Kashmir scientists develop early-maturing wheat varieties to solve crop cycle disruption
wheat varieties to solve crop cycle disruption
Srinagar, J&K — Agricultural scientists in the Kashmir Valley have successfully developed new early-maturing wheat varieties aimed at addressing a long-standing crop cycle problem that threatens the region’s traditional rice–wheat rotation system. Researchers at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) say the innovation could help stabilise cropping patterns, support timely rice cultivation, and boost food security.
In Kashmir, wheat is grown as a rabi (winter) crop and traditionally sown in October. However, many older wheat cultivars took longer to reach maturity, often ripening in June–July. This delay has increasingly conflicted with the transplantation schedule for paddy (rice), the dominant kharif crop in the valley, leading to pressure on the established double-cropping system.
To overcome this challenge, scientists have developed and released two new wheat varieties — Shalimar Wheat-4 (SW-4) and Shalimar Wheat-3 (SW-3). These varieties are designed to mature earlier in the season, enabling farmers to harvest wheat in time for the customary rice planting window. According to researchers, this advancement will help preserve the integrated cropping calendar and prevent a breakdown of the rice–wheat rotation that many farmers rely on.
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Beyond cropping-pattern benefits, the early-maturing wheats are also expected to contribute to overall regional food security by sustaining grain production and supporting self-sufficiency in grain supplies. Early maturity reduces the risk of heat stress on the wheat crop as spring temperatures rise, a growing concern under changing climatic patterns in the Himalayan region.
Local agricultural officers and farmer groups have welcomed the development, saying the varietal release could offer farmers greater flexibility in planning sowing and harvesting activities while maintaining the productivity of both wheat and rice in Kashmir’s unique agro-ecological context.
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