Wheat requires a certain pre-sowing preparation of the soil, the organization of spring fertilizers, proper enrichment of the soil, and most importantly, learning the rules for combating diseases and pests. In order for farmers to have an impressive harvest, the listed rules should not be neglected.

Wheat is the most common cereal crop. And it’s not for nothing that it is cultivated all over the world. Last year in 2015, global wheat production was 723.8 million tons, making it second only to corn at 1.016 million tons. Wheat is grown over vast areas, giving it pride of place among other crops, both in the commercial and food spheres. The world trade volume of wheat is much higher than that of other grain crops because wheat is an integral part of countries' food supply. It is considered one of the main sources of vegetable protein in the human food chain. The protein content in wheat is much higher than in other crops such as rice, corn and others. So, when cultivating this crop, it is not always possible to obtain maximum yields, since wheat is quite demanding on soil and climatic conditions. This article will outline the main aspects of growing wheat.

Place of wheat in crop rotation

Wheat is quite capricious about the crops cultivated in front of it. This is due to the weak root system of the wheat crop, as well as to the phytosanitary condition of the soil. Moreover, the harvest will not be achieved if the soil is poorly prepared. Wheat will repay with high yield if its predecessors are perennial and annual grasses, green manure, corn, buckwheat, rapeseed, and legumes. These plants help the soil, saturate it with nitrogen, fight weeds, promote the accumulation of easily digestible nutrients in the soil, and also reduce the spread of putrefactive diseases, with proper harvesting of crops.

Wheat will feel quite good after cultivating oats on plowed land, since this crop is not subject to infection by root rot, but, on the contrary, promotes the accumulation of nutrients in the soil, since it leaves behind a sufficient amount of organic matter, in comparison with other agricultural crops. By observing crop rotation and following agrotechnological rules for cultivating wheat, you can achieve optimal yield results. The standard terms for sowing wheat in crop rotation are two-year breaks; re-sowing can be done only after two years, when the soil is cleared of pathogens to which the crop is susceptible. It is not recommended to sow wheat after barley, since the similarity of predispositions to diseases can cause outbreaks of diseases such as root rot.

Preparing the soil for sowing should be aimed at ensuring aeration of the root system, preserving moisture, exterminating weeds, and maximizing the incorporation of plant residues from the previous crop. Pre-sowing preparation should ensure an optimally leveled surface of the soil and seed bed for further seeding. Pre-sowing treatment directly depends on weather conditions, the equipment you have, the condition of the arable land and the previous crop. Non-moldboard tillage, before sowing wheat, is used after non-fallow crops, at a depth of 10-12 centimeters, using combined row-crop units.

The classic cultivation of arable land is harrowing and cultivating, using units with rollers or harrows. Before sowing, the field must have a compacted soil structure, a pre-sowing layer; the presence of large clods in the seed layer is not allowed. The predominance of soil particles in the ground should not exceed more than 3 millimeters. To ensure the success of wheat seedlings, it is necessary to establish optimal contact between the seed and the soil. It is important to organize fall tillage during plowing, after harvesting the previous crop; this procedure will increase the soil’s resistance to moisture accumulation and reduce the number of weeds and harmful insects. If perennial grasses were cultivated in the plowed land, the soil is disc-hoeed at intervals of ten days, plowshare hulling is also carried out, and sometimes the regrown crop is pruned with a flat cutter to a depth of 12 centimeters.

After the agrotechnical procedures have been carried out, two weeks later plowing is carried out with a plow, with cultural dumps and skimmers to a depth of about twenty centimeters, sealing the layer at the bottom of the furrow so that weeds cannot germinate. Treatment with two peelings, disk and then plowshare, is carried out after cultivating legumes, stubble plants, as well as in fields clogged with weeds. As perennial weeds grow, ploughshare plowing or early plowing to 22 centimeters with harrowing, or several cultivations in the fall, is carried out to combat weed seedlings and carrion.

Ridged plowland is preferable for early spring sowing of wheat; this also applies to heavy soils. After cultivating crops such as sunflower and corn, soil cultivation is carried out by cross-disking and plowing with plows with skimmers to a depth of 20 centimeters. Without preliminary hulling, the soil is plowed after cultivating crops such as beets and potatoes, and on the slopes, treatment is carried out aimed at eliminating soil erosion, reducing the washout of the fertile layer by floods and rains.

Sowing

Wheat sowing may vary depending on various factors, climatic and biological characteristics. The optimal time for sowing winter wheat will be the second ten days of September. And for spring crops, the first ten days of spring. On poor soils and after non-fallow crops, sowing is carried out at the optimal time in early September, and after fallow crops and on rich soils, sowing should take place at a time close to winter, so that the wheat is less susceptible to attack by grain flies, and also so that the crop does not overgrow.

Winter wheat must germinate before wintering and gain two or three sprouts; usually the growing season of the plant is about two months before the start of winter. The approximate seed sowing rate will vary around 500 germinated seeds per square meter of plowing. The norm, with a favorable outcome during the harvest period, can reach 650 productive plants per square meter. To ensure late sowings have the optimal number of fruiting stems, the seeding rate is increased by 15 percent. Wheat seeds are planted to a depth of about three centimeters, with the obligatory compaction of the sown area with rollers. The seeding depth of wheat depends on the sowing time; if sowing is late, then the seeding depth should accordingly be less. Wheat is sown using the row method with row spacing of 15 centimeters.

Fertilizer application

Like all agricultural crops, wheat responds well to fertilization. Wheat grows well in soils enriched with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The approximate consumption of a wheat harvest of 30 centners is about 90 kilograms of nitrogen, 60 kilograms of potassium, 25 kilograms of phosphorus. In this case, the dynamics of nutrient consumption depends on the growing season of the plant. During the initial growth period, wheat consumes nitrogen, but in small quantities. The situation changes when the plant begins to gain ears and form additional stems, then the wheat sharply increases its nitrogen consumption.

