Agronomy of Durum Wheat Production

As the world’s population grows, agriculture faces thechallenge of ensuring that crop production satisfies theincreasing demand for food. Durum wheat (Triticum turgidumL.) is a major staple food, with world production in crop year 2009-10 estimated at 39 million tonnes (Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada 2009).Ensuring the security of supply of durum wheat, as well as of other staple crops, requires that production be optimized on each hectare planted. Crop yield potential is determined by theenvironmental constraints of the region of production, such as length of growing season, temperature regime, rainfall, and soil characteristics. The producer must apply agronomicpractices affecting cultivar selection, seeding date, depth and density of planting, tillage practices, crop rotation, control of weeds, diseases and pests, irrigation, and nutrient management to capture as much of the yield potential as possible, while supporting long-term environmental sustainability.[...