Punjab on top in per hectare yield of wheat

Punjab continues to lead the country in per hectare yield of wheat this year. Among the top ten wheat-producing states, Punjab is at number one with a yield of 4,179 kg per hectare.

It is followed by Haryana with 3,847 kg per hectare, Rajasthan 2,761 kg per hectare, Gujarat 2,700 kg per hectare, Uttar Pradesh 2,572 kg per hectare, West Bengal 2,283 kg per hectare, Himachal Pradesh 1,871 kg per hectare, Bihar 1,796 kg per hectare, Jammu and Kashmir 1,790 kg per hectare and Madhya Pradesh 1,613 kg per hectare.

The contribution of Punjab to central pool has also risen in the last few years. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Senior Wheat Breeder G S Dhindsa says the share of Punjab has gone up from 55 per cent in 2004-05 to 61 per cent in 2005-06. The national buffer stock of wheat depends mainly on the production in Punjab and Haryana.

"The turnout from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, two other major wheat-growing states, is sub-optimal," he added.

Dhindsa said the country exported over 34.85 million tonnes of cereals valued at over Rs 30,313 crore from 2001 to 2005, of which wheat and rice were the main exports.

Plant Breeders at PAU said though Punjab was number one in per hectare yield of wheat, Punjab agriculture was beset with several problems and wheat productivity had shown a decline over the past five years. The major cause for this had been climate change, primarily increase in temperature.

In the Department of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology, genetic manipulations are being done to develop plant material suitable for changing climatic conditions.

A new bread wheat variety, PBW-527, has been released. It has resistance to stripe rust, has high grain yield with good chapatti-make qualities and is suited to rain-fed conditions.

Durum PDW 291 has also been evolved having high degree of resistance to rusts, loose smut and Karnal bunt apart from giving high grain yield. The variety is also good for pasta making.

Another new bread wheat variety, PB-533, has been identified for release in the peninsular zone under irrigation, late sown conditions by the All India Wheat and Barley Research Workers.