But during the period of grain formation, the need for this microelement is reduced to a minimum. Since nitrogen absorption in large quantities will provoke a decrease in grain ripening rates. Phosphorus fertilizer is important during the period of wheat tillering and heading. Phosphorus fertilizer plays an important role in the formation and development of the plant’s root system, as well as ears. Potassium, in turn, has a direct effect on wheat; if the wheat lacks potassium, then you will not get a good harvest, since heading directly depends on the percentage of potassium in the soil. Potassium increases wheat's resistance to certain diseases, affects grain size, accelerates the delivery of carbohydrates from the stems to the grain, as a result of which the grain fills and becomes larger.

It is necessary to prepare saturated, fertilized lands for sowing spring wheat, because if the root system of the plant reaches optimal development, then in the future it will be able to use moisture more efficiently and better withstand drought. On the soils of the central zone and on podzolic lands, the application of organic and mineral fertilizers in a complex manner has a beneficial effect. Combined application of manure and peat compost along with organic matter will double your wheat yield. The application of fertilizers must be determined by its timing, which will depend on the growing season of the plant. During sowing, a smaller portion of mineral fertilizers is applied. And before sowing, the bulk of organic and mineral fertilizers are applied. Fertilizing is carried out during the wheat growing season using the irrigation method.

The main fertilizers for wheat are peat, manure, green manure, and mineral fertilizers are phosphorus and potassium. Wheat produces good yields when the soil is comprehensively fertilized before sowing. Basic fertilizer is often applied along with the seeds into the rows when sowing. This method of fertilization will fully provide wheat seeds with comprehensive nutrition for the entire period of crop growth, thereby increasing the chances of obtaining a good harvest. Increasingly, agricultural technicians are using new bacterial fertilizers, the most common of which are azotobacterin and phosphorobacterin. This class of fertilizers can increase the yield by about 1.5 centners per hectare.

Ways to increase grain yields

Global demand and consumption of crops for food, feed and fuel is growing at a rapid pace. This requirement for plant materials has been expanding over the years. However, more recently, rising meat consumption in emerging economies, coupled with the accelerating use of grains for biofuel production in developed countries, has led to new pressures on global grain supplies.

In order to satisfy the growing worldwide demand for grain, there are currently two options:

1. The area under wheat production must be increased.
2. Cereal productivity can be increased on existing farmland.

These two options are not mutually exclusive and both would be used to produce the additional 200 million tonnes per year of corn and wheat estimated to be needed by the global market in 2017. Both options will introduce changes to the environment during the agricultural production of corn crops.

Of the two options, increasing productivity on existing agricultural land is preferable because it will avoid the greenhouse gas emissions and large-scale destruction of existing ecosystems associated with bringing new land into production. In some countries, plant breeders, agronomists, and farmers have a documented history of increasing yields . In Russia, the increase in wheat yields over the past two years is due to the development and widespread use of new agricultural technologies, such as hybrid corn, synthetic fertilizers and improved agricultural machinery.

The introduction of biotechnology and the development of a new selection technique using DNA markers based on additional increases in yield are yielding positive results. Outside of Russia, similar agricultural methods have been adopted in some agricultural countries, but today, in many large grain-producing countries, yields are still lags behind the world average. Continuing to develop new agricultural technologies for cultivating grains and introducing them at the global level, it will fully meet the world demand for feed, fuel and food. Undoubtedly, with this approach, the criteria for increasing productivity can be met without the participation of large land plots for new production.

Increasing the productivity of existing agricultural land will in turn have environmental impacts, some of which may be negative, some may be less burdensome, and in some cases may be positive, depending on how the land was previously used. Increased use of nitrogen fertilizers, and use of methods to increase production grains may increase nitrous oxide emissions, reduce water quality, and increase the size of hypoxic zones.

Another method of increasing yields on existing agricultural land is based on transgenic extermination of harmful insects and rodents, as well as plowing. Tilling can reduce erosion, conserve soil moisture, and increase soil sedimentation of organic matter, and transgenic insect control can reduce the wide range of insecticide applications.

Factors that reduce yield

While breeders, agronomists, and farmers work to increase yields, there are a number of factors that can reduce yields. Over the next two decades, the effects of climate change in central Russia are projected to increase nighttime air temperatures, the number and severity of adverse weather events, and increase the incidence of insect pests and diseases. As a result, these factors can affect the yield of grain crops.

Rapid adaptation of crops to changing climate conditions can help mitigate these effects. Rapid adaptation of crops is achieved through breeding programs that continuously develop and introduce hybrids and varieties adapted to local conditions.

Nitrogen is another factor that can limit yield. Nitrogen, or rather its absence in the soil, can be a significant reason for the negative impact on the crop. Climatic factors can affect the crop and completely destroy it. Finally, a sharp downturn in the global economy could limit demand for meat and fuel, which would indirectly reduce economic incentives to increase wheat yields.

Wheat diseases and pests

Like all cultivated agricultural plants, wheat is susceptible to many diseases, and there are also a lot of pests and insects that will happily feast on fresh grains. Wheat diseases are common, but depend mainly on cultivation zones and climatic boundaries. Wheat plants are susceptible to diseases at any phase of the growing season. Diseases, in addition to reducing yields, also have a detrimental effect on the quality of grains. Some of the most common diseases are loose smut, bunt, ergot, rust, and root rot.

If wheat becomes infected with loose smut, the disease will reach its climax on all parts of the ear, turning black and then turning into a dusty gray mass. The method of combating loose smut is the treatment of seed raw materials.

Smut is also an unpleasant disease that can ruin the harvest. It is caused by a fungus and mainly affects spikelets. Infecting the grains in the ear, fungal spores are formed with an unpleasant putrefactive odor. To combat this scourge, it is also necessary to process the planting material.

Root rot is another disease that can cause irreparable damage to the wheat crop. The causative agent of this disease is a fungus of various types. The disease proceeds quite quickly, rotting the root system of the plant and completely destroying it. Helminthosporiosis or root rot of wheat develops at the root collar, causing it to rot and die.

Stem rust, or brown rust, is caused by a fungal disease that mainly affects the stems of the plant and the surface of the leaves of wheat. It looks like brown spots or a yellow coating, voids form on the stem or leaves; if the ear is affected, the grain in it will stop developing. Methods to combat this disease include a set of measures, namely, compliance with crop rotation, pre-sowing treatment of the soil with pesticides, sowing wheat within the allotted time, as well as timely fertilization of the soil with potash and phosphorus fertilizers.

