Mr. N. Sreenivasarao (NS), Business Head, Research Paddy and Jute, Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd, Hyderabad, Telangana, talks about wheat seed value addition, bottlenecks, and reasons for low wheat production.
Wheat and rice are the most important food crops, and India is likely to be the food basket of the world soon. Of the two, rice is more advanced, and there is a very good competition among research organisations, private, and public sector companies because of which farmers are able to access latest technologies, inputs, and best value added products. But there is very less competition among the research institutions or extension organisations with regard to wheat, and so the farmers are using low quality seed with age old techniques with low inputs and productivity.
I have explained in one of my posts in LinkedIn how the gap between research potential and average yield potential is huge. The gap between the lab and land is more than 60% while in other crops the gap is not so much, be it rice, maize or others. With such a huge gap, it is evident that the potential is not used up to the last milestone, which is land. There is a lot of extension activity needed, but the important bottleneck is the low productivity. The main reasons are low SRR (Seed Replacement Rate) meaning if the farmer is using age old farm saved seeds and same varieties despite the improvement in technologies and varieties, the productivity will come down. The lack of information reaching the farmers is another reason.
We have to do the evaluation of wheat seeds to address malnutrition of micronutrients such as iron and zinc which reflects among the population. We have to increase the nutrition through our wheat seeds like NWS-2084 Kavita which is having more Zinc percentage. So biofortification is the need of the world now. Organisations are working on this aspect and to address the hidden hunger and increasing per acre productivity. Other challenges such as temperature also have a role in this. wheat requires optimum temperature of 23 degree Celsius, but if the temperature shoots up, we get less gain and per unit yield will be low.Farmers need to adopt climate smart heat tolerant new varieties like NWS-2194 Badsha. Mechanisation is needed to increase like in Punjab and Haryana in all other states . When farmers use the age old farm saved seeds, the yield is low, and they do not know the percentage of seeds that will germinate and genetical purity of seed. They are not updating or accessing the new technologies or new seeds. Timely irrigation is needed at 20 to 25 days interval. With rain fall in India not certain, we have to develop varieties tolerant to drought and adapt water saving measures. Also weeds like Phalaris minor and mimic weed are causing yield loss. We have to apply weedicides to prevent loss.
In Rajasthan they use old varieties occupying the major portion of land and leading to low productivity and disease susceptibility. Recent varieties such as HD 3385, NWS 2084, Kavita, NWS 2214 Kanak, NWS-2194 Badsha and Sriram are some new products with high disease tolerance and high photosynthetic efficiencies and high yield. The need of the hour is to bring the change in wheat cultivation to meet the needs of not only Indians but across the globe. The per capita income of the farmers should also improve with the newly developed varieties by replacing the old ones with the newly developed ones. Organisations like ICAR and Nuziveedu seeds are conducting researches, but the details are not reaching the farmers. Awareness has to be created through the social media, and people working in agro input industries and research organisations should focus on wheat which is the need of the hour.
Wheat is largely grown in various geographical locations. High Northwestern zone has the highest per hectare productivity. Central zone is slightly better while Northeastern zone is low. With good water availability, timely sowing, and high management practices, Northwestern plain has the high yield. It is essential we choose the best variety suitable for the area and conditions there. Timely planting methods and avoiding delay in sowing is important as wheat is sensitive to temperature. High temperature at the time of maturity causes loss and injury to yield and quality. We should not grow varieties which are zone specific. Wheat is a selective crop, and scientists will test during the launch, evaluate properly across the country in different locations. We should have the knowledge to grow only the recommended varieties. Utilisation of fertilisers, water, herbicides, and timely spraying of fungicide are also the need of the hour. Harvesting on proper maturity is important as wheat is sensitive to lodging, and if crops lodge, there is a crop loss up to 50%. If wind velocity is high, we should not irrigate the field.
Scientists are working on technologies to improve wheat traits such as heat and drought resistance, waxy coating,tillering, canopy colour, high chlorophyl content in leaves to improve photosynthetic efficiency and improved productivity. Lodging tolerance, adaptability, and suitability system to varied climatic conditions and input requirements are the other areas scientists are working on. Efficient water management and plant height are important aspects. The plants should not be too tall since there will be a chance of lodging and 50% crop loss. Straw in wheat is an economical part as we will get equal quantity of grains. Straw is also used as animal feed. We should choose bold seed with high per volume weight to get higher density. There are many new diseases coming up, and scientists are working on solving these. Some of these issues are already being addressed, but the outcome has not reached the ground level.
