FARMING THE WHEAT
A global crop
Wheat is grown all over the world. The main producing areas are Europe,
China, USA, Russia, India, Canada, Ukraine, Australia and Argentina.
Different varieties of wheat are grown depending on the climate and geography
of each country. In Canada, the harsh winters require a fast-growing grain;
wheat is sown and matured in about 90 days. Different varieties are used to cope
with the dry sun-baked lands of Northern India and parts of Africa.
Wheat in the UK
In the UK, wheat is harvested in August, having been planted the previous
September. Wheat is used to make flour which is then used to make a variety of
products including bread, cakes and biscuits. (You can learn more about the
process in the Following the grain chain:
from field to fork section.) Many breakfast cereals are also made from
wheat.
Wheat is sown on two fifths of Britain’s arable land, resulting in a total
harvest of 15-17 million tonnes per year. About half of the crop is used to be
made into food for humans, and some is used for animal feed (e.g. to feed
chickens, cows and pigs). About three per cent of the crop is used as seed to
plant for the following year.
Wheat grows best in dry climates. It needs good rich soil to ensure high
yields. The most productive crops are grown on the well-drained, deep, rich
soils in the East of England where summer temperatures are highest and rainfall
is low.
The farmer's year
Click on each season to find out more.
Preparing the land
Farmers plough their land to prepare a seed bed for their crops. Ploughing
turns over the weeds and debris from the previous crop. These rot underground
providing nutrients for the next crop.
Sowing
The seeds have to be sown at the correct depth in the soil and immediately
covered. 95% of wheat is sown in the autumn. Other cereal crops, such as barley,
may also be sown in the spring. The plants grow slowly during the winter – they
look like a field of grass.
The growing season
The plants grow rapidly in Spring. The plants need sunlight, warmth and water
to grow well, and fertilisers are also used. Fertilisers are substances added to
the soil to increase the yield of the crop. They work by providing one or more
of the essential ingredients that plants need for growth: nitrogen (N),
phosphate (P) and potassium (K). Farmers may use organic fertilisers (e.g.
manure, waste crops) or inorganic products (e.g. ammonium nitrate).
Each wheat plant shoot produces a stem, which grows to about 60cm. The seed
head, or 'ear', emerges from the top of the stem in early June. Each ear of
wheat has about 40 grains.
Disease, weed and pest control continues throughout the growing season. Wheat
plants can suffer diseases which affect their leaves, stems or ears. Farmers use
fungicides to control disease caused by fungi, herbicides to keep down weeds,
and insecticides to control insect pests. At the same time, farmers need to
strike a balance between getting a good crop and protecting the environment.
Harvesting
The wheat ripens, and the nutrients from the plant are transferred to the
grain in the ear. These grains would form the new wheat plants.
The grain is harvested between mid-July and September. Combine harvester
machines cut down the wheat and separate the grain from the stalks. The machine
also cleans the grain using a number of sieves.
The straw and the remains of the ear are either chopped and left in the field
to provide nutrients for the next crop or left unchopped to be baled for straw.
Straw is used to provide winter bedding for livestock and can also be a low
value animal feed.
Storage and marketing
After harvest, the grain is kept in special stores that are free from pests
and risks of contamination. Grain storage has to follow strict guidelines in
order to keep its quality.
