Frontline demonstration is for the latest notified and recommended varieties along with specific package of practices on selected farmers' fields with a view to demonstrate the production potential of technologies to participating farmers. This can be extended to government's agriculture departments and allied agencies to analyse the production constraints and the assess the performance of technologies for scientific feed back.

Thanks to efforts of frontline demonstration techniques and researchers, extension functionaries and farmers, wheat production in the country has gone up over the years. Wheat output rose from 11 million tonnes in 1960-61 to 68.00 million tonnes during 1996-97. However, the production is likely to fall down this season and may be around 60.00 million tonnes in view of several unfavourable factors.The average productivity in the country that was only 851 kgs per hectare by 1960 had gone upto 2,493 kg per hectare by 1996 and about 2,500 kg per hectare by 1997.

The scientists have found hat the wheat productivity could be increased further by bridging the yield gap through frontline demonstration. Wheat frontline demonstration was started by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research. Wheat scientists Satyabir Singh, Ramesh Chand and Ghanshyam Singh of Directorate of Wheat Research point out that the main objective of this transfer of technology was to show the production potential of recommended crops varieties and package of practices to the farmers and also the extension agencies for rapid transfer of technology.

The underlying motive was to "delineate the production constraints" and to assess the performance of technologies in the socio-economic conditions of the farmers. The scientists have found that productivity level was different in various zones depending upon the climatic factors andinnovative characteristics of farmers. During the demonstrations, the scientists found that the yield potential in NHZ, NWPZ, NEPZ, CZ and PZ was up to 39.20, 57.00, 65.30, 75.00 and 80.00 quintals per hectares respectively.

The highest yield of wheat obtained in various zones varied from 39.2 quintals per hectare to 80 quintals per hectares. These figures spell out the need to encourage other farmers to emulate the yield obtained in these demonstration plots and in this matter unharvested yield could be realised to meet the demand for wheat. In frontline demonstrations participatory approach is followed in principle as the team of scientists, extension workers and farmers interact in informal manner and work out a suitable strategy for increasing the productivity of wheat crop under field conditions. During the process, the constraints experienced by the farmers are delineated and rectified accordingly.

The wheat scientists told that during the monitoring of wheat fields in Haryana Punjab and UttarPradesh, it was observed that farmers suffered maximum loss due to the weed "phlaris minor". By continuous use of isoproturon, phlaris minor has got resistance. So it was out of control by isoproturon. The scientists advised that the farmers should adopt cropping sequence that is crop rotation.

Through these frontline demonstrations, not only farmers get the information about wheat production technology but also the knowledge through field day celebrations organised by the Directorate of Wheat Research at farmer's fields. On field day, the scientists show mature crop situation to farmers and tell them to adopt different varieties and technology to increase wheat yield.

The results obtained by scientists certainly show that this experience of lab to land had really made a mark and production of wheat was going up and had the potential to increase further. The scientists at wheat research needs beyond 2000 AD organised at Directorate of Wheat Research expressed similar views and felt that no research woulddo any good if it was confined to labs, the transfer of technology from labs to land should be the in thing.