We have to maximise the yield and optimise the input usage by developing climate resistant varieties like NWS-2194 Badshah and reduce the cost of cultivation and improve farmers’ income like NWS-2084 Kavita. Return on Investment table shows that we should not offer older varieties to the farmers. Kavita has higher yield and per acre high productivity . So we have to increase the per acre straw yield and income also. We should also address the problems faced by the farmers such as disease or lodging or other issues through new technologies, new varieties and value addition by improving the grain size, nutrient quality. We have tested variety Kavita and request farmers in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh to use these varieties to increase the income.
With huge seed requirement in India there is a need for 50% SRR which is currently only 20%. Farmers are purchasing only 1.5 lakhs tons seeds and other are using the old varieties, low quality seeds for the rest of their usage. There should be a good and healthy competition among companies and research organisations to come out with newer varieties, get the technology reach to the farmers. Next year we are coming up with two more varieties to reduce the lab to land gap and increase the yield potential exploitation up to 80-90%.
What are the potential benefits of using value added wheat seeds for farmers and agriculture industry?
Potential differentiation is value addition over existing products in terms of nutrients such as zinc, and iron, Climate smart with high heat tolerance, High genetic purity, High physical purity,yield protection by delivering non shrinked seed under stress conditions, disease and drought tolerance. They have not reached the farmers to the fullest extent. The benefits to the farmers are the increased productivity and income increase. The main challenge with low SRR is farmers are not using the high purity and quality seeds. They are not in a position to get the benefits available in the market. When they are able to access them, the farmers will benefit up to Rs. 5 thousand per acre additional benefit by using pure and quality seeds and advance improved varieties.
Can you explain some common techniques and practices used for value addition in wheat seeds?
Value addition will be done by producing the seed from pure breeder and foundation seed to maintain more genetical purity. Processing to maintain more physical purity. Seed treatment to help in better initial vigour and establishment. Breeding techniques to increase adoption for climate change, drought tolerance, yield increase and Non lodging.
What are the major bottlenecks or challenges that hinder wheat production on a global scale?
If we see India, any bottleneck in India in wheat production affects the world. The main bottleneck is low productivity with very low SRR. All agriculture graduates, young generation should venture in to agriculture and come forward to take up agriculture. This is another reason the latest developments and technologies are not reaching the farmers.
Are there any specific regions or countries that experience more pronounced bottlenecks in wheat production? What are the challenges?
The main bottleneck in India that I found after traveling extensively across India are low SRR, lab to land gap which is huge. Farmers are using old seeds resulting in low yield. The youngsters should come forward to address these issues. This is the age of mobiles, technology, and these are reaching even the remote villages, but the agricultural advancements and technologies are not reaching the farmers. The biggest hurdle is the young and educated youth are not coming forward to take up agriculture. It is the duty of the government institutions and research institutions to educate the farmers to use quality seeds and follow the procedures without fail.
Are there instances where soil health and fertility issues that have led to decrease wheat yields? Can you elaborate on these cases?
Definitely soil fertility is depleting year after year. Since the last 10 years, organic carbon content of the soil has decreased from 3% to 0.3%. Organic carbon content is the life of the soil. If it depletes and pH value increases, it is a threat not only to wheat but all crops. Currently we are unable to sustain without using chemical fertilisers. There is a definite and immediate need to improve the organic carbon content. The value of the land is not the benchmark, but the organic carbon content is. We have to sustain this to keep the productivity of the soil alive.
What role do pests and diseases and plant pathogens play in reducing the wheat production, and how can these issues be addressed effectively?
Pests, diseases, and weeds are biotic stress to the crop. These can be controlled, and already controlling measures are being taken. If we are unable to control them in time, they will cause huge loss up top 30%, but currently enough awareness has been created about pesticide and fertilisers, and farmers are controlling at that level without any problem. I request one and all the farmers to focus on increasing the productivity of wheat in the country. They need to address SRR by using high quality seeds and by accessing the information about best quality seeds available in the market. By following the appropriate protocols, I request the farmers to increase the income and yield higher than what you are getting currently.
