WHEAT Triticum aestivum (2n = 42) Poeaceae
Introduction
- Wheat is grown on more land area worldwide than any other crop and is a close third to rice and corn in total world production.
- With a production reaching ten times in past five years, India is today the second largest wheat producer in the whole world.
- Various studies and researches show that wheat and wheat flour play an increasingly important role in the management of Indias food economy.
- Wheat production is about 70 million tonnes per year in India and counts for approximately 12 per cent of world production.
- Being the second largest in population, it is also the second largest in wheat consumption after China, with a huge and growing wheat demand.
- Major wheat growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar. All of north is replenished with wheat cultivation.
- Wheat has a narrow geographic land base of production as compared to rice or pulses. Wheat is a temperate crop requiring low temperatures and most of the country is tropical.
- Indias wheat production increase is driven principally by yield growth and by shift in production from other crops to wheat and an increase in cropping intensity.
- Among the major factors that affect yield, fertilizer use appears to have less effect in recent years while expansion in irrigated and high yielding variety (HYV) area seem to play a more important role in raising yield.
- Depending on the population and income growth, poverty alleviation and the rate of urbanization, a demand-supply gap may open at a rate of about 1 to 2 per cent per year, which is equivalent to 0.7 to 1.4, million tonnes of wheat, growing larger over the years.
- Promoting rapid economic development and income growth in India which embraces the poor and particularly the rural poor, may lead to considerable growth in demand for wheat and thus an expansion in trade opportunities.
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Origin And Diffusion
- Wheat is the leading food crop in world farming. It is main food crop of temperate zone.
- It is a plastic crop. It is also extended to warm regions of temperate and sub tropics to tropical low lands.
- It is one of the most ancient crops of the world.
- Its cultivation began in the Neolithic period. Bread wheat is known to have been grown in the Nile valley by 5000 B.C., and its apparently later cultivation in other regions (e.g., the Indus and Euphrates valleys by 4000 B.C., China by 2500 B.C., and England by 2000 B.C.) indicate that it spread from Mediterranean centers of domestication.
- The civilizations of W Asia and of the European peoples have been largely based on wheat, while rice has been more important in E Asia.
- Since agriculture began, wheat has been the chief source of bread for Europe and the Middle East.
- It was introduced into Mexico by the Spaniards c.1520 and into Virginia by English colonists early in the 17th cent.
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Classification of wheat
1. Emmer wheat: Triticum dicoccum
This wheat is grown in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It is grown in Spain, Italy, Germany and Russia. It was developed from T. diccoides koru. a wild form.
2. Macaroni wheat: Triticum durum
It is drought tolerant and cultivated in Punjab, M.P., Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, W.B and H.P. It is used for suji preparation. It is grown in Italy, USA, Canada, and Russia. They are descended from emmer wheat.
3. Common bread wheat: Triticum vulgare
It is a typical wheat of alluvial soils of Indo Gangetic plains i.e. Punjab, U.P., Bihar and parts of Rajasthan. Bulk of Indian crop consists of this type.
4. Indian dwarf wheat: Triticum spherococcum
This is found in limited areas of M.P., U.P. of India and in Pakistan. They are characterized by very short and compact heads having shorter grains. This belongs to the club wheat of western countries.
5. Bread Wheat: Triticum aestivum
This is the type presently grown in India in almost all the wheat-growing zones. It is introduced in India by Dr. N.E. Borlaug of Mexico and called as Mexican dwarf wheat. It is the bread wheat.
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Area and Production
Wheat Area, Production and Productivity in
the World during 2013
Country
|
Area (ha)
|
Production (Mt)
|
Yield (Kg/ha)
|
World |
215,765,044
|
627,130,584
|
2906
|
Argentina |
5,735,000
|
14,560,000
|
2538
|
Australia |
11,991,000
|
20,376,000
|
1699
|
Brazil |
2,781,219
|
5,962,604
|
2143
|
Canada |
9,862,400
|
25,860,400
|
2622
|
China |
21,730,100
|
91,330,265
|
4202
|
France |
5,235,267
|
39,704,764
|
7584
|
Germany |
3,112,000
|
25,427,000
|
8170
|
India |
26,620,000
|
72,060,000
|
2707
|
Iran, Islamic Rep of |
6,750,000
|
14,000,000
|
2074
|
Italy |
2,352,675
|
8,628,758
|
3667
|
Kazakhstan |
11,784,600
|
9,942,300
|
843
|
Pakistan |
8,176,000
|
19,767,000
|
2417
|
Russian Federation |
22,919,900
|
45,412,712
|
1981
|
Ukraine |
5,538,700
|
17,517,700
|
3162
|
United States of America |
20,234,100
|
58,737,800
|
2902
|
Source: FAO stat Citation
- Global production of wheat is now approximately 627 million
tons, with an area of 215 million Ha. Wheat is Asia's second
most important staple and has been growing much faster than
rice. It now makes up 19.2 percent of total calorie supply.
