08 Dec Improved wheat cultivation practices in Central India
मध्य भारत में उन्नत गेहूं की खेती के तरीके Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops in India which is being cultivated in an area of 30.54 mha with a production of 106.41 mt in 2021-22. Wheat is being cultivated in 5 different zones in India viz., Northern Hilly Zone (NHZ), North Western Plains Zone (NWPZ, North Eastern Plains Zone (NEPZ), Central Zone (CZ), and Peninsular Zone (PZ). The Central Zone consists of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Kota, and Udaipur divisions of Rajasthan and the Jhansi division of Uttar Pradesh. Among Central Zone states, Madhya Pradesh is the major producer of wheat with a production of 22.4 mt and an area of 6.5 mha. Both species of wheat viz., durum and bread wheat are being cultivated in Madhya Pradesh. Bread wheat is used for making chapattis, bread, and biscuits. Durum wheat is used in making daliya, pasta, and semolina. Wheat production and productivity in Central India are affected by many biotic (stem and leaf rusts, termites, lepidopteran pests, etc.) and abiotic factors (drought, heat, etc.). Wheat production can be improved by adopting new high-yielding, disease-resistant wheat varieties, and improved production practices. Varieties are to be chosen based on the time of sowing and irrigation water availability (Table 1). Table 1: Wheat varieties recommended for...