Mr N. Sreenivasarao ( NS)
Email- sreenivasarao.n@nuziveeduseeds.com
Phone- 08297558389
Wheat and rice are the most important food crops, and India is likely to be the food basket of the world soon. Of the two, rice is more advanced, and there is a very good competition among research organisations, private, and public sector companies because of which farmers are able to access latest technologies, inputs, and best value added products. But there is very less competition among the research institutions or extension organisations with regard to wheat, and so the farmers are using low quality seed with age old techniques with low inputs and productivity.
I have explained in one of my posts in LinkedIn how the gap between research potential and average yield potential is huge. The gap between the lab and land is more than 60% while in other crops the gap is not so much, be it rice, maize or others. With such a huge gap, it is evident that the potential is not used up to the last milestone, which is land. There is a lot of extension activity needed, but the important bottleneck is the low productivity. The main reasons are low SRR (Seed Replacement Rate) meaning if the farmer is using age old farm saved seeds and same varieties despite the improvement in technologies and varieties, the productivity will come down. The lack of information reaching the farmers is another reason.
We have to do the evaluation of wheat seeds to address malnutrition of micronutrients such as iron and zinc which reflects among the population. We have to increase the nutrition through our wheat seeds like NWS-2084 Kavita which is having more Zinc percentage. So biofortification is the need of the world now. Organisations are working on this aspect and to address the hidden hunger and increasing per acre productivity. Other challenges such as temperature also have a role in this. wheat requires optimum temperature of 23 degree Celsius, but if the temperature shoots up, we get less gain and per unit yield will be low.Farmers need to adopt climate smart heat tolerant new varieties like NWS-2194 Badsha. Mechanisation is needed to increase like in Punjab and Haryana in all other states . When farmers use the age old farm saved seeds, the yield is low, and they do not know the percentage of seeds that will germinate and genetical purity of seed. They are not updating or accessing the new technologies or new seeds. Timely irrigation is needed at 20 to 25 days interval. With rain fall in India not certain, we have to develop varieties tolerant to drought and adapt water saving measures. Also weeds like Phalaris minor and mimic weed are causing yield loss. We have to apply weedicides to prevent loss.
In Rajasthan they use old varieties occupying the major portion of land and leading to low productivity and disease susceptibility. Recent varieties such as HD 3385, NWS 2084, Kavita, NWS 2214 Kanak, NWS-2194 Badsha and Sriram are some new products with high disease tolerance and high photosynthetic efficiencies and high yield. The need of the hour is to bring the change in wheat cultivation to meet the needs of not only Indians but across the globe. The per capita income of the farmers should also improve with the newly developed varieties by replacing the old ones with the newly developed ones. Organisations like ICAR and Nuziveedu seeds are conducting researches, but the details are not reaching the farmers. Awareness has to be created through the social media, and people working in agro input industries and research organisations should focus on wheat which is the need of the hour.
Wheat is largely grown in various geographical locations. High Northwestern zone has the highest per hectare productivity. Central zone is slightly better while Northeastern zone is low. With good water availability, timely sowing, and high management practices, Northwestern plain has the high yield. It is essential we choose the best variety suitable for the area and conditions there. Timely planting methods and avoiding delay in sowing is important as wheat is sensitive to temperature. High temperature at the time of maturity causes loss and injury to yield and quality. We should not grow varieties which are zone specific. Wheat is a selective crop, and scientists will test during the launch, evaluate properly across the country in different locations. We should have the knowledge to grow only the recommended varieties. Utilisation of fertilisers, water, herbicides, and timely spraying of fungicide are also the need of the hour. Harvesting on proper maturity is important as wheat is sensitive to lodging, and if crops lodge, there is a crop loss up to 50%. If wind velocity is high, we should not irrigate the field.
Scientists are working on technologies to improve wheat traits such as heat and drought resistance, waxy coating,tillering, canopy colour, high chlorophyl content in leaves to improve photosynthetic efficiency and improved productivity. Lodging tolerance, adaptability, and suitability system to varied climatic conditions and input requirements are the other areas scientists are working on. Efficient water management and plant height are important aspects. The plants should not be too tall since there will be a chance of lodging and 50% crop loss. Straw in wheat is an economical part as we will get equal quantity of grains. Straw is also used as animal feed. We should choose bold seed with high per volume weight to get higher density. There are many new diseases coming up, and scientists are working on solving these. Some of these issues are already being addressed, but the outcome has not reached the ground level.
