Wheat in Russia is one of the key agricultural crops and occupies large areas of land. Let's consider where wheat is grown in Russia and in the world, cultivation technology, basic requirements of the crop, sowing features and timing, how to plant correctly, which varieties to choose. How to care for wheat to get a good harvest.
Growing regions in Russia
In Russia, both spring and winter wheat are grown. Winter varieties are sown mainly in the southern regions, with warm winters.The crop is sown in the Kuban and Stavropol regions, in the Rostov, Volgograd and Saratov regions.
Spring varieties of soft and hard varieties are grown in Altai, Orenburg and Omsk regions; these regions occupy more than a third of the total growing area. The Krasnodar region occupies a leading position in terms of crop productivity, although it ranks third in terms of crop area.
Home conditions
You can grow wheat at home, sowing spring or winter wheat. Spring varieties are sown in March-May, winter varieties - in September-October, depending on weather conditions and climate of the region. At home, the crop is grown mainly as a green manure species or for animal feed. In both cases, the plants are not left to develop until they are ready for harvest.
When sowing before winter, it is important to plant the seeds 1-1.5 months before the onset of cold weather, so that the plants have time to germinate, take root, but do not develop too much, otherwise they may suffer from frost.
Green manure wheat is sown on private plots in areas that need improvement and feeding. Before sowing, you can dig up the area and add organic matter or mineral fertilizers. If the soil is dry, water it. Sow seeds to a depth of 3-5 cm, make row spacing 15 cm wide. Wheat should be mowed no later than the heading stage. Leave the mixture on the surface or embed it in the soil.
Basic requirements and planting dates
Wheat, like all grains, is a cold-resistant crop; seeds germinate at temperatures up to 5 ° C, so they can be sown in the spring as soon as it gets warmer. For plant development, the optimal temperature is 18-20 °C. But the culture is also resistant to elevated temperatures.Winter crops can withstand frosts down to -17 °C without snow cover and up to -25 °C under snow.
Wheat has higher moisture requirements than other grains. But it consumes moisture unevenly. Of all stages of plant development, plants consume the most moisture during the booting and heading stages; this time accounts for more than half of the volume of water consumed.
Wheat develops best on fertile, structural soils with a neutral reaction. The best types of soil for it are chernozem, podzolic, chestnut. The crop produces low yields on sandy loam, sandy, and clay and heavy clay soils.
Suitable varieties
Proven and new varieties of winter and spring wheat are grown in Russia:
- Aksinya;
- Ascetic;
- Zest;
- Lydia;
- Lilith;
- Ermak;
- Etude;
- Bid;
- Olympus;
- Ulyasha;
- Caroline;
- Yumpa;
- Brigade;
- Trio;
- Esaul.
Features of sowing in Russia
It is important to sow at a time favorable for plant germination and development. It is optimal to sow in spring, when the temperature rises steadily above 5 °C. In autumn they are sown when the average daily temperature is 15 °C. On average, 45-50 days should pass before the onset of cold weather. The sowing rate varies in different regions, but on average it is 4.5-5 million per hectare, the planting depth is approximately 5 cm.
How to plant
Wheat is sown on the field using seeders, in rows or crosswise, like other grains. After sowing, they are rolled to compact the soil.
Rules of care
It has been established that with a yield of 50-60 centners per hectare, wheat requires 3.5-4.5 kg of nitrogen. The lack of nutrients during the growth period affects the development of plants, and during the period when grain is filling, it affects its fullness, gluten and protein content.
According to cultivation technology, in order to increase the quality of grain, it is necessary to carry out foliar fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers at the beginning of the plant growing season and in the stage from the end of flowering to milky ripeness. Wheat does not need watering - basically, natural moisture is enough for the plants.
Harvesting is carried out at waxy or full ripeness. Once the grain has reached full ripeness, harvesting must be done within no more than 10 days to prevent grain shedding. If it is necessary to carry out separate harvesting, then mowing is carried out 3-5 days before the expected ripening, followed by drying in windrows.
Where is wheat grown in the world?
Grain crops are grown in many countries; the largest producers not only provide grain to their population, but also export it as raw material to other countries. The main exporters are Canada, USA, Russia, Australia, France. Japan, Egypt, Brazil, Indonesia, Algeria are the largest importers of culture.
Over 65% of the total amount of grain grown comes from countries in the top ten wheat producers. The leaders are China, India and Russia. In general, the volume of wheat grown in the world corresponds to the volume of global consumption.
Wheat, along with rice and corn, is the main grain crop and raw material for food production. But they grow it only where climatic conditions allow it to grow successfully and produce decent yields. These are countries with a moderately humid and warm climate.
Russia's southern and central regions are well suited for growing crops, allowing the country to remain in a leading position in terms of areas sown with crops and yields. In Russian agriculture, wheat is considered the main grain crop, the cultivation of which always brings guaranteed profit to the farm.
