Timely Follow-up on Mid-to-Late Stage Wheat Management, Do a Good Job in Field Management to Ensure a Bumper Harvest

According to the agricultural situation dispatch of the Ministry of Agriculture at the end of March, the proportion of first- and second-class seedlings of winter wheat nationwide reached 86%, an increase of 2.3 percentage points over before winter, 3.1 percentage points over the same period last year, and 2 percentage points over the average of the same period in the past five years.

This year, the national wheat area increased slightly while remaining stable. The current seedling growth is noticeably better than last year and is also one of the better years in recent years, giving hope for a bumper summer grain harvest this year.

Current problems: Compared with previous years, this year's wheat seeding rate is on the high side, and some wheat fields have excessively large populations, increasing the risk of lodging, pests and diseases, and “late spring cold” damage. In particular, as temperatures rise, pests and diseases such as wheat stripe rust, sheath blight, powdery mildew, aphids, and red spiders have affected large areas and spread rapidly, making the prevention and control situation quite severe. At the same time, according to the China Meteorological Administration, in April, temperatures in most of the northern winter wheat region will be close to normal or higher, while precipitation in central and southern North China and most of the Huang-Huai region will be lower than the same period in normal years. In some areas with poor irrigation conditions, drought may continue or develop, which is unfavorable for winter wheat growth and yield formation. From now until harvest, wheat production will also face threats from disasters such as “dry hot wind,” “harvest-time rain,” lodging, pests and diseases, and the task of fighting disasters to secure a bumper harvest remains arduous.

At present, most winter wheat nationwide has entered the jointing and stem elongation stage, a key period that determines whether wheat has more or fewer ears and whether the ears are large or small, and also an important stage for strengthening field management and laying a solid foundation for yield. The Ministry of Agriculture requires the following measures:

First, strengthen fertilizer and water management. In view of different wheat growth conditions, growth progress, and soil moisture, manage by category, combining promotion and control. For vigorously growing wheat fields with excessively large populations, postpone fertilizer and water to control vigorous growth and promote sturdy growth; for wheat fields with weak seedlings, apply fertilizer and water early to promote the transition from weak to strong; for fields with normal seedlings, apply jointing fertilizer well, irrigate well at flowering and grain filling, and apply ear-grain fertilizer well, effectively promoting increases in ear number, grains per ear, and 1000-grain weight, and raising the level of wheat yield per unit area.

Second, strengthen pest and disease prevention and control. Implement territorial responsibility for prevention and control, strengthen pest and disease monitoring and early warning, focus on blocking stripe rust, prevent fusarium head blight, control the occurrence and damage of aphids, red spiders, and wheat blossom midges, vigorously promote specialized unified prevention and control, carry out emergency control in a timely manner, and minimize losses from pest and disease damage.

Third, do a good job in disaster prevention and mitigation. Pay close attention to weather changes, improve emergency response plans for natural disasters such as “late spring cold” and “dry hot wind,” prepare materials, technology, and other aspects in advance, and in particular, in view of the fact that some wheat fields have excessively large populations this year, timely adopt the “one spray, four preventions” measure (that is, spraying a mixed liquid of fertilizer and pesticide to prevent pests and diseases, lodging, premature aging, and dry hot wind), enhance wheat's lodging resistance, prevent premature aging of wheat, and reduce the harm from pests, diseases, and “dry hot wind.”

Fourth, strengthen guidance and services. Continue to organize experts and technical personnel to go deep into the fields to inspect seedling conditions, soil moisture, and pest and disease conditions, improve technical plans, strengthen guidance and services, and help farmers carry out field management well according to local conditions.