We have to maximise the yield and optimise the input usage by developing climate resistant varieties like NWS-2194 Badshah and reduce the cost of cultivation and improve farmers’ income like NWS-2084 Kavita. Return on Investment table shows that we should not offer older varieties to the farmers. Kavita has higher yield and per acre high productivity . So we have to increase the per acre straw yield and income also. We should also address the problems faced by the farmers such as disease or lodging or other issues through new technologies, new varieties and value addition by improving the grain size, nutrient quality. We have tested variety Kavita and request farmers in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh to use these varieties to increase the income.
With huge seed requirement in India there is a need for 50% SRR which is currently only 20%. Farmers are purchasing only 1.5 lakhs tons seeds and other are using the old varieties, low quality seeds for the rest of their usage. There should be a good and healthy competition among companies and research organisations to come out with newer varieties, get the technology reach to the farmers. Next year we are coming up with two more varieties to reduce the lab to land gap and increase the yield potential exploitation up to 80-90%.
What are the potential benefits of using value added wheat seeds for farmers and agriculture industry?
Potential differentiation is value addition over existing products in terms of nutrients such as zinc, and iron, Climate smart with high heat tolerance, High genetic purity, High physical purity,yield protection by delivering non shrinked seed under stress conditions, disease and drought tolerance. They have not reached the farmers to the fullest extent. The benefits to the farmers are the increased productivity and income increase. The main challenge with low SRR is farmers are not using the high purity and quality seeds. They are not in a position to get the benefits available in the market. When they are able to access them, the farmers will benefit up to Rs. 5 thousand per acre additional benefit by using pure and quality seeds and advance improved varieties.
Can you explain some common techniques and practices used for value addition in wheat seeds?
Value addition will be done by producing the seed from pure breeder and foundation seed to maintain more genetical purity. Processing to maintain more physical purity. Seed treatment to help in better initial vigour and establishment. Breeding techniques to increase adoption for climate change, drought tolerance, yield increase and Non lodging.
What are the major bottlenecks or challenges that hinder wheat production on a global scale?
If we see India, any bottleneck in India in wheat production affects the world. The main bottleneck is low productivity with very low SRR. All agriculture graduates, young generation should venture in to agriculture and come forward to take up agriculture. This is another reason the latest developments and technologies are not reaching the farmers.
Are there any specific regions or countries that experience more pronounced bottlenecks in wheat production? What are the challenges?
The main bottleneck in India that I found after traveling extensively across India are low SRR, lab to land gap which is huge. Farmers are using old seeds resulting in low yield. The youngsters should come forward to address these issues. This is the age of mobiles, technology, and these are reaching even the remote villages, but the agricultural advancements and technologies are not reaching the farmers. The biggest hurdle is the young and educated youth are not coming forward to take up agriculture. It is the duty of the government institutions and research institutions to educate the farmers to use quality seeds and follow the procedures without fail.
Are there instances where soil health and fertility issues that have led to decrease wheat yields? Can you elaborate on these cases?
Definitely soil fertility is depleting year after year. Since the last 10 years, organic carbon content of the soil has decreased from 3% to 0.3%. Organic carbon content is the life of the soil. If it depletes and pH value increases, it is a threat not only to wheat but all crops. Currently we are unable to sustain without using chemical fertilisers. There is a definite and immediate need to improve the organic carbon content. The value of the land is not the benchmark, but the organic carbon content is. We have to sustain this to keep the productivity of the soil alive.
What role do pests and diseases and plant pathogens play in reducing the wheat production, and how can these issues be addressed effectively?
Pests, diseases, and weeds are biotic stress to the crop. These can be controlled, and already controlling measures are being taken. If we are unable to control them in time, they will cause huge loss up top 30%, but currently enough awareness has been created about pesticide and fertilisers, and farmers are controlling at that level without any problem. I request one and all the farmers to focus on increasing the productivity of wheat in the country. They need to address SRR by using high quality seeds and by accessing the information about best quality seeds available in the market. By following the appropriate protocols, I request the farmers to increase the income and yield higher than what you are getting currently.
Mr N. Sreenivasarao ( NS)
Email- sreenivasarao.n@nuziveeduseeds.com
Phone- 08297558389