A disease such as ergot is considered no less dangerous. It is mainly the ears that suffer from it; eggplant-colored sclerotia are formed in them, which over time destroy the ear, along with the grains. Methods of combating wheat diseases mainly include chemical treatment of pre-sowing material and soil before sowing. However, today, the country’s agricultural technicians are paying more and more attention to solving the issue of the potential of agroecosystems themselves and its regulation, because the introduction of pesticides and herbicides into the soil leaves its mark on the ecosystem. Therefore, environmentally friendly ways to combat diseases will be compliance with crop rotation and optimal sowing dates, as well as the use of green manure and the introduction of environmentally friendly means to combat pathogens; among other things, maintaining the necessary moisture content of wheat minimizes damage to the plant by grain flies and wheat thrips.

Wheat is widely cultivated in many countries around the world as a cash crop because it produces a good yield per unit area, grows well in temperate climates and even with a moderately short growing season, produces a versatile, high-quality flour that is widely used in baking bread and baked goods. . Therefore, the popularity of wheat flour products creates a large demand for the grain, even in countries with significant food surpluses.

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500,000 ₽

Minimum starting capital

28%

Profitability

14 months

Payback

200 thousand

Land rent per year (1000 ha)

Wheat is the most important agricultural crop in many countries, including Russia. Not only is the most popular of breads baked from it, but also pasta and confectionery are made. However, today agriculture in the country cannot be called a highly developed industry. To the capricious natural conditions we can add the policy of the state, which is not very eager to develop the agricultural sector of the economy. All these external threats stop many entrepreneurs who might and would like to engage in agriculture.

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But where there are difficulties, the level of competition is always lower. And agriculture, considered as food production, must satisfy the needs of a huge number of people, so there can be a lot of players in such a market. At the same time, farmers rarely compete, preferring even coordinated work. You can make money growing wheat, especially if you have work experience and/or knowledge about agriculture, but an urban person will have to study a lot of literature in order to know only in theory how best to sow, germinate and harvest wheat. If an entrepreneur has not encountered agriculture before, then without the help of an experienced agronomist, he will most likely not receive a harvest that will cover his expenses.

Wheat is a very finicky crop (like all others cultivated by humans), and even the slightest mistake can be very expensive. As many farmers note, cultivating wheat is very difficult and sometimes unprofitable, so you need to make sure several times that the wheat will grow and then be sold, otherwise such an undertaking can only be a waste of time, effort and money. But even when everything is calculated and the forecast is favorable, risks associated with natural conditions remain. But one of the positive aspects worth noting is that in light of recent events, the state is sluggishly beginning to change something in the agricultural sector, and even, it seems, in the right direction.

How to open a grain growing business from scratch

To start your own business, you need to register as a business entity. Of course, it is possible to register an individual entrepreneur or a form of legal entity, but for farming it is better to register a peasant farm - a peasant farm. It will not be possible to get by with private subsidiary plots (personal subsidiary plots), since the volume of cultivation and harvesting of grain crops far exceeds the volume that can be found on a personal plot. Registration will cost about 20 thousand rubles, taking into account the collection of all papers and obtaining permits from all authorities. But even before the registration stage, it is better to find the land on which work is planned. There will be no problems with it in the south of Russia, but in the middle zone you can also find fields suitable for growing wheat.

Vast areas are sown with wheat, otherwise there will be no benefit, and for this you need at least 100 hectares of land. Some farmers rent thousands of hectares, because the more land is cultivated, the greater the profitability of the entire undertaking, not to mention the absolute profit indicators. To get a sufficient amount of flour, you need to grow a lot of wheat, which is why they buy grain in tens of tons. And in this case, a farmer who offers very little of his products is not interesting to large buyers, and will only be able to sell his goods on the collective farm market, and the revenue there cannot be very large.

It’s probably not worth buying the land; it’s better to rent it for several years, at first only for a year. The cost of renting a hectare of land is up to three and a half thousand rubles per year, but this is precisely the case with chernozem; other types of soil are rented for much less money. If we take into account the black earth regions, then 350 thousand rubles will have to be allocated for a year, and it can be considered good luck if you can agree with the landlord on a monthly payment; often money is required for a year in advance.

It may make sense to rent a smaller area for sowing, but this is calculated separately by each entrepreneur in his region, but since wheat is always needed, it is hypothetically possible to sell it even in the case of the largest quantities. Therefore, not in the predominantly agricultural regions of the country, a large amount of wheat for sale can be provided by even larger volumes of purchases, but it is also a little more difficult to grow it not on black soil. Thus, approximately 200 thousand will be needed for the annual lease of 100 hectares of land in central Russia to 350 thousand in the south.

Characteristics of wheat varieties for sowing

When the land is found, you need to decide what kind of wheat will have to be grown. There are many varieties of this cereal, and you need to select the most popular and productive one, which grows on the right soil and is resistant to specific climatic conditions. Wheat has the largest number of varieties (specifically from the agricultural point of view) compared to all other cereal crops, but here you need to decide first of all what kind of wheat will be grown - feed or food. Some sow fields with different types of this cereal in order to reach a larger number of consumers in the end. According to statistics, much more feed wheat is consumed. But first of all, you need to consider which form of sowing is preferable.

Wheat can be called a good crop precisely because it can be both spring and winter. Therefore, depending on the region, its climate and agricultural characteristics, varieties are selected that are sown either in spring, or in late summer or autumn. Sometimes the practice of sowing winter wheat is used, which is harvested in the spring, after which spring wheat is sown in the same field. This allows you to save space and get a harvest twice a year. But then you may not have time to sow the field again with a winter crop, and even in this case the risk of plant diseases increases.

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Competent farming does not generally involve planting the same land with the same crop several times in a row; usually, after harvesting, they begin to grow another crop on the land, so that next year they can again replace it with the original one or even a third one. This is all called crop rotation, and takes into account the allelopathy of plants, that is, their mutual influence on each other. At the same time, you should not count on sowing the land with triticale or rye after wheat; closely related plants, and cereals in general, should not replace each other per year.

