DESPITE a considerable increase in the support price of wheat, the availability of fertilisers at subsidised rates, enough certified seeds of high yield, and better government policies, the crop target of 25 million tons set by the government for the next year appears to be not viable.

Although these incentives have motivated the growers to increase the area under cultivation, the major factors feared to hamper the crop yield are the low support prices of rice, delayed supply of wheat seed to farmers by the agriculture department, late picking of cotton (December/January) in cotton belt and reduced supply of irrigation water at the sowing time.

These factors may also result in late sowing of wheat in these areas. Planting time along with variety selection has important impact on obtaining better crop output. These factors not only affect germination, but also crop growth behaviour, number of tillers, number of grains per spike and eventually the yield. To overcome the situation well in time, better agricultural practices and management strategies should be adopted to achieve higher crop yield.

For instance, in rice growing areas wheat sowing is delayed due to late harvesting of basmati varieties, excessive tillage and soil moisture problems (too wet or too dry). Late planting results in linear yield decline of 1-1.5 per cent per day for crops sown after Nov 20, the optimal time for wheat sowing. Moreover, late planting is tied with poor germination and plant stands. Late sown crop may also experience high temperature during grain filling period that also results in shriveled grain further contributing to reduce grain yield.

Most farmers sow wheat by broadcasting the seed into ploughed land and incorporating it by another ploughing wing. Part of the reason for this is residue management problems in fields following rice. The loose straw and stubbles are raked and clog the seed drills. Broadcast seed results in seed placement at many different depths and into different soil moistures, resulting in patchy germination.

A simple low-cost method to achieve good crop stand with improved grain yield under late sown conditions and in marginal saline areas is by seed priming. During seed priming farmers soak wheat seed for 10-12 hours in water, or in two per cent calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution using 1:5 seed to solution volume ratio followed by surface drying in both cases.

Better yield under late sown wheat are the results of improved crop stand, better capture of resources like moisture and nutrients by early and vigorously growing seedlings and ultimately more tillers. Moreover, in case of delay in seed supply from the agricultural department and seed distribution agencies farmers can use seeds in their stock after priming, and can also reduce water requirement by early crop stand using available soil moisture.

Consequently, primed seeds also result in better performance under late sown conditions to suboptimal environmental conditions such as chilling, low soil moisture and high temperature during grain filling period.

Under scarcely available resources especially water, farmers can also practice an improved wheat sowing method called “dry sowing” for efficient water use and to obtain better yield. The method is so called because sowing is done without any water with the help of drills, followed by an immediate irrigation.

Since timely wheat sowing is directly related with yield and grain quality of the harvested produce, timely sown wheat crop performs under best moist and cold conditions.

In cotton-wheat belt wheat sowing is delayed due to late maturing cotton varieties and final picking goes up to December and even January. Heavy insect pest infestation particularly mealy bug attacks also force the problems to get the more pickings and delay their cotton harvesting, so that additional returns may be snatched which in turn results in late sowing of wheat in this belt.

There should be a technology in which farmers could get additional benefits and avoid late sowing without sacrificing more cotton pickings. Although early maturing cotton varieties are available that can gain the maximum boll size up to mid November and cotton can be harvested without any affect on lint quality. But due to poor extension services of the agriculture department, our farmers are ignorant of these varieties.

Relay cropping technology for wheat could be an effective way to overcome the problem in this belt in which farmers could harvest last picking up to the end of December/January without any delay in wheat sowing. Using this technology wheat is broadcast in standing water applied to cotton crop. This would allow better germination and late maturing bolls to gain maximum size and cotton sticks can be harvested after maximum returns. To control weeds if any then proper herbicides can be applied according to the weed flora present. Other practices should be followed as recommended in case of normal sown crop.

In fact relay cropping leads to zero tillage concepts as wheat crop is sown without disturbing the soil and results in improved soil structure, reduced soil compaction and improved soil fertility by maintaining soil organic matter content. Maximum returns can be dreamed from this technology only if the previous cotton crop is properly managed.

In addition, farmers should apply farmyard manure or compost to increase fertility of the soils and thus reduce expenditure by avoiding costly chemical fertilisers. Similarly to reduce production cost different allelopathic water extracts in combination with reduced herbicide doses can be used to control weeds.

Resource constraints are major hurdles in the success of every technology, since laser land leveling is also pre-requisite for the success of dry seeding technology which is out of the farmers’ reach, the government should help small farmers wit such facilities. Dry seeding is a new technology, and the government should acquaint the small farmers with this technology and provide them with the tools and equipment used in this technology.

With some incentives announced for growers there has been an increase in area under cultivation. There is need to announce some more incentives to motivate farmers to increase per hectare yield by adopting latest technologies. The government should organise training programmes for farmers in the four provinces for this purpose also.

The farmers should also be provided financial help on easy terms to purchase agricultural inputs in time. The government should take steps to ensure supply of certified seed and issue permits for the purpose. Every step must be taken by the government to ensure that fertiliser subsidy reaches the growers and they are protected against world market manipulation.

Besides, new canals should also be built to provide irrigation facility to the water-starved farmers of the area. Breeder should be asked to develop seed varieties with high yield and potential to acclimatise to different biotic and abiotic stresses.

Though increase in support price of wheat is a step in the right direction, it is not a long-term solution to the fundamental problems like soil degradation, low productivity, water scarcity, high production costs, lack of modern technology, etc. constraining the growth of agriculture sector.

There is a dire need of integration among farmers, extension department and agricultural research institutes in order to improve the growth rate and crop productivity.