Asia is the leader in all three-growth parameters-area,
output, and yield.
- In Asia India, China and Pakistan are the major Wheat
producers.
- India is the world leader in Wheat Acreage where as China
stands first in terms of production.
- These countries are followed by Russia and United states
in terms of area and production.
- Wheat now provides one-fifth of total developing country
food supply, up from 15 percent in the early 1970s.
Wheat Area, Production and Productivity in
India from 2000-01 to 2012-2013
Year
|
Area (000ha)
|
Productivity (000tonns)
|
Yield (quintals/ha)
|
2000-01
|
25731
|
69681
|
27.1
|
2001-02
|
26350
|
72766
|
27.6
|
2002-03
|
24860
|
65096
|
26.2
|
2003-04
|
26600
|
72160
|
27.1
|
2004-05
|
26380
|
68640
|
26.0
|
2005-06
|
26480
|
69350
|
26.0
|
2006-07 |
27990
|
75810
|
27.1
|
2007-08 |
28040
|
78570
|
28.0
|
2008-09 |
27750
|
80680
|
29.1
|
2009-10 |
28460
|
80800
|
28.4
|
2010-11
|
29070
|
86870
|
29.9
|
2011-12
|
29860
|
94880
|
31.8
|
2012-13
|
29650
|
92460
|
31.1
|
* Fourth Advance Estimates
Source: Directorate of Economics and Statistics,
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation.
State wise Area, Production and Productivity
of Wheat in India during 2012-13
State
|
Area (000ha)
|
Productivity (000tonns)
|
Yield (Kg/ha)
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
10.0
|
8.0
|
1250
|
Assam
|
44.2
|
33.9
|
1304
|
Bihar
|
5357.2
|
2207.7
|
2427
|
Chhattisgarh
|
141.3
|
101.2
|
1396
|
Gujarat
|
2944.0
|
1024.0
|
2875
|
Haryana
|
11117.0
|
2497.0
|
4452
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
608.6
|
364.2
|
1671
|
Jammu & Kashmir
|
462.4
|
290.0
|
1595
|
Jharkhand
|
319.5
|
164.3
|
1944
|
Karnataka
|
179.0
|
225.0
|
796
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
13133.4
|
5300.0
|
2478
|
Maharashtra
|
1181.0
|
773.0
|
1528
|
Orissa
|
2.0
|
1.0
|
1894
|
Punjab
|
16591.0
|
3512.0
|
4724
|
Rajasthan
|
9275.5
|
3063.2
|
3028
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
30301.9
|
9734.0
|
3113
|
Uttarakhand
|
858.2
|
358.1
|
2396
|
West Bengal
|
895.9
|
321.6
|
2786
|
Others
|
84.4
|
25.1
|
3361
|
All-India
|
93506.5
|
30003.3
|
3117
|
Source: Directorate of Economics and Statistics,
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation.
- Wheat is one of the most important staple food grains
of human race. India produces about 70 million tones of
wheat per year or about 12 per cent of world production.
- Being the second largest populous country, it is also
the second largest in wheat consumption after China, with
a steep growing wheat demand.
- The major Wheat producing states in India is placed in
the Northern part of the country with UP, Punjab and Haryana
contributing to nearly 80% of the total wheat production.
- The area under production of wheat has increased from
a mere 12.93 million hectares in 1960-61 to 27.49 million
hectares in 1999-2000, an increase of more than 100% over
the past 5 decades.
- The production of wheat at the same time, increased from
11 million tones in 1960-61 to 76.37 million tones in 1999-2000.
- The yield (kg/hectare) on the other hand, increased from
851 in 1960-61 to 2778 in 1999-2000, an increase of around
3.56 times. This indicates that although wheat production
over the past 5 decades increased by 6.87 times but the
yield of wheat has actually increased by only half of this
figure.
- Wheat production in India has increased by over ten times
in the past five decades and India has become the second
largest wheat producer in the world.
- Today, wheat plays an increasingly important role in the
management of India´s food economy.
