Key "three protections" for standard wheat growth stages

@#@245@#@From sowing to harvest, it takes more than half a year, spanning the entire winter and spring, and entering the harvest season in early summer. In different seasons and at different stages of wheat growth, different natural disasters may be encountered. Therefore, disaster prevention and reduction to ensure wheat quality are crucial for increasing yield and income. Experts suggest that farmers should achieve the "three protections" during wheat growth:

First, protection against low-temperature freeze damage. In the early stage of wheat growth, it must go through low-temperature rain and snow weather in winter. Moderate low temperature and rain and snow are very beneficial for killing pests, loosening the soil, increasing natural nutrients, and enhancing wheat cold resistance. However, sustained low temperatures then become a disaster, and different disaster resistance measures must be taken. For production recovery after rain, snow, and freeze damage in the wheat areas of the southwest and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the main task is to drain water and reduce waterlogging; in the wheat areas of the northwest and southern Huang-Huai region, the focus is on increasing temperature and preserving soil moisture to promote the upgrading and transformation of seedlings.

Second, protection against pests, diseases, and weeds. Pests, diseases, and weeds not only cause reduced yield, but also lower quality. For example, if diseased grains exceed the standard, the price will be deducted or they may even not be purchased. Therefore, preventing and controlling pests and diseases is the key to increasing yield and income. Especially in southern wheat fields where humidity is relatively high, wheat pests and diseases, wheat field weeds, and waterlogging damage often occur. It is necessary to formulate prevention and control plans, do a good job in forecasting and prediction, and strengthen unified control and unified prevention.

Third, protection against late-stage disasters. In the middle and late stages of wheat growth, lodging caused by strong winds, dry hot winds, and continuous rain during the harvest period are the most harmful. Dry hot winds can damage the awns, ears, leaves, and stems of wheat plants. The grains become shriveled, and the thousand-grain weight decreases. It is necessary to increase the application of organic fertilizer and phosphate fertilizer, deepen the plow layer, select early-maturing varieties with strong stress resistance, use drought-resistant agents for seed dressing, and do a good job in the late-stage "one spray, three preventions."

When wheat is nearing harvest, it is also a season with relatively more rainy days. If rainwater is not drained in time, it will not only cause waterlogging and reduce wheat yield, but also lower quality. If harvesting or threshing is not timely, the ears may sprout, reducing wheat quality. During this period, in addition to cleaning ditches and draining waterlogging, attention should be paid to timely harvesting, and machine harvesting should be used as much as possible. Manual harvesting, whether using stone rollers or mechanical threshing, will cause broken grains and produce "imperfect grains." If imperfect grains exceed the standard, the price will be deducted.