Thus, a novice entrepreneur must choose several crops that he will deal with, taking into account their mutual influence on the soil and the germination of the follower, and either divide his plot into several parts in order to receive one crop annually (but from different territories), or occupy different years with different plants. To understand all the intricacies, you need to study a lot of literature, and even better, find a person who is well versed in this.

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In order to grow wheat, you need a considerable amount of seeds to sow. So, the minimum can be called 100 kilograms of seeds per hectare, and sometimes this figure is several times higher. It all depends on how rich the soil is, what plants grew on it before and on general climatic conditions. If we take the average sowing rate of 150 kilograms per hectare, then 100 hectares will require 15 tons of seeds. The price of one ton of wheat seeds averages 6 thousand rubles, but can be higher or lower depending on the variety.

Thus, the seed fund will cost 90 thousand rubles, but this is a very average figure for the reasons mentioned above. At first, seeds are purchased from a company specializing in this; in the future, these expenses will not be incurred, since material grown independently will be used. The sowing norms and conditions also differ greatly depending on many conditions, and you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to learn from your own mistakes, choosing the most optimal cultivation methods.

What equipment is needed to grow wheat?

In terms of capacity, the farmer will need specialized equipment and a barn for storing wheat. The barn can be installed on a site near the house or directly on the field itself, but it is better to store the equipment in a visible place. The machines are divided into those that help care for the grain and those that are designed for harvesting. But most farmers hire a combine harvester for the harvest period, since the machine is expensive, and buying it only for use, at best, several times a year is quite unprofitable. Therefore, all that remains is to purchase the following equipment:

• Harrow and plow.

• Peeler.

  Cultivator.

All this equipment can either be purchased new, or purchased previously used, or taken out a loan for it or leased. Some farmers also rent these machines, not just harvesting equipment. It all depends on the amount of available funds, and sometimes you have to make do with renting used equipment. It’s better, of course, to buy a new one and make depreciation deductions, and you can save especially well if you get borrowed funds for equipment.

If larger areas of wheat cultivation are planned, then it is worth thinking about purchasing some equipment in several copies, since otherwise there will be a possibility that it will not be possible to harvest the crop on time. Modern equipment has reduced the need for manual physical labor to a minimum, but if the need for it ever arises, you can find workers in the nearest locality, where there are always workers available to perform periodic work.

All other tasks can be handled by the entrepreneur himself with the help of his family, but what is definitely needed if the businessman is inexperienced in farming is constant consultations with an experienced agronomist. Only such a person can say exactly how, what and when it is better to sow and collect. It is not necessary to hire him as a permanent worker, but finding him in the nearest collective farm or even as a farmer who grows crops on his own is still very good. Consultation with a specialist, which occurs constantly and at all stages of farming, can help grow a really good harvest.

Feedings and fertilizers for growing wheat

We must not forget about feeding and fertilizing wheat, as well as pest control. Wheat is especially vulnerable to weeds, as it has a weak root system. The number of harmful plants and animals can be significantly reduced by constant orders to combat them, but if the predecessor was chosen correctly, pathogens and weeds will appear in small quantities.

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It is also better to choose organic or even biological fertilizers. It is quite difficult to give an approximate cost of such work, because too many factors must be taken into account. But for 100 hectares of land you need to have at least 50 thousand rubles, and even for this money it is unlikely that you will be able to apply a large amount of fertilizers and carry out several orders for pesticide treatment. This amount will be enough under all possible favorable conditions.

Wheat is an annual plant, meaning it grows in less than one year. Winter wheat (namely, it is planted almost everywhere except black soil) is planted in mid-August in the northern regions or in early October in the south. It ripens in the spring, shortly before sowing spring crops, thus experiencing a significant drop in temperature. The fastidiousness of this cereal can cause crop failure in the event of severe frosts in the absence of a cap of snow, under which it is optimal for these plants to overwinter. The unpredictable weather in Russia in recent decades has significantly complicated the process of farming. Against this background, a spring crop may seem less susceptible to climatic conditions, but in this case the possibility of drought cannot be ruled out (which, however, is a little easier to deal with). Cereals love a mild climate, and sudden changes in temperature, severe winters and hot summers only have a detrimental effect on the harvest. If successful, you can count on a good harvest of wheat.

Profitability of wheat growing business

As world practice shows, the relative yield in this country is on average two times lower than the European average. Thus, in European countries they collect 5.5 tons per hectare, but in Russia the record has become harvest 2.4 tons per hectare. But these are the average figures for the country, in some regions it is better, in others it is worse, and even if we accept this favorable outcome, we get 240 tons per hundred hectares of land.

The price of wheat is higher in the winter months, especially in January (this gives an advantage in growing spring cereals), and is lowest at the end of summer. The price will be completely different if you sell grain in kilograms on the market or sell the harvested material to the appropriate companies specializing in grain grinding or resale. On the farm, wheat is bought for about 7 thousand per ton; in agricultural regions this price is slightly lower, but in the middle zone and northern regions it can reach 8 thousand rubles per ton.

Thus, 240 tons can be sold for 1 million 680 thousand rubles, which in the first year can only return funds for the purchase of equipment, and the rest will be spent on renting space and other fixed costs. In subsequent years, you will no longer have to purchase equipment, and you will be able to make a profit; if the equipment was purchased second-hand, then after the first year of operation there may be a profit from the sale. Accordingly, we can talk about increasing profitability with each new hectare of land leased, but this also means additional expenses per year for each hectare. That is, profitability can be calculated accurately only in each specific case; its positive dynamics coincide with the area of ​​the sown territory. That’s why large farms sometimes grow wheat over square kilometers, because what’s most valuable to humans in it is, first of all, the grains, which make up a small percentage of the plant’s mass.

