Wheat Production

Seed requirement:

Seed drill 110 to 125kg/ ha

Broadcasting/ Vicon 125 to 135kg/ha

In the Low Veld 150 to 160kg/ ha due to poor tillering caused by axcess heat which shortens the irrigation cycle hence less period of water withdrawal

This should give us a standard range of plant population of 250 to 300 000 plants/ ha

Fertiliser recommendations:

We highly recommend that soils be taken for analysis to determine soil pH and the type of basal, top dressing and trace fertilisers to apply in soil in order to address the issue of soil nutritional balances for excellent performance. Wheat yield can range between 5 and 11 t/ha under good management practices.

However, below are general recommendations for basal and top-dressing fertilisers which might not give you the maximum potential out put of your crop in the ecological region you are farming.

Ideal soil pH 5,1 and 7,0

Fertiliser	Soil Type	Kg/Hectare	Comments
D or D Xtra 7:14:7 9s	Sandy soils Heavy soils	450-550 300-500	Total basal fertiliser must be applied at planting or prior to planting
Double D 14:28:14	Sandy soils Heavy soils	250-300 150-250	Total basal fertiliser must be applied at planting or prior to planting
A/N 34.5% or Super cereal blend(11%)	Sandy soils Heavy soils	450-500 300-500	Top dressing is done on day 22 after the stress period. In sandy soils apply 3 quarters on day 22 then the other quarter three weeks later, total recommended in heavy soils at day 22.
Urea 46%	Sandy soils Heavy soils	250-350 225-300	Apply in wet soil or follow with irrigation or cultivate
Lime Ammonium Nitrate(LAN)	Sandy soils Heavy soils	450-600 300-500

Weeds	Herbicide	Application	Comments
All weeds (pre-planting)	Roundup (glyphosate-al)	1 to 3l/ha	Applied at pre-planting for all weeds and zero tillage, the rate is determined by the stage of the weeds
Grass weeds	Pumer super	300 to 500ml/ha	Post emergency, controls annual and perennial grasses
Grass weeds	Ally + Banvel mix	5g + 100ml + 0,1% Sanawett/ ha	Post emergency, controls annual and perennial grasses
Grass weeds	Banvel + MCPA mix	250ml + 750ml/ ha	Post emergency, controls annual and perennial grasses
Broadleaf weeds	Bromoxynil 22.5 EC	90-120ml/15l knapsack sprayer	Applied at 3 to 5 leaf stage of crop. Suitable for seed crops. Apply higher rates for aerial spray
Broadleaf weeds	Dicamba/ Banvel	15-20ml/15l knapsack sprayer	Applied 3 to 5 leaf stage of crop. Can be used for broad leaf weeds
Broadleaf weeds	MCPA	190ml/15l knapsack sprayer	Applied at 3 to 5 leaf stage of crop Use combinations for better weed specrum cover e.g. Buctril DS at 0.5l & MCPA at 2.0l

Pests	Pestcide	Application	Comments
Aphids	Dimethoate 40EC	30ml/ 15l knapsack sprayer	Recommended that one application of 500ml/ ha applied with herbicides to control early aphid attack. Also controls leaf hoppers
Aphids	Thunder	15ml/ 15l knapsack sprayer	Full cover spray in 300ml of water/ ha. Apply as soon as early infestation is noticed from mid tiller to booting stage
Armyworm	Carbaryl 85% WP	625g/ha	Spray as soon as the worm is identified, the larva is the most devastating stage by eating the leaves
Leaf and ear caterpillar	Carbaryl 85% WP	625g/ha	Early control before serious damage feed by eating or stripping the leaves
Leaf and ear caterpillar	Malathion 50% EC	600 to 1200ml/ ha	Early control before serious damage feed by eating or stripping the leaves
Quelea birds	Bird scaring	Use 4 people/ ha	Report to AGRITEX and National Parks and Wildlife management authority

Diseases	Chemical	Application	Comments
Loose smut & damping off	Baytan 150FS	150ml/ 100kg seed	Seed dressing, 150ml/ 100kg of seed. Sprinkle 25g over 50kg of seed, mix 50g/ 90kg of seed. Rogue and destroy infected plants, plant certified seed, use tolerant varieties, practice rotation
Powdery mildew & Rust	Tilt/ Propiconazole 250EC other fungicides	30ml/ 15l knapsack sprayer	Apply when first signs of disease are visible, apply for rust before seed fill and repeat 3 to 4 weeks later if disease continues
Stimulant	Kelpak	15ml/15l knapsack sprayer	Apply when first signs of disease are visible, apply for rust before seed fill and repeat 3 to 4 weeks later if disease continues
Wheat leaf rust	Shavit	As per recommendations	Plant tolerant varieties, follow recommended planting dates, distraction of volunteer wheat plants
Maize Streak Virus	Cruiser or Gaucho	Seed dress as per recommendations	Plant tolerant varieties, spray for the hopper around the field and keep surroundings clean from green grass (host)

Proposed planting dates in different ecological regions

Area	Ideal planting date	Reason
High veld	Up to 25 May	To avoid the coinciding of flowering with frost, frost during ear emergency and flowering may cause floral sterility hence reducing grain set. Severe frost after heading can destroy the stem below the ear hence stopping further development of the grain. Severe frost after grain setting may cause moisture in the grain to freeze damaging grain, affecting test density.
Middle veld	7 to 15 May	Wheat grows well under temperate conditions
Low veld	1 to 10 May	To avoid sharp rising temperatures during grain filling stage, high temperatures after flowering reduce period grain filling and hence affecting yield and quality

NB:

Wheat requires between 400 and 600mm of water to physiological maturity

Wheat germinates well in field irrigated to field capacity just before planting

Roll over the seed with smooth roller if broadcast planting method was used to improve soil to seed contact

Apply 22mm of irrigation soon after planting

Withdraw water and stop all crop management operations for 21 days

Spray post emergency herbicide as well as top dressing and commence irrigation cycle

Irrigation, the most critical stages which are sensitive to moisture are: during root development (hence field capacity at planting), heading, booting, blister stage, milk dough stage and grain filling

Harvesting, scare quelea birds before harvest to reduce field losses, monitor the moisture content and harvest the crop before it is over dried (12,5%), set the combine harvest blades well to reduce harvesting losses