Field Crop 2025, Vol.8, No.2, 61-71 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/fc 62 2 Requirements of Mechanized Farming for Wheat Varieties 2.1 Uniform plant height and lodging resistance Mechanized farming requires wheat varieties with uniform plant height to facilitate efficient harvesting. Uniformity in plant height ensures that mechanical harvesters can operate effectively without missing or damaging crops. This is crucial for maximizing yield and minimizing losses during the harvesting process. In Egypt, the development of wheat varieties that are highly adaptable to mechanized operations has been emphasized, highlighting the importance of uniform plant height in mechanized farming systems (Abdelmageed et al., 2019). Lodging resistance is another critical requirement for mechanized wheat farming. Lodging, which is the bending over of stems near the ground, can severely disrupt mechanical harvesting and reduce yield quality. Breeding programs have focused on developing wheat varieties with strong stems to resist lodging, thereby ensuring that the crops remain upright and accessible to machinery. This trait is essential for maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of mechanized harvesting operations (Shrawat and Armstrong, 2018; Abdelmageed et al., 2019). 2.2 Appropriate maturation period and easy threshability For mechanized farming, wheat varieties must have an appropriate maturation period that aligns with the timing of mechanical harvesting. This synchronization is vital to ensure that the wheat is harvested at its peak quality and yield potential. In Egypt, the adoption of modern agricultural techniques, including the development of varieties with suitable maturation periods, has contributed significantly to increased wheat yields (Abdelmageed et al., 2019). Figure 1 Comparison of old (1960-1979, left) and new (1980-2016, right) wheat cultivation technologies (Adopted from Abdelmageed et al., 2019) Easy threshability is another important trait for mechanized wheat farming. Threshability refers to the ease with which grains can be separated from the chaff. Varieties that are easy to thresh reduce the time and energy required for processing, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of mechanized farming systems. The development of wheat varieties with improved threshability characteristics is crucial for optimizing the harvesting and processing stages in mechanized agriculture (Shrawat and Armstrong, 2018; Sharifnasab et al., 2024). 2.3 Resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses Mechanized farming also demands wheat varieties that are resistant to biotic stresses such as pests and diseases. The development of genetically superior wheat varieties through genetic engineering and conventional breeding
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