Winter wheat: development phases and cultivation technologies, biological features

Winter wheat is called annual plants that are planted from late summer to autumn. They have time to germinate and take root before the first cold weather. At the same time, with the arrival of spring warmth, the culture continues its life cycle. Winter crops yield earlier than spring crops. To get a lot of quality grain, it is important to properly plant and care for the wheat.

History of occurrence and distribution

Cultivated wheat began to be grown in southwest Asia. Over time, it spread throughout the mainland. Before the beginning of our era, wheat also came to Africa.Subsequently, Europeans began to grow crops. It was they who brought cereal to America. First he got to the South, and then to the North.

In the 18-19 centuries, the plant began to be cultivated on other continents. That is how it became popular in the agricultural system. Over time, different varieties and types of wheat appeared. The winter variety includes hard and soft varieties. The main difference between them is the level of hardness. There is also a difference in the amount of protein and starch.

People's economic importance

Winter wheat occupies large agricultural areas. It is valued for its excellent nutritional properties. The composition of the grains meets all the requirements to meet human needs. It contains the following ingredients:

• proteins;
• fats;
• starch;
• vitamins of group B, PP, E;
• ash components;
• provitamins - carotene and ergosterol.

Winter wheat is used in various areas of life:

1. Because cereals are mostly soft varieties, they are most often used to make flour. It is subsequently used for the production of bread and bakery products. Winter wheat is used to make flour of the highest quality, the amount of fiber in which is at least 28%. Bread made from such raw materials is very nutritious and has excellent taste.
2. Winter wheat is often used in the confectionery industry and less so in pasta. Durum wheat is more suitable for making pasta.
3. Wheat bran and concentrated feed for various types of farm animals are often prepared from cereals. Chopped straw is fed to cattle. Sometimes it is mixed with molasses.
4. Straw is good for barn bedding. With the arrival of spring, wheat is used as green fodder.
5. The plant is often used for crop rotation. It is an excellent precursor to other crops.
6. Culture is often used in the processing industry. The grains are suitable for the production of starch, alcohol, dextrin and other substances. Straw can be used to make mats, paper, household items.

Differences from spring wheat

Winter and spring wheat have certain differences. They are as follows:

1. vegetation period. In winter crops, it is longer than in spring crops, and is 269-360 days. Spring wheat matures in 85-100 days.
2. Sowing dates. Winter varieties are planted from late summer to late autumn. Spring wheat can be planted from mid to late spring - specific dates are determined by the climatic zone. Landing work is important to carry out in a short time. This is due to the fact that the wind and the sun remove water from the soil. As a result, the plant cannot form roots and is deficient in valuable substances. Planting of winter wheat is carried out taking into account the weather. With early sowing, the culture is too bushy, which provokes a decrease in resistance to frost and the influence of parasites. In late planting periods, they do not have time to take root. This provokes a drop in yields.
3. Ground requirements. Winter wheat is recommended to be planted in fertile soil, which contains a lot of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Root formation and further growth depend on the ability to obtain valuable substances. Wheat does not grow in marshy, podzolic, solonetzic and peaty soils. Spring varieties are characterized by more powerful roots that better absorb valuable minerals.At the stage of tillering, plants need phosphorus. They develop well in neutral and slightly alkaline soil. Acidic soils are not suitable for crops.
4. Weather factors. Spring varieties are more dependent on temperature fluctuations in the air and rapidly changing weather. That is why it is so important to perform foliar feeding. Winter wheat is considered to be more ecologically plastic. However, at the stage of tillering, it is necessary to apply top dressing in a timely manner. Otherwise, there is a high probability of reduced productivity.
5. Destination. Both varieties are valuable in terms of application. Flour is made from soft varieties of winter wheat, which has excellent nutritional properties and high grain calorie content. Cereals and pasta are made from durum varieties of spring wheat. The culture is considered very valuable because of its excellent baking characteristics.

Morphological and biological features

Winter wheat is considered an annual plant that belongs to the bluegrass family. It is an upright cereal that can be propagated by caryopses. The plant is characterized by fibrous roots, which are located near the very surface of the earth. However, they are able to penetrate to a depth of 120-200 centimeters.