Area, Production and Productivity of Wheat
in Punjab State from 2001-02 to 2011– 12
Year
|
Area (000ha)
|
Productivity (000tonns)
|
Yield (kg/ha)
|
2001-02
|
3422
|
15509
|
4,532
|
2002-03
|
3375
|
14175
|
4,200
|
2003-04
|
3444
|
14489
|
4,207
|
2004-05
|
3250
|
14788
|
4,221
|
2005-06
|
3468
|
14493
|
4,179
|
2006-07
|
3467
|
14596
|
4,210
|
2007-08
|
3490
|
15720
|
4,507
|
2008-09
|
3530
|
15730
|
4,462
|
2009-10
|
3522
|
15169
|
4,307
|
2010-11
|
3510
|
16472
|
4,693
|
2011-12
|
3528
|
17280
|
4,898
|
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India
District wise Area, Production and Yield of
Wheat Crop in Punjab for the year 2010-11
District
|
Area (ha)
|
Productivity (tonns)
|
Yield (tonnes/ha)
|
Amritsar
|
189000
|
810000
|
4.29
|
Bhatinda
|
252000
|
1166000
|
4.61
|
Faridkot
|
117000
|
563000
|
4.81
|
Fatehgarh Sahib
|
85000
|
417000
|
4.91
|
Firozpur
|
397000
|
1850000
|
4.66
|
Gurdaspur
|
226000
|
919000
|
4.07
|
Hoshiarpur
|
154000
|
661000
|
4.29
|
Jalandhar
|
169000
|
793000
|
4.69
|
Kapurthala
|
108000
|
480000
|
4.44
|
Ludhiana
|
277000
|
1276000
|
4.96
|
Mansha
|
170000
|
830000
|
4.88
|
Moga
|
177000
|
887000
|
5.01
|
Mukatsar
|
192000
|
957000
|
4.98
|
N.Shahar
|
74000
|
348000
|
4.70
|
Patiala
|
236000
|
1141000
|
4.83
|
Ropar
|
65000
|
253000
|
3.89
|
Sangrur
|
287000
|
1472000
|
5.13
|
State
|
3510000
|
16772000
|
4.69
|
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India
- The present agriculture cropping pattern in the State
is dominated by the wheat-paddy rotation.
- Wheat and paddy cover major portion of the gross cropped
area. During 2003-2004, area under these crops increased
to 77 percent over the area under these two crops, which
was only 47 percent in 1970-71.
- Area under wheat has increased from 33.75 lakh hectares
in 2002-03 to 34.44 lakh hectares in 2003-2004 showing an
increase of 2.0 percent. It is expected to decrease to 32.50
lakh hectares in the coming year.
- At the beginning of the decade (1990-91) production of
food grains was 192.18 lakh tons which increased to 247.24
lakh tons in 2003-2004.
- Wheat and rice played a major role in pushing up agricultural
production.
- The production of wheat which was 121.59 lakh metric tons
in 1990-91 rose to 144.89 lakh metric tons during 2003-2004
registering an increase of 19 percent.
- In 2010-11 the area has further increased to 35.1 lakh
hectares and 167.72 lakh metric tonnes.
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Economic Importance
- Wheat is the staple food for most of the temperate and sub tropical regions of the world.
- The chief use of wheat is the flour for making bread biscuits, cookies, chapatti, etc.
- Industrially, it is used in preparation of starch, gluten, malt, and distilled spirit.
- Wheat bran is rich in protein and used as valuable livestock feed.
- From straw corrugated board is prepared.
Quality of wheat:
- The protein to carbohydrate ratio of wheat grain is approximately 1:6.
- The proteins content in wheat include albumins, globulins, glutenins and gliadines. Albumin dissolves in water and coagulates in heated aqueous solution.
- The other protein forms are insoluble in water and are called gluten. It is the highest in wheat. 16-50 %. Because of gluten wheat flour is used for baking.
In wheat milling and baking qualities are the two important aspects, which are considered.
Milling quality: It depends on the hard and soft grain. The hard grains are of better quality because of the embryo being easily separated during milling. The flour is mainly obtained from endosperm.
Baking quality: In leavened bread where yeast is added to flour, carbon dioxide is produced by the fermentation of carbohydrates. This results in number of bubbles, which increase the volume of dough. The ability of the dough to retain the carbon dioxide during baking helps the rise in the loaf and this is called the strength of flours, which depend upon the gluten in the protein.
Composition of grains:
Bran coat | 9 - 10% |
Embryo | 2.5% |
Starchy endosperm | 85 - 86% |
Aleuronic layer | 3 - 4% |
Chemical composition: |
grain |
Flour |
Water |
13.0 % |
12.4 % |
Protein |
11.5 % |
10 .0% |
Fat |
2.0 % |
1.0 % |
Carbohydrate |
7.0 % |
7.6 % |
Fiber |
2.0 % |
0.3 % |
others |
1.5 % |
0.3% |
|