To summarize, we can say that the payback of such an agricultural business only in the most favorable scenario will be a season - from sowing to sale after harvesting. There is no point in dealing with wheat alone; you need to know the allelopathy of several plants and alternate them from year to year or change their location on the territory. The most the minimum costs in case of renting 100 hectares will be about half a million rubles, but only in regions with cheap land and under conditions of purchasing very inexpensive equipment. But with such initial data, the harvest will not be too large. It is better to organize the cultivation of wheat in such a way that a significant part of the crop remains for the winter, when it is most profitable to sell it. And, of course, such an important and necessary work of a farmer, although very hard, is precisely what feeds people both in cities and in rural areas.

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In the technology of growing winter wheat, sowing timing is of great importance. Depending on the timing of sowing, plants find themselves in different agrometeorological conditions, as a result of which they grow and develop differently, acquire unequal resistance to low and high temperatures, diseases and pests, which significantly affects the yield and quality of grain.

Long-term research conducted at the Institute of Agriculture of the southern region of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has established that to obtain a high yield of winter wheat in black fallow, the best sowing time is the period from September 25 to October 5. If you sow winter wheat at this time, the plants will have time to bloom in the fall, create three or four shoots, form a well-developed root system, and acquire high winter hardiness. This intensive technology for growing winter wheat ensures the highest grain yield.

Deviation from the optimal timing of sowing winter wheat leads to a decrease in yield.

When sowing winter wheat early (September 5) plants bush excessively in the fall, create six to seven or more shoots, develop a large above-ground mass, often outgrow and then have reduced winter hardiness, are significantly damaged by cereal flies and diseases, due to which the yield is reduced by an average of 5.7 quintals per hectare.

The greatest shortage of grain - 13.6 c / ha - have at late sowing dates (October 15), when the yield averages 27, whereas with optimal timing it is 42-45 c/ha.

At late sowing dates winter wheat does not have time to bloom in the fall, producing only three or four leaves; tillering and formation of the root system occur mainly in the spring under conditions of long days and high temperatures, which inhibits growth processes. Therefore, when planted late, winter wheat plants are stunted, have a poorly developed root system, which is usually located in the upper layers of the soil at a depth of 50-70 cm and cannot use moisture from deep layers, as a result of which they are less well supplied with moisture, and are very unstable to drought and form low grain yields.

When to sow winter wheat

So, winter wheat should be sown at such a time that by the time it enters winter, the plants have bloomed well, created three or four shoots, formed a well-developed root system, and become highly resistant to unfavorable overwintering conditions.

However, the optimal sowing time for winter wheat varies significantly every year, depending on the weather conditions of the year. On average, over 22 years of research, the highest wheat yield in this zone was achieved when sown on September 25. But during these years there were quite large deviations of the optimal period from the specified date. The discrepancy between the optimal periods by year is 30-45 days. Therefore, it is impossible to count on obtaining the maximum yield of winter wheat using the average sowing date. The best time for sowing it should be determined taking into account weather conditions, soil moisture, predecessor, variety, etc.

The timing of sowing winter wheat largely depends on soil moisture.

Research by scientific institutions in the South of Ukraine has established that the best conditions for the growth and development of plants and the formation of a high yield of winter wheat in black fallow are from September 20 to October 5, in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea - October 10-20, and after unpaired predecessors, which usually limit reserves moisture in the soil, it is better to sow winter wheat seven to ten days earlier than in black fallow, so that the plants have time to bloom in the fall.

Consequently, if there is moisture in the soil, first of all, winter wheat should be sown after non-fallow predecessors, then in occupied fallows, and after them - in black fallows and irrigation.

But what to do when the optimal time for sowing has arrived, the soil is well prepared, but at the depth of planting the seeds is dry? Then sowing should be postponed until the permitted time and, if there is no precipitation, then sowing should be done in dry soil, because during this period cool weather sets in, and the seeds spoil less and the crops are not thinned out. In this case, you should not wait for rains, but sow, otherwise five to seven days are lost in cultivation and sowing, which delays seedlings and impairs the development of plants in the fall.

In addition, to sow winter wheat at acceptable and late dates, it is necessary to use varieties adapted to late sowing, increase the sowing rate by 15-20% and reduce the seeding depth to 3-4 centimeters.
Winter wheat, which is sown in late terms and soil, in the south of Ukraine is able to provide higher yields than barley. In our experiments, winter wheat, which was grown using the above technology, provided a grain yield of 38.3 c/ha, while barley - 23.9 c/ha.

The sowing time of winter wheat largely depends on the variety.

Some of them require earlier sowing dates, others - later, and others have yield advantages only in the case of late sowing of winter wheat.

You need to start sowing with plastic varieties of winter wheat, which develop slowly in the fall and well inhibit growth and development due to a shortened day length: Ruchey, Nikoniya, Lada Odesskaya, Odesskaya 162, Odesskaya 267, Victoria Odesskaya, Pysanka, Senokos, Antonovka, Zemlyachka, Donetskaya 48 t .

In the middle of the optimal timing, it is better to sow winter wheat varieties: Kuyalnik, Krasavitsa Odesskaya, Nikonia, Odesskaya 267, Krestyanka, Ukrainka Odesskaya, Fantasia Odesskaya, Victoria Odesskaya, Khersonskaya bezosta, Khersonskaya 99.

When sowing at the end of the optimal, at acceptable and late dates, it is necessary to use varieties that react poorly to a reduction in day length, develop intensively in the fall, have good compensatory properties, form a large number of productive stems, are early ripening: Nakhodka Odesskaya, Krestyanka, Horizon, Sirena Odesskaya, successful, Pledge, Respect, Unity. These varieties of winter wheat, in case of late sowing, provide a higher yield than others.

In IZYUR experiments, when sowing winter wheat in black fallow early (September 5), on average over 36 years, the grain yield of winter wheat was 37.5 c/ha, at the optimal time (September 25) - 40-42, and at late ( October 15) - only 26.6 c/ha. These data indicate that late sowing dates are dangerous for wheat in this zone. Unfortunately, due to poor predecessors, low technical equipment, and untimely soil preparation, farms annually do not have time to sow winter wheat at the optimal time: more than 40% of its area is sown late, which is why a lot of grain is not harvested.

