Punjab: Heat stress advisory for wheat growers

Wheat was cultivated on 1.7 lakh hectares in Jalandhar district last year, recording an average grain yield of 48.5 quintal per hectare. Experts have cautioned that the rising temperatures may pose a threat to the crop this season.

According to agricultural scientists, temperatures during the second week of February were 2-4°C higher than the corresponding period last year. Wheat, particularly at the grain-filling stage, is highly sensitive to elevated temperatures. Exposure to heat stress at this critical stage can lead to shrivelled grains and ultimately lower yields.

MS Bhullar, Director, Extension Education at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, has advised farmers to apply light irrigation under prevailing high-temperature conditions to mitigate stress. He emphasised that farmers should monitor wind speed while irrigating to prevent crop lodging.

Echoing similar concerns, Hari Ram, Head of the Department of Agronomy at the PAU, recommended spraying a 2% solution of potassium nitrate on the wheat crop. The solution can be prepared by dissolving 4 kg of potassium nitrate (13-0-45) in 200 litre of water.

He advised that the spray should be applied twice, first at the flag leaf stage and again at the anthesis stage, to help the crop withstand heat stress.

This article has been republished from The Tribune.