Crop details

Wheat (ngano)

Triticum aestivum

Family: Poaceae

Quick stats

Family	Poaceae
Typical harvest	3.7 t/ha
Varieties	3
Pests & diseases	5
Seasons	3

Crop profile

Growth habit	annual
Days to harvest	120
Main uses	Flour for chapati, bread, mandazi, noodles and animal feed (bran).
Pollination	self
Origin / where it grows	Wheat (ngano) is mainly grown in cool, highland areas with reliable rainfall or irrigation.

Weather, soil & spacing

Best temperature	15–22 °C
Rainfall	500–750 mm/yr
Altitude	1200–2800 m
Best pH	6–7.5
Soil type	Deep, well-drained loam or clay loam with good organic matter.
Row spacing	20 cm
Plant spacing	5 cm
Planting depth	3 cm
Seed rate	100 kg/ha
Nursery days	—

Simple notes for farmers

About the crop: This crop is annual. You plant, grow and harvest it in one main season, then plant again. You can normally start harvesting about 120 days after planting, depending on care and variety.

Main use: Farmers mostly grow this crop for flour for chapati, bread, mandazi, noodles and animal feed (bran)..

Pollination: This crop is mainly pollinated by self. Keeping flowers healthy and having insects like bees in the field helps improve fruit set and yields.

Where it grows: Wheat (ngano) is mainly grown in cool, highland areas with reliable rainfall or irrigation. It is grouped under: Cereals & Pseudocereals.

Best climate: This crop does well in warm areas where the temperature is usually between 15 and 22 degrees Celsius. It prefers places that receive around 500 to 750 millimetres of rain in a year. It can grow from near sea level up to about 2800 metres above sea level.

Soil: The crop grows best in slightly acidic to near neutral soils, with a pH of about 6 to 7.5. It does well in deep, well-drained loam or clay loam with good organic matter.. Good drainage is important, so avoid waterlogged spots.

Plant spacing: Plant in rows about 20 centimetres apart, and leave about 5 centimetres between plants in the row. This gives each plant enough space for roots and canopy to spread.

Planting depth: Dig planting holes or furrows about 3 centimetres deep so the roots sit firmly in the soil but are not buried too deep.

Seed or planting material: Use around 100 kilograms of seed or planting material per hectare. Spread or plant evenly so the field has a good stand without being overcrowded.

Farmer guide (mwongozo wa mkulima)

Planting: Prepare a fine, firm seedbed. Drill Wheat (ngano) in rows or broadcast seed evenly, then lightly cover with soil. Plant at the start of the cool, rainy season.

Transplanting: Wheat (ngano) is almost always direct seeded, not transplanted.

Irrigation: Keep soil moist at germination and tillering, and avoid moisture stress at flowering and grain filling. Do not over-irrigate heavy soils.

Fertigation: With drip or sprinkler, split nitrogen into 2–3 small doses through the season instead of one big application.

Pest scouting: Walk the field every 7–10 days. Look for rusts (yellow/brown patches), leaf spots, aphids on stems and heads, and lodging (falling plants).

Pruning: No pruning needed. Focus on timely weeding, especially before the crop canopy closes.

Harvest: Harvest when most Wheat (ngano) heads are golden and grains are hard and no longer dent easily with a fingernail.

Postharvest: Cut and dry the crop in the field or on clean tarpaulins, thresh when dry and store grain in clean, dry and insect-free bags or silos.

Nutrient schedule (mbolea kwa hatua)

#	Stage	DAP	Product	Rate	Targets (kg/ha)	Notes
1	Basal at planting	0	DAP 18-46-0 or NPK with phosphorus	80 kg/ha	N: 14, P₂O₅: 37, K₂O: 0	Place fertilizer slightly below and to the side of Wheat (ngano) seed, not in direct contact.
2	Topdress at tillering	25	CAN 26% N or urea	80 kg/ha	N: 21, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Apply when plants have 3–4 tillers, on moist soil.
3	Topdress before stem elongation	40	Urea 46% N (if season remains good)	50 kg/ha	N: 23, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Apply before booting and when rain is expected so nitrogen can move into the soil.

Nutrient requirements

Nutrient	Stage	Amount	Unit
N	Basal	40	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Basal	30	kg/ha
K₂O	Basal	20	kg/ha
N	Topdress_tillering	40	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Topdress_tillering	0	kg/ha
K₂O	Topdress_tillering	10	kg/ha
N	Topdress_stem_elongation	20	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Topdress_stem_elongation	0	kg/ha
K₂O	Topdress_stem_elongation	10	kg/ha

Name	Country	Maturity	Traits
Improved bread wheat – highland	KE	130	Adapted to cool highlands, good baking quality, responsive to fertilizer.
Improved bread wheat – medium altitude	TZ	115	Medium-maturing Wheat (ngano) suited to mid-altitude, moderate rainfall areas.
Local ngano landrace	KE	125	Well adapted to local conditions, stable but lower yield than improved varieties.

Stage	Product	Rate (kg/ha)	Notes
Basal	DAP 18-46-0	80	Provides phosphorus and some nitrogen for early Wheat (ngano) growth.
Topdress (tillering)	CAN 26% N	80	Supports tiller formation and early canopy growth.
Topdress (pre-booting)	Urea 46% N	50	Apply with good soil moisture to improve grain number and size.

Name	Type	Symptoms	Management
Rusts (stem, leaf and stripe rust)	disease	Small orange, brown or yellow pustules on leaves and stems; leaves dry early and plants may lodge.	Plant rust-resistant Wheat (ngano) varieties, avoid late planting and use recommended fungicides where necessary.
Septoria and other leaf spots	disease	Brown or grey spots on leaves, sometimes with yellow halos; leaves die from the bottom upwards.	Use clean seed, rotate crops and plant varieties with good disease tolerance.
Aphids	pest	Green or black insects on stems and heads, sticky honeydew and sometimes sooty mould.	Encourage natural enemies, avoid excessive nitrogen, and use selective insecticides only when populations are high.
Armyworms and cutworms	pest	Chewing damage on leaves, cut seedlings and thin patches in the field.	Scout early in the season, control weeds and use recommended emergency controls when needed.
Fusarium head blight	disease	Bleached spikelets in heads, shriveled “tombstone” grains.	Rotate with non-cereal crops and avoid very high nitrogen and continuous Wheat (ngano).

System	Typical	Min	Max	Notes
Smallholder rainfed (low input)	1.5	1	2.5	Local or saved seed, little fertilizer and basic weed control.
Smallholder rainfed (improved management)	3.5	2.5	5	Improved Wheat (ngano) varieties, recommended fertilizer and good disease control.
Irrigated / high input farms	6	4	8	High-yield varieties, irrigation and full nutrient and disease management.

Country	Region	Planting	Harvest
KE	Highland Wheat (ngano) zones – long rains	Mar–Apr	Aug–Sep
KE	Irrigated schemes / cool off-season	May–Jun	Oct–Nov
TZ	Northern and southern highlands	Jun–Jul	Nov–Dec

Country	Region	Suitability
KE	Hot, humid lowlands	Low
KE	Mt. Kenya and Aberdare slopes	High
KE	Rift Valley highland Wheat (ngano) belt	High
TZ	Northern and southern highlands	High
UG	Highland Wheat (ngano) areas	Medium