It is important to note that the optimal sowing dates for winter wheat are not constant: they change over time under the influence of many factors. Thus, scientists from the Institute of Grain Farming (V. Bondarenko, A. Artyukh, etc.) back in 1980 compared the optimal time for sowing wheat for 1948-1960, when extensive varieties were grown (Ukrainka, Kooperatorka, Odesskaya 3), and for 1961 -1977, when the varieties Bezostaya 1 and Odesskaya 51 became widespread, and it was established that the optimal timing shifted significantly - from September 1-7 to September 7-15. Now in the Dnepropetrovsk region, according to the same institute, the optimal time for sowing winter wheat is September 20-25. Consequently, these data indicate that the optimal timing of wheat sowing has long been gradually shifting to later ones, and this process continues to this day.

Analysis of data from field experiments of the Institute of Agriculture of the Southern Region showed that in 1967-1980 the optimal time for sowing winter wheat in black fallow was September 5-20, and according to experiments from 1981-1994 and 2006-2008, it provided a high yield if sowed at a later date - September 25 - October 5.

So, the optimal sowing time for winter wheat during this period shifted by about 10 days, which can be explained by climate change, evolution in variety selection, and the like. Climate warming in the autumn months causes stronger tillering of plants and greater overgrowth in the early sowing periods, but has a positive effect on the development of plants in late sowing periods.

Therefore, now, with late sowing of winter wheat, it is possible to obtain a winter wheat yield 5-8 c/ha higher than before, but this yield will be significantly lower than when sowing at the optimal time.

A similar shift in the optimal timing of sowing winter wheat was recorded by other scientific institutions in Ukraine. Based on this, in recent years it has been proposed to move the sowing time of this crop to eight to ten days later, citing climate change and the biological characteristics of modern varieties. However, in our opinion, such recommendations are false, since a shift in sowing dates occurred in comparison with data obtained approximately 20-30 years ago, and reflects only the historical aspect of this issue. Now, according to recommendations from 20-30 years ago, farms no longer sow wheat, but use sowing dates according to research by scientific institutions in recent years, which usually take into account climate change and the biological characteristics of new generation varieties. Scientific institutions constantly conduct experiments with the timing of sowing winter wheat, clarify them and annually recommend to production when it is best to sow the crop. Therefore, there is no reason to shift the timing of wheat sowing; they have already been gradually shifted along with changes in winter wheat varieties and climate. Farms simply need to adhere to the optimal sowing dates recommended by scientific institutions in a particular year.

According to the Hydrometeorological Service (T. Adamenko, 2007), the optimal timing for sowing winter wheat in Ukraine as a whole is adhered to only in 47% of cases, and delays occur in 43% of cases. Therefore, wheat crops on an average of 25% of its area enter the winter with underdeveloped plants and liquefied crops, which causes an annual loss of 10% of the grain yield.
According to our institute, the shortage of late-sown wheat grain is 13-14 c/ha, or more than 30%. One can only imagine what losses the state would have had if farms had sowed winter wheat eight to ten days later!

It is more correct to raise the question of the need to minimize both late and early sowing campaigns on farms, that is, to optimize the timing of sowing winter wheat. In order to sow wheat at the optimal time and harvest a high grain yield, farms should shift sowing to a later date on approximately 5% of the area, and, on the contrary, plant about 40% of the area eight to ten days earlier. This will improve the development status of winter wheat crops and significantly increase its yield. In the case of 40% of the areas of late wheat crops, there is no need to even think about high yields, such as, for example, obtained by advanced farms or the countries of the European Union, where the yield of winter wheat reaches 70-75 centners per hectare.

In order to shift early sowing dates to later ones, no additional costs are needed, only technological discipline is needed. And late sowing dates in modern farming conditions are a big problem, the solution of which will require significant funds to improve technical support and manage to prepare the soil well before the optimal time and sow in a timely manner, have good predecessors, and the like. Today, farms have poor material and technical support; it does not give them the opportunity to carry out autumn field work at the optimal time, as a result of which the state loses a lot of grain. Therefore, the problem of late sowing of winter wheat needs to be solved by farms immediately, which will significantly increase the production of wheat grain.

I. Netis, Doctor of Agriculture Sciences, Institute of Agriculture of the Southern Region UNAAN

More than 300 varieties of wheat have been developed in the world, which are divided into spring and winter varieties. Spring wheat is called wheat sown in the spring. Winter varieties of cereals are sown in autumn. They manage to germinate and give roots before the onset of cold weather, and continue to grow in the spring. The varieties differ in their growing season: for winter crops it is 280 days, for spring crops it is 100 days. In terms of yield, spring varieties are inferior to winter varieties, but they absorb all nutrients more actively.

Winter cereals are more demanding on soil, but they are also more resistant to sudden changes in weather.

Sowing wheat

Preparing the soil for planting

The correct selection of predecessors before planting wheat is important for the quality and volume of the harvest. For spring varieties the best are:

• Legumes;
• Watermelons and melons;
• Potato;
• Corn.

They saturate the earth with essential microelements. The choice of predecessors for winter varieties depends on the type of soil and climatic conditions. In the steppe regions, preference is given to black fallow and forage plants (alfalfa), in the forest-steppe - peas and early potatoes. In woodland - peas, perennial grasses, lupins.

When preparing the soil, the following also play an important role:

• Treatment of soil against diseases;
• Treatment of soil against weeds and pests;
• Plowing to preserve moisture;
• Application of mineral fertilizers;
• Wrapping crop residues.

Land preparation for winter wheat varies depending on the region, soil type and local crop rotation characteristics.

An important condition is timely harvesting of previous crops, harrowing, and application of fertilizer.

After the soil is saturated with minerals, it is plowed again, and if the rainy season comes, it is loosened.

Sowing methods

Sowing methods fall into several categories. The first of them: manual or mechanized. The manual method is used only in small farms and in areas where the operation of machinery is impossible. When mechanized, the seeds are poured into a special seeder trailer for a tractor, and the entire process occurs with minimal human intervention.

• Private;
• Narrow row;
• Cross;
• Diagonal cross method.

