System of wheat intensification (SWI) – A new approach for increasing wheat yield in small holder farming system

Abstract

Given the confluence of water scarcity, declining area under wheat and continuing increase in population, raising wheat productivity has become a serious concern to the wheat scientists. Yield contribution from irrigation is more significant in wheat. Increase in the irrigation management levels for wheat is probably more relevant and easier to improve water productivity. But transplanted wheat seems high water requiring and economically less feasible. Seedlings have usually poor survival rate, and are often more fragile than rice seedlings at the two leaves stage. Besides plants do not grow quickly and vigorously, and show a delay in development compared to the direct seeding treatment. All yield parameters are often lower compared to the direct seeding treatment due to transplanting of aged seedlings, greater shock of transplantation, high plant density, improper amount and timing of water deliveries. Therefore, applying SRI (system of rice intensification) practices is expected to have a positive impact on the wheat plants, similar to the impact on rice. SWI is a new concept and goes with the SRI principle. It can reduce weeding time to one-third and to one-half of the time needed for current weeding practice. Herbicide use is effective with SWI, but farmers are inventing or modifying tools that reduce the labour time required for weeding. Thus, SWI is a methodology aimed at increasing the yield of wheat, where all agronomic principles are put into practices to provide high wheat yield per drop of water and per kg of agricultural inputs like fertilizer, seed etc.