhere in these States.
“While sowing late, 125 kg of any of these seed varieties in each hectare should be used and the row-to-row spacing should be kept at 18 cm,” said Gyanendra Singh, Director of IIWBR. He also said one-third of nitrogen (N) and full phosphorus (P) and potash (K) at the beginning of sowing, and the remaining N in two equal splits at the first and second rounds of irrigation should be applied.
“For controlling weeds, spraying of Pyroxasulfone 85 @60gm/acre can be used,” the advisory said.