indrasheel@gmail.com, premkishan4u@gmail.com

Wheat (Triticum spp.) was one of the first domesticated food crops, and for eight thousand years, it has been the basic food staple of the major civilizations of Europe, West Asia and North Africa. Currently, wheat exhibits large genetic diversity with over 25,000 types or cultivars, which are adapted to a wide range of temperate environments. FAO estimated that the world wheat production for year 2024 was approximately 797 million tons. Wheat grain can be processed into flour, semolina and other products that form the basic ingredients of many foods worldwide (e.g. bread, cookies, pastries, pasta, noodles, couscous, etc.).

These foods provide about 20% of the calories and protein source for a large portion of the world’s population. In densely populated countries, such as India or Pakistan, wheat is an important source of calories and proteins, and its consumption will probably increase in other countries such as Bangladesh due to the adoption of a “western lifestyle”.

Therefore, global wheat production needs to increase in the upcoming decades to cover the rising demand for this grain. here is also a range of pathogenic fungi and viruses that cause various leaf and root diseases in wheat. Disease control strategies are underway to limit the damage to the wheat crop. Furthermore, soil moisture level, the depth of seed plantation, PH control for fungal growth reduction.

Methodology: Study Area: Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh, India

FCI functioning in the Varanasi Mandal District: We annually receive 4300 MT of wheat local purchase of while 100000 MT/year of wheat distribution in Varanasi Region through PDS (Public Distribution System). So, rest of 96000 MT wheat is inward from outside of surplus rice state (Punjab & Haryana) through Rake.

Challenges:

Mycotoxins and Aflatoxins.

Poor soil fertility due to insufficient/overuse of fertilizers.

Soil Erosion, drought, flood, flash floods and water logging further destroy the crops to a great extent.

Resistance development in the insect, pest and weeds due to the prolonged use of same quality of fertilizers.

Result:

This is the overall data for pest management in FCI but now these days’ insects show resistance against chemical treatment. So, there is need of design different option for pest management.

Overall, the cultivation area available to meet the demands of dense population like Varanasi is invariably low.

Discussion

We ensure that the supplies should reach to all beneficiaries of the concerned district.

A biometric scan is performed upon handing over the supplies to the beneficiary to make sure right person has received the right amount.

We will try to maintain the nutritional aspects of the product through fortification with essentials nutritional supplements like Folic Acid (10,000ug/kg), Cyanocobalamin (1000ug/kg) and Iron (3525mg/kg) to prevent the nutritional deficiencies.

On storage and preservation of wheat, control insects and pests with various methods like spray fumigation, rodent control and insect trapper for maintaining nutritional quality of wheat.

Maintain moisture with the help of scientific godown structure. Aeration to protect unwanted growth of fungi which causes mycotoxins and aflatoxins.

Way Forward

To design environment friendly, less-toxic and improved varieties of biofertilizers so that there is limited or no resistance development in the insects and pests.

Educate farmers on large-scale to procure better produces.