Major Crops of India: Wheat
Wheat is being cultivated in India for more than 5000 years and the original species Triticum sphaerococcum was grown in Indus Valley Civilization. This species is now disappeared and has been replaced by present day species-Triticum aestivum or the common Bread Wheat, Triticum durum or the Macaroni wheat and the Triticum dicoccum or the Emmer Wheat.
At the time of independence India was dependent on import of wheat from US; but today India is second largest producer of Wheat in the world after China with about 12% share in total world Wheat production.
Cultivation
As per the fourth Advance Estimates for 2017-18, the production of wheat is likely to be 98.38 million tonnes. Thus, Wheat is second most important crop after rice and is main Rabi crop in many parts. With rice, it makes the most important cropping pattern of the country called Rice-Wheat cropping pattern. According to 2016 data, top three Wheat Producing states are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab.
About Plant
Wheat is a true grass and a plant of poaceae family. It is a winter crop and needs low temperature. Ideal temperature is between 10-15°C at the time of sowing and 21-26°C at the time of harvesting. Wheat thrives well in less than 100 cm and more than 75 cm rainfall. The most suitable soil is well drained fertile loamy soil and clayey soil. Plain areas are most suitable. The wheat crop is highly mechanization oriented and may need less labour.
Important Varieties
Kalyansona, Sonalika, Lerma Rojo, Chhoti Lerma, Arjun, Sujata etc. are some of the wheat varieties with peculiar names that might be asked in exams.