Wheat is a cereal grain that is grown worldwide for its seeds. It is one of the most common staple foods around the world. Wheat has wide varieties. Wheat is among the world’s top three most produced kinds of cereal after rice and maize. Wheat cereal caters to a large part of human consumption used in making bread, pasta, and pastries. 

In 2020 China was ranked the world’s largest wheat producer, contributing 17% of the world’s total wheat. 

India and Russia are among the leading wheat producers. Wheat is a very important cereal for food production globally. 

Any repercussions on wheat production can cause a significant global food challenge.

Wheat production

Wheat is grown under a vast range of soil and climatic conditions. However, wheat is best produced in temperate regions where the rainfall range is 30 to 90cm. 

Wheat grown in different climates and soils has varied nutritional compositions. Production requires fertile, well-drained soils. 

The Ph of the soil should be between 5.5-7.5.

Growing Wheat and Lifecycle

Wheat planting starts by testing the soil content. 

Wheat is sensitive to saline soils.

Break the topsoil to plant seeds easily after land preparation. The process of wheat production begins with planting the crop in the fall. 

The wheat seeds are sown in the ground, and then the wheat plants grow and mature over the next few months. 

In the spring, the wheat plants are then harvested, and the wheat grain is separated from the plant.

However, depending on the environment where wheat is grown, it becomes susceptible to disease, insects, pests, other plants and such.

Pests and diseases affecting Wheat

Wheat crops can be affected by very many different types of weeds. 

Weed management is an essential part of ensuring successful wheat production. Farmers may use a variety of strategies to control weeds. 

Some weeds that affect wheat are annual broadleaf weeds, including species such as pigweeds. These weeds compete for resources with the wheat throughout the growing season. 

Perennial weeds develop in wheat fields and spread rapidly, crowding out the crop and reducing yields. 

Grass weeds often compete with wheat for light, water, and nutrients and can also harbor diseases that can infect the crop.

Several pests also affect wheat crops. These include rodents, insects, and even birds. 

Pests can cause severe damage to the crops reducing quality, yield, and even total loss. 

Famers can take different measures can be taken to fight weeds and pests. 

These include crop rotation or using herbicides and pesticides.

Common pesticides and herbicides used on Wheat

Herbicides and pesticides are substances used to kill weeds and pests. 

Farmers use pesticides on Wheat to help protect crops from being damaged by insects and herbicides to help control weeds that can compete with wheat for resources like water and nutrients.

Wheat crops are often attacked with pesticides and herbicides.

It is vital to fight pests and weeds. Pesticides are used on wheat during the growing season to protect the crop from insects, diseases, and weeds. 

Farmers must follow strict guidelines when applying pesticides to wheat fields to ensure crop safety and the environment.

Some of the most common pesticides and herbicides used in wheat are:

• 2,4-D is a herbicide that controls common winter broadleaf weeds like wild rash and buttercups. 2,4-D is present in two formulations, Ester and Amine. Ester is very effective under cols conditions and combines well with nitrogen. Amine formulations are preferred in areas where sensitive plants are nearby. It would help if you were careful when applying 2,4-D to avoid wheat injury. It is applied before joining but after full tillering.
• MCPA is a broad-spectrum herbicide that controls broadleaf weed in Wheat.
• Glyphosate – used widely to control grasses and broadleaf weeds. It manages invasive weeds and also helps in pest management.
• Imidacloprid-a pesticide that controls aphids that destroy Wheat by sacking sap from leaves, reducing yields.
• Chlorpyriphos – treat seeds to prevent termite damage

Pros and cons of using herbicides and pesticides

Pros

• Improved wheat yield-use of herbicides and pesticides has increased wheat production.
• Improved wheat quality as pesticides protects crops from attack.
• Pesticides and herbicides are less expensive -They are often more effective than manual methods at controlling weeds.
• They can be applied over large areas quickly and easily.
• Farmers can use different pesticides to target a specific pest.

Cons

•  They can be harmful to human health.
• They can be harmful to the environment.
• They can be harmful to humans when not properly handled.

Side effects of pesticides on Wheat and Flour

• Gluten sensitivity. Some reactions to wheat have been linked to the use of pesticides on wheat. 
• Wheat contains gluten and other proteins. People react to wheat due to gluten, but there could also be a reaction to the chemicals used in wheat.
• Pesticides have several different effects on wheat and flour. They can make the wheat plants more susceptible to disease, leading to lower yields.  

Pesticides also make the wheat kernels smaller, leading to lower-quality flour. 

There are other flours available to use such as gluten free variants.  There is also a difference between gluten free bread and gluten containing bread when it comes to health..

In addition, pesticides can contaminate the flour with harmful chemicals that can cause various health problems in people who eat it.

Countries that use the most pesticides

Many countries use pesticides for crop production; however other countries use them on a larger scale than others. Some of them are in China. USA, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Ukraine, and France.

If you’re curious about the difference between US and European flour click here.

How do pesticides affect the process of milling wheat into flour?

Pesticides can also affect the wheat quality, making it more difficult to mill into flour.

Pesticides can contaminate the wheat kernels, making them difficult to clean properly, leading to lower flour quality and yields. Pesticides can also affect the performance of the milling equipment, leading to reduced efficiency and output.

References

1. Rastogi, Kashish. “Which Countries Produce the Most Wheat?” Visual Capitalist, 31 July 2022, www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/visualizing-global-wheat-production-by-country/.
2. “Job’s Tears | Plant.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/plant/Jobs-tears. (“Herbicides for Weed Control in Wheat | Appling County Crop E News”)
3. Burkhart, Amy. “Pesticides in Wheat: Their Connection to Gluten Sensitivity.” Amy Burkhart, MD, RD, 24 Apr. 2020, theceliacmd.com/pesticides-in-wheat-gluten-sensitivity/. Accessed 26 Nov. 2022.
4. Randhawa, M. A., Ahmed, A., & Javed, M. S. (2014). Wheat contaminants (pesticides) and their dissipation during processing. In Wheat and rice in disease prevention and health (pp. 263-277). Academic Press.
5. http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/24Dgen.html
6. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/4-Chloro-2-methylphenoxy_acetic-acid
7. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/08/top-10-countries-produce-most-wheat/