Wheat cultivation in northern-hills zone of India

The physical constraints commonly encounter in northern hills zone during wheat growing season are: low temperature and frost in early crop stage, high temperature in reproductive stage, frequent droughts and low-soil fertility. The major biological stress includes, stripe (yellow) and leaf (brown) rust, powdery mildew, stinking smut (hill bunt) and loose smut. The institutional constraints like smallland holdings and fragmented lands, non-availability of improved seeds and other critical inputs, low seed replacement rate and limited adaptation of improved package of practices. All these constraints limit the productivity of wheat in this zone. However, presence of cool climate and comparatively longer crop season in hills offers enormous scope for raising productivity level of wheat. A large number of highyielding disease-resistant varieties were also released from many research stations of this zone. By adapting improved package of practices the productivity levels of wheat in northern-hills zone can be raised.