The row method of sowing wheat is the most common. The seeds are sown and immediately embedded in the soil. Advantages of the method:

1. The seeds are in equal conditions, which guarantees friendly germination;
2. Uniform germination and ripening;
3. Reducing losses during harvesting.
4. With the narrow-row method, the distance between the ridges is from 6 to 10 cm. This allows for more efficient use of the field area and reduces the percentage of weed infestation.
5. The uniform illumination of cereals, the saturation of the soil with water and nutrients increases.

With the cross method, the seeder runs along and across the field, distributing grains evenly over the entire area. Productivity increases by 12.5-14%. Disadvantages of this method: high costs for equipment, increased sowing time and uneven grain germination.

With the cross-diagonal method, the volume of idle passages is reduced by almost 3 times, and the size of turning lanes by 6 times. Due to the reduction in travel distances, the productivity of seeders increases by more than 15%.

Wheat sown using this method gives good and consistent germination and makes harvesting easier.

Sowing spring wheat

Before planting wheat, the soil is treated with herbicides, plowed and allowed to breathe. Early sowing guarantees vigorous germination and promotes better rooting of the grain. Spring varieties of wheat tolerate the May heat well and are less exposed to flea beetles, grain flies, and rust.

Preparation of seed grain consists of:

• Cleaning;
• Sorting;
• Pickling;
• Drying;
• Soaking;
• Germination.

The threshed grain contains pieces of straw and spikelets, weed seeds, empty and crushed grains, and lumps of earth. Cleaning the grain from all contaminants is a mandatory process. Next, the seed is sorted by size and weight. The purpose of the next stage - dressing - is to destroy fungal and bacterial spores, which are sources of diseases of grain crops. The seeds are mixed with chemical powder. To disinfect the seeds, pour hot water for 2-4 hours.

If the grain was collected in rainy weather or stored in a cold room, it is laid out to dry before planting. This will increase germination. Before sowing, dry grain is soaked for a period of 24 to 60 hours, and then dried for 3-5 hours under the sun.

Germination of wheat seeds occurs as follows:

1. Grain in bags is immersed in water at a temperature of 20-25°C;
2. When 30% of the grain has sprouted, the grain is removed and dried.

Sowing of spring wheat begins when the earth has warmed up to +5 +7°C, and the soil has become dense and moist. Wheat cultivation methods vary by region and grain variety. They differ in the methods and rates of sowing, and the depth of seed placement.

The average planting depth is 4-5 cm. Deeper sowing (up to 8 cm) will delay germination.

Sowing winter wheat

Winter wheat is usually grown in mild climates with snowy winters. And the sowing of winter wheat largely depends on the agrometeorological conditions of the region. The culture has good resistance to temperature changes, diseases and harmful insects.

For winter varieties, correct seed placement plays an important role. If they are not deep enough, they may freeze or be blown away by strong winds. In regions with severe drying of the top layer of soil, the sowing depth can reach up to 10 cm. In the Black Earth regions and in areas with arid climates, due to a lack of moisture in the soil, a depth of 5-6 cm is used for sowing. In regions with heavy and clay soil, seeds sown to a depth of 3-4 cm.

Intensive technology for growing winter wheat consists of:

• Using rational crop rotation and alternating crops that are combined with each other;
• Treating seeds before planting with chemicals used to combat diseases;
• Treatment of wheat before planting with substances that stimulate growth;
• Maintaining planting deadlines;
• Applying fertilizer taking into account the condition and chemical composition of the soil.

Wheat seeding rates per 1 ha

The rate of sown seeds per 1 hectare is the amount of grain grown on one hectare, which is necessary to obtain a full harvest. The seeding rate is expressed in the weight of the seed in kg and the number of viable sprouts.

The rate of seeds sown per 1 ha depends on:

• Quality and varieties of seed;
• Sowing method;
• Air humidity;
• Climate of the region;
• Soil preparation;
• Sowing time;
• Soil properties;
• Technicians.

When determining how much grain is needed, the purpose (silage or ripening) is taken into account. In the southern regions, the seeding rate is lower than in the northern regions. The rate is also lower for early sowing periods. In regions with poor humidity, when using increased seeding rates on fertilized fields, the result is a strong tillering of cereals. The wheat grows thickened and lies down under its own weight. This leads to a decrease in yield. In arid climates with sparse crops on enriched soil, increasing the rate is more effective: plants use water sparingly, which leads to increased yields.

When calculating the norms, they are guided by the expected density of shoots per hectare of land. The average density of wheat is 7,000,000 productive stems per 1 hectare.

When planting per hectare of land, more seeds of hard varieties are required than of soft varieties. This is explained not only by the size of the grain: durum wheat varieties have insufficient germination and produce fewer side shoots. When sowing in humid regions and on fertile soil, more hard grain is also required.

Norm of spring wheat per 1 ha in kg:

• Volga region - 4.5;
• Forest-steppe - 5;
• In black earth regions - 6.

For winter wheat, the rate of seeds sown per 1 hectare in the Volga region and forest-steppe is the same, but in the Black Earth Region they require 5 kg per hectare. This norm determines the optimal number of wheat grains per hectare of arable land with 100% similarity.

Sowing dates

Depending on the ripening period, varieties are divided into:

• Early;
• Late.

If you combine crops, you can reduce the tension in the process of sowing and harvesting. This also makes it possible to effectively distribute working equipment and forces. For spring wheat to ripen, 100 days without frost are enough. The sowing time depends on the region and runs from March to May. The air temperature should be above +5°C. Freezing is worse for shoots than for the root system.

When to sow winter wheat depends on the region and climate. Usually sowing begins at the end of summer and continues until mid-October. The winter harvest occurs in June - early July. How long the grain germinates after sowing depends on:

• Temperatures;
• Humidity;
• Soil composition.

If all conditions are met, the first shoots appear on days 7-10. The main stem begins to grow after 25-35 days.

Sowing care

To grow a good harvest, it is necessary to select the best varieties and technologies that take into account the characteristics of cultivation and care depending on the variety and climate of the region. Caring for grains involves preserving the crops in early autumn and winter. It includes several stages:

• Rolling;
• Pre-emergence harrowing;
• Removal of weeds;
• Disease and pest control.

