The Hindu Business Line : Wheat grain quality may be hit by rains

PROLONGED rains and hailstorms over the last few days have raised serious concern on the quality of wheat crop due to be harvested from mid-April. Experts fear that this could affect the grain quality, resulting in declined protein content and blackish and lacklustre grains.

However, on grain production, they maintain that as on date, if all goes well, it would be in the range of 75 million tonnes (m.t.).

"This is the time for grains to dry and harden. Continuous rains would increase the moisture content of the grains that could result in lacklustre crop. Moreover, soaked grains may also become blackish in colour," Dr Jag Shoran, who heads the Karnal-based Directorate of Wheat Research (DWR), told Business Line. Continuous rains may also shrink the grain size and affect its development, he added.

"The grains'protein content will decline if these rains continue. The present rains would increase the moisture content in the soil and the nitrogen uptake," said Dr S. Nagarajan, Director, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).

Farmers in the southern Haryana belt of Karnal said at least 40 per cent of the crops had been hit by Monday's hailstorm.

"The present rains are not at all welcome. For a good wheat crop, days should be sunny at this time with temperature hovering between 30-32 degrees Celsius. The night temperatures should be around 18-19 degrees Celsius," said Dr Shoran, adding that with these rains, temperatures have plummeted to 10-15 degrees in certain areas.

"As on date there is lodging in pockets due to these rains. Continuation of rains would definitely impact the crops," said Dr Shoran. With heavy rains, the weight of the grain increases and the soil becomes loose simultaneously. The crop, which has attained a critical height of about one metre, is prone to lodging, more so if there are accompanying fast winds.

Crops require warmth and breeze at this time, not rains and fast winds, said Dr Shoran. Asked about production, Dr Nagarajan said: "Production is not likely to be less than 75 million tonnes (mt). We still have one more month to go and Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and eastern Uttar Pradesh have a very good crop."

"Grain production would be in the range of 75-76 mt," echoed Dr Shoran.

However, farmers should not irrigate unnecessarily any further. They could opt for half irrigation at the most, Dr Nagarajan said.

Gain from pest-resistant seeds

FARMERS in the north-western wheat belt have benefited by sowing pest-resistant seeds.

"The present climatic conditions resulting in high moisture content have created perfect conditions for yellow rust. We were expecting wide-scale devastation due to yellow rust in this condition," said Dr Jag Shoran, Directorate of Wheat Research.

However, seeds sown in 70 per cent of the wheat belt are yellow-pest resistant. "PBW-343, a yellow pest-resistant variety, has been sown in 90 per cent of Punjab, 70 per cent of Haryana and about 50 per cent of western Uttar Pradesh," said Dr Shoran.

"Our field observations show that susceptible seed varieties such as WH-711, HD-2329 and UP-2338 have been affected by yellow rust," he added.

Low temperature and humidity favoured yellow rust, he said.

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