Tribune News Service
Kulwinder Sandhu
Moga, March 31
Latest spell of unseasonal rains in Punjab would delay the harvesting of wheat in nearly all of the districts by about two weeks.
Though, the state authorities has introduced that its procurement centres can be prepared for procurement of wheat from April 1 onwards however the officers of the state agriculture division say that harvesting of wheat would solely start after April 15 trying on the climate situations.
The contemporary spell of rainfall has farmers anxious as they concern it will set off fungal illnesses, akin to black level, which may have an effect on the grain high quality.
“The contemporary spell of rain will not be good for the wheat crop at this stage. It can set off black level an infection in the grains and have an effect on the standard,” mentioned Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar, Plant Protection Officer of Moga.
Though there was no outbreak of black level an infection however its signs might be identified solely after the harvest.
The black point-affected wheat grain usually turns darkish on the embryo finish of the grain, ensuing in discolouration of the grains.
“Late harvesting coupled with extreme rainfall may end up in total poor grain high quality”, Dr Brar mentioned.
He mentioned the take a look at weight (grain weight per unit quantity or grain density) was one of many grain high quality traits almost definitely to be affected by delay in harvest due to persistent moist situations. The low take a look at weights often happen if the grain is prevented from filling fully or maturing and drying naturally in the sphere. Rewetting of grain in the sphere after maturity however prior to harvest was one of many most important causes of decreased take a look at weight, he mentioned.
Additionally, the grain would swell every time it’s rewetted and will not return to its authentic dimension because it dries which will even scale back take a look at weight. Thus, the enlarged kernels will take extra space however weigh the identical, permitting fewer kernels to pack in the measuring container, decreasing the take a look at weight. “Rain and harvest delay may additionally lead to pre-harvest sprouting in some varieties”, he added.
To minimise grain high quality losses, it’s higher to harvest wheat on the primary dry-down. Harvesting at a barely larger moisture stage of 18 per cent may additionally be helpful for minimising the standard losses. However, it must be dried down beneath 15 per cent moisture stage earlier than promoting in the markets for storage.
As per the specs for procurement of wheat and barley by the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the moisture in extra of 12 per cent and up to 14 per cent can be discounted at full worth. However, shares containing moisture in extra of 14 per cent can be rejected by the procurement companies.
The different relaxations by FCI embody 2 per cent discoloured, 4 per cent barely broken, 6 per cent shrivelled and damaged, 2 per cent different grain, and 0.75 per cent overseas issues can be permissible. The union authorities has already directed the FCI to grant 2 per cent leisure in moisture content material.
“However due to rainfall, winds and hailstorm the standard of wheat grain has deteriorated and we wish leisure in the norms for procurement from the union authorities,” mentioned Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal the agriculture minister of the state.
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