The culture is characterized by a round stem in the form of straw. Inside, it is hollow and is divided along the length by nodes - ring-shaped thickenings into 5-6 internodes. As the culture grows, the length of each of them increases. The stem has a different thickness. It is minimal at the top and increases at the bottom. Side shoots grow from underground stem nodes.

This type of wheat is characterized by long lanceolate leaves with parallel veins. The amount of foliage and its size is influenced by various factors - climate, variety, soil fertility.

Winter wheat leaves have 2 varieties:

• basal - formed from underground nodes;
• stem - grow on the ground part of the plant.

The inflorescence is presented in the form of an ear, which includes a spike stem. It is a continuation of the stem. The structure also includes individual spikelets. Flowering begins in the center and spreads up and down. The culture is self-pollinating. In cloudy weather, flowering is closed, in sunny weather it is open. After its completion, fruits appear on the spikelets, which are naked grains.

When cultivating this type of wheat, it is worth considering the botanical characteristics of the plant. This culture is considered one of the most demanding to the climate and the influence of external factors. With weather anomalies, there is a risk of death of most of the crops.

This wheat is a long day crop that needs a lot of light. Thanks to the processes of photosynthesis, which proceed exclusively under the influence of the sun, useful elements accumulate in the structure. With the optimal amount of lighting, the culture bushes, and the leaves become green. The following manifestations speak of a lack of sun:

• lower internode grows;
• the tillering leaf appears in the lower part, which leads to a deterioration in the winter hardiness of the crop;
• in the event of a spring lack of light, the culture stretches too much and lies down;
• at the stage of ripening and filling of grains, the lack of light provokes a deterioration in the quality characteristics of the crop.

Depending on the stage of cultivation, the culture requires different temperature indicators.In general, winter wheat is a plant with medium winter hardiness. In the presence of snow, it is able to withstand temperatures down to -25 degrees. If there is no snow, the plant dies already at -16 degrees.

Germination of seed material occurs at a temperature of +1-2 degrees. However, for the full development of culture requires + 12-15 degrees. Sowing work should begin when the average daily indicators are set at +14-17 degrees.

Increased resistance to frost is different for plants that have managed to grow well and form 2-4 shoots. In overgrown crops that have 5-6 shoots, frost resistance is reduced.

With the advent of spring, the development of culture resumes. At this time, the optimal temperature indicators are + 12-15 degrees. If they exceed +25 degrees, the growth phases are violated.

At the flowering stage, winter wheat has enough temperature of +18-20 degrees. At + 35-40 degrees and low air humidity, the grains become smaller. At the stage of fruit pouring, the optimal parameters are + 22-25 degrees.

During the entire growing season, winter wheat is demanding on moisture. However, the specific need for water is determined by the stage of development, the density of plantings, and weather conditions. At the stage of germination of seed material and during the emergence of sprouts, wheat requires a lot of moisture. Otherwise landings will be too rare.

With a lack of moisture at the stage of tillering, productive tillering also decreases. Also, the amount of water should be paid attention to during the period of stalking or entering the tube.With a lack of moisture, the parameters of the granularity of the ear decrease. This negatively affects the yield of the plant. At the same time, prolonged moistening is also undesirable - it inhibits the growth of the culture.

Development phases

The growing season includes several stages of wheat growth. The sequence of cultural development is determined according to different systems - according to Zadoks, Fikesh, Chang and Konzak. Today, the most commonly used unified extended scale. The main stages in the development of culture include the following:

1. The emergence of seedlings. The optimum temperature for seed germination is + 20-25 degrees. Under such conditions, sprouts appear on the 7-9th day. However, for a more friendly appearance of sprouts, wheat requires + 12-17 degrees. Thus, the duration of the seedling stage is extended by 15-25 days.
2. Tillering. This stage is typical for cereals. At this stage, lateral sprouts and nodal roots are formed in the culture.Wheat tillering occurs in autumn and spring. The process begins with the formation of 3-4 sheets. With a decrease in temperature indicators to + 6-10 degrees and sufficient humidity, plant growth slows down. At the same time, it begins to rapidly bush. The process is favorably affected by the introduction of nitrogen substances and the size of the seeds. Under favorable conditions, the culture forms 3-5 stems. The tillering node is the main organ. In case of damage, there is a risk of death of the culture.
3. Exit to the tube, or stalking. The beginning of this stage is the formation of the first stem node. It occurs 25-35 days after the start of spring growth. The node is located 2-5 centimeters from the ground surface. However, in cold and cloudy weather, crop growth stops.
4. Earing. 1 month after entering the tube, the moment of earing occurs. In this case, the spike emerges from the sheath of the upper leaf. The intensity of this stage is affected by the amount of moisture and useful elements in the soil.This period is considered the most favorable for the introduction of fungicides. Thanks to their use, it is possible to avoid the development of pathologies.
5. Blooming. After 2-3 days from the start of heading, winter wheat begins to bloom. The duration of this stage is 1 week.
6. Maturation. At this stage, grains are formed and poured. The duration of this stage is influenced by the type of wheat and the weather.

Popular varieties

There are many popular varieties of winter wheat, which can be described as follows:

1. Favorite - is a soft variety that takes 283-287 days to mature. The plant is medium in size and can tolerate severe frosts. At the same time, the culture needs to be watered on time. From 1 hectare it is possible to collect 96-107 centners of grain.
2. Podolyanka - it takes 305-310 days for the fruit to ripen. The size of the stem with an ear reaches 95-99 centimeters. The grains are egg-shaped and red in color. The culture is resistant to frost and drought. Yield parameters - 60 centners per 1 hectare.
3. Shestopalovka is a soft variety of winter wheat. Plants reach 85-90 centimeters in height. It takes 280-285 days to ripen the crop. The advantage of the variety is resistance to frost, drought, shedding of ears, diseases.

Growing Technology

When cultivating winter wheat, it is required to create optimal conditions for it. The first step is to prepare the seeds for sowing. Suitable temperature for seed germination is + 20-25 degrees. An important stage of pre-sowing preparation is disinfection.

Compliance with crop rotation rules is of great importance. That is why it is so important to choose the right predecessors for winter wheat.

Crop care includes several procedures:

1. Post-sowing rolling. This procedure is carried out from the moment the seeds enter the soil. It improves seed-to-soil contact, reduces water loss and makes seedlings more friendly.
2. Harrowing. This procedure helps loosen the soil and clear the spring seedlings of weeds.
3. Protection of landings. In spring, sprouts should be fed with nitrogen and trace elements. With a large number of weeds, herbicides are used.

Diseases and pests

Winter wheat may suffer from such pathologies:

• snow mold;
• brown rust;
• powdery mildew;
• ascochitosis;
• Septoria spike and foliage;
• different types of smut;
• phyopathic root rot.

Of parasites, the culture is more susceptible to the following insects:

• aphid;
• bread ground beetles;
• cereal flies;
• Hessian flies;
• bread drinker.

To cope with problems, it is worth using special substances. They are recommended to be applied at the sowing stage. If the insects exceed the permissible norm, they are re-treated with insecticides.

Factors affecting the increase and decrease in yields

In order to increase the yield, an assessment of the condition of the plantings is carried out. When growing winter wheat, you should follow these rules:

• alternate crop rotation;
• fertilize properly;
• treat the soil before planting;
• choosing the right variety;
• treat plantings from diseases and pests in time.

The yield parameters are negatively affected by the following factors:

• biological - the use of varieties that are prone to shedding, lodging and disease;
• agronomic - wrong choice of variety depending on the region;
• technical - shortcomings in technology that lead to a decrease in the quality of plowing.

How to store and how much to store

Direct combining is considered to be a popular harvesting method. Sometimes a separate method is used. The first option is used when the crops are fully ripe and the humidity parameters are 18%. Separately, it is recommended to collect high varieties of wheat.

A freshly harvested crop needs proper storage conditions. Its condition depends on the development of microorganisms and pests. Before storage, the grain should be cleaned of impurities and dried.

Winter wheat is a sought-after crop that is used for the production of flour and bakery products. To grow a plant successfully, it is important to adhere to the basic recommendations.

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