Rolling can be done immediately after sowing or combined with it. This technique helps improve seed-soil contact, speed up germination and remove filamentous weed seedlings. Rolling is carried out in regions with dry soil or when there are a large number of lumps. If it rains after planting and the soil becomes heavy and cohesive, a crust may form on it. In this case, pre-emergence harrowing is carried out using mesh or medium-toothed harrows, but no later than 6 days after sowing. The tractor should move slowly at an angle to the ridges. Repeat harrowing when the sprouts have 2-3 main leaves.

Location of crops by country

The variety of grain varieties allows wheat to be grown in different regions. Heat-resistant varieties, such as Zastava, Lelya, Lyubava and Selyanka, tolerate high humidity and hot summers. They are sown in the southern regions of the country. Varieties with good winter hardiness - Vstrecha, Respect, Zastava, Kharus. They are sown not only in the central regions of the Black Earth Region, but also in the North Caucasus and the Volga region.

Spring varieties Leguan, Session, Chado and others give a good harvest in the Urals, Siberia and non-chernozem regions.

If you follow the basic conditions for sowing, growing and caring, and choose fertile soils, you can get a winter wheat harvest of 30 centners/ha, and spring wheat - 15 centners/ha.

The average yield of winter wheat in Russia is 37.5 c/ha, spring wheat - 16.5 c/ha. Late sowing reduces these indicators.

The leaders in harvesting are:

• Krasnodar region - 14 million tons per year;
• Rostov region - 9.7 million tons per year;
• Stavropol Territory - 9 million tons per year;
• Voronezh region - 4.17 million tons per year;
• Altai Territory - 4.12 million tons per year;
• Kursk region - 3.8 million tons per year;
• Tambov region - 3.6 million tons per year;
• Tatarstan - 3.5 million tons per year;
• Omsk region - 3.4 million tons per year;
• Bashkiria - 3.19 million tons per year;
• Belgorod region - 3.12 million tons per year.

Some of the grain is exported, and some remains in Russia. It is divided into feed, food and seed, processed in accordance with the purpose of storage, and poured into bunkers. Wheat straw is used in livestock farming, food and cosmetics industries: juice is made from it, added to masks and shampoos, and used to whiten skin and remove scars.

Thanks to the growing demand for food among people, the agricultural business is becoming stronger every year. Wheat is considered the most popular cereal. The profitability of cultivation begins with a crop area of ​​100 hectares.

Before you start cultivating wheat, you need to thoroughly understand how to grow wheat, otherwise you risk going broke. The farmer must be able to calculate and determine his possible profit and how much money he needs to spend in the growing process.

1 Demands of wheat to various factors

The yield of cereals and their successful cultivation are influenced by the length of daylight hours in the planting region. The density of the sowing determines how well the light will penetrate to each plant. To ensure that the plants are green and healthy and bush well, the sowing cannot be too thick.

Lack of light is detrimental to winter wheat varieties - the lower internode develops, and overwintering will not go well. Therefore, it is necessary to comply with seeding norms per hectare.

Heat requirements. Different varieties of cereals have different growing temperature requirements. For example, it can be grown at lower temperatures. For winter crops, cold snap during the active growing season will be disastrous. Growing temperature – +13-19 C. Wheat has good heat tolerance (up to 36 C). If the temperature rises higher, watering is necessary because... The heat affects the quality and quantity of the harvest.

Watering. High-yielding wheat is not too demanding on watering. Therefore, the cost of cultivation is low. The most moisture is required during the heading period. It's worth remembering that hard varieties consume 6-8% more moisture than soft ones.

The soil. It is better if the growing region is dominated by podzolic soil or sod-gley soil. The soil for cultivation must be structured and highly fertile. A pH of 6-7.5 is desirable.

1.1 After what crops and when can wheat be sown?

For the successful cultivation of this cereal, the best predecessors will be:

• Legumes.
• Pulses.
• Row crops.
• Potato.
• Beet.

After harvesting the previous crops, it is necessary to disc-hoe the soil. After leguminous crops, ploughshare peeling is also carried out.

2 How to sow correctly?

After harvesting previously grown crops, soil preparation begins. Peeling and harrowing are most often carried out. The field is processed at an angle to the previous one. Lumps of earth should not be more than 5 cm in diameter. How to sow wheat is up to you.

There are three sowing methods:

The most optimal is considered to be sowing and growing using narrow-row and cross-row methods. They allow plants to develop as much as possible and prevent overgrowing by weeds. To get truly high-yielding wheat, the beds are located from north to south. The depth of planting seeds depends on the climate and latitude of the area. For spring varieties it is about 4-5 cm, and for winter varieties it is 3-8 cm.

Important: early crops suffer from pests and diseases much less.

Wheat seeding rates (winter and conventional varieties):

• Durum varieties 5-6 million seeds/hectare.
• Soft varieties 4-5 million seeds/hectare.

2.1 Method of continuous sowing of wheat (video)

Remember: the longer snow stays on winter crops, the better. This directly affects. This way there is a greater chance of reaping the maximum harvest. Crops in forest-steppe and steppe regions favor snow retention.

To prevent high-yielding wheat from dying, the retardant TsetTseTse 460 is added to the tube at the beginning of emergence. When the flag leaf appears, fertilizer can be re-applied.

It is important not to let weeds “clog” the crop! For this, a series is used: Iloxan 30%, Dialen 40%, amine salt.

Pest control is carried out depending on the region where wheat grows and the distribution of pests.

2.3 How and when to fertilize wheat?

The average yield increases with the timely application of certain nitrogen and nitrogen-phosphate fertilizers. It is added based on calculations: for 100 kg of grain and 100 kg of straw add 1 kg of phosphorus, 2 - 2.5 potassium and 3-4 kg of nitrogen fertilizers. Standards vary depending on soil characteristics. For spring wheat, superphosphate in granules is introduced into the rows.

2.4 Harvest

In the southern regions, a wheat harvest of up to 8 tons per hectare can be harvested, while in the northern regions, 3.5 tons per hectare is considered good.

Typically, direct and split combining are used for fall harvesting.

Huge hectares are sown with wheat. And every year its consumption is only growing, and farming is turning into a profitable business.