the Symposium on Wheats for More Tropical Environments - cimmyt

124Outing <strong>the</strong> dry season, it is possible tocultivate o<strong>the</strong>r crops, such as beans,soybeans, maize, potato and peas. Atpresent, farmers are using <strong>the</strong> dryseason for growing wheat, potato, beansand peas. The main problems are <strong>the</strong>high cost of sprinkler irrigation, due tohigh energy prices, and <strong>the</strong> farmers'lack of experience with irrigation andwheat cultivation. Increased corrugatedirrigation would lower costs.Cultivation in <strong>the</strong>lowland. and in paddy field.The lowlands and paddy fields in <strong>the</strong>lower altitudes have warmer climates.Wheat has been cultivated successfullyin areas with an altitude of 500 metersand above. These areas have problemsof irrigation and drainage, because of<strong>the</strong> nature of <strong>the</strong> soil (low hydraulicconductiVity) and <strong>the</strong> poor leveling of<strong>the</strong> fields. Waterlogging frequentlyoccurs and seedbed preparation isdifficult. In addition to <strong>the</strong>characteristics mentioned preViously forbreeding wheat in <strong>the</strong> irrigateduplands, tol~ranceto waterlogging andto higher temperatures will be reqUiredin <strong>the</strong> lowlands. Disease problems aresimilar to those of upland irrigatedwheat, but are more intense.Wheat cropping is carried out in <strong>the</strong>lowlands when <strong>the</strong>re is no risk offlooding, and when o<strong>the</strong>r agriculturalactivities permit. The crops competingwith wheat are <strong>the</strong> same as those of <strong>the</strong>uplands.The water needed by wheat is less thanhalf of that reqUired by flooded rice;thus, wheat is a good alternative when<strong>the</strong>re is limited water in <strong>the</strong> riversdUring <strong>the</strong> dry season. Farmers areobtaining yields in <strong>the</strong>se areas of 2 to3 tlha, with no investment needed o<strong>the</strong>rthan that for drainage improvement.