Improving Agricultural Productivity and Food Security-Crops

Michael Baum Michael Baum Acting Director of Biodiversity and Integrated Gene Management Program;Acting Director of Biodiversity and Integrated Gene Management Program;

BiotechnologistBiotechnologistThe International Center for Agricultural Research The International Center for Agricultural Research

in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)P.O. Box 5466 Aleppo, SyriaP.O. Box 5466 Aleppo, Syria

I

Global mandateGlobal mandate

BarleyBarley LentilLentil

Faba BeanFaba Bean Water- use efficiencyWater- use efficiency

Regional mandateRegional mandate

ChickpeaChickpea Bread WheatBread WheatDurum WheatDurum Wheat

Rangeland and Small Ruminant Rangeland and Small Ruminant Nutrition ImprovementNutrition Improvement

Forage LegumesForage Legumes

BIGMBiodiversity and Integrated

Gene Management Program

IWLMIntegrated Water and Land Management Program

DSIPSDiversification and Sustainable Intensification of Production Systems Program

SEPRSocial, Economic and

Policy Research Program

Programs at ICARDA

Breeding Programs supported by:

Genetic Resources Section (GRS)

Biotechnology Laboratory

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Seed Section

Seed Health Laboratory (SHL)

Grain Quality Laboratory

International Nurseries (IN)

Staff: 110 + dailies

Biodiversity & Crop Improvement: wheat, barley, legume

Poverty & Livelihoods, Analysis& Impact Assessment

Genetic resource section (GRS) & genebank

genetic diversity of wheat, barley, food legumes, pasture forage species from diverse origins for use in research and plant breeding

collect/acquire conserve

characterize evaluate document distribute

Medium term storage: 2o-4oC

133,026 accessions are conserved in ICARDA genebank.

63% are wild relatives and landraces. Most of them collected in

CWANA region.

Long term storage: -20oC

80% of ICARDA accessions is safety

duplicated in Svalbard Seed Vault (Norway)

100% is the aim

Biotechnology Laboratory

Current Major Projects: “The Centre of Excellence Program” between Tottori University and ICARDA, 2007-2011. Breeding cereals for stress tolerance.

“Developing drought and heat tolerant wheat germplasm and its utilisation for the drylands of Central and West Asia and North Africa”, BMZ, Germany.

“Biotechnology Development in the Arab World: Establishment of a Containment Facility at ICARDA” AFESD, Kuwait, 2007-2009.

• Application of biotechnology to enhance the speed and efficiency of plant breeding Marker assisted selection Doubled-haploid production

• Application of gene technology for genetic enhancement Production of GM plants in chickpea,

lentil, wheat and barley.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Virology

Activities:

Field Surveys and Diagnosis: Pest monitoring and diversity characterization Host Plant Resistance Pesticide applications Cultural Practices Biological control Capacity building Information Dissemination

BGRI Protocols established in Ethiopia, Yemen, and Egypt for Pathogenicity surveys.

New sources of resistance identified for Stem rust, yellow rust, Sunn pest, Russian wheat aphid, Wheat stem saw fly and Barley yellow dwarf virus.

IPM pilot sites for Sunn pest and Hessian fly.

Biological control of Sunn pest using isolates of the fungus Beauveria bassiana

Molecular characterization of Wheat streak mosaic virus. Seed transmission and yield loss studied.

Cereal Pathology

Food Legume Pathology

Entomology

Plant health system established using host plant resistance, biological control mechanism and pathogenicity monitoring and surveillance against diseases and insects

Ma’Rib, Yemen

Strengthened seed systems through increased private sector participation and alternative delivery systems

Alternative seed delivery systems by establishing technically feasible and economically viable VBSEs in Afghanistan (17), Eritrea (1) and Pakistan (4) in remote or marginal areas. Produced and marketed 3,853 t of seed of wheat, rice, mung bean and potato reaching

60,000 households (500,000 people).

Accelerated seed multiplication of UG99 resistant wheat varieties to counter threat in at risk countries: Egypt, Ethiopia, Pakistan. Fast-track release of UG resistant varieties Creating awareness for policy advocacy Polarizing UG resistant varieties to farmers Accelerating pre-release seed multiplication

Effective regional seed network as a forum to encourage collaboration and create regional seed market.

Enhanced capacity of national agricultural research, seed programs, development agencies and extension services to better manage seed supply systems.

Seed SectionICARDA is the only CGIAR Center with a dedicated Seed Section working with breeding programs.

Seed Health Laboratory

SbP identifications

SHL is wildly recognized as a reference laboratory of

CWANA

Field inspection

Activities:

Monitoring the health status and safe movement of germplasm and breeding lines for seed exchange.

Ensuring seed health quality of seeds produced and distributed.

Research on seed borne pathogens.

Capacity building and information dissemination.

100% of incoming and outgoing germplasm are

tested against seed borne pathogens.

For example in 200813,000 accessions of all incoming

and outgoing genetic material tested for seed borne diseases,

and pests. 1,650 accessions cleaned from

viruses. 3,350 accessions cleaned from

fungi.

International Nurseries

Sending segregating populations, elite lines, yield trials and disease nurseries to NARS for testing and further selection in local environments.

Received 108 requests for 1,856 trial sets, from more than 500 researchers contacted in 2008.

Sets of nurseries and special dispatches sent to 51 countries.

Crop Yield Trials

Observation Nurseries

Stress Nurseries

Segregating populations

Crossing blocks

Total Sets

Bread wheat 163 46 209

Durum wheat 42 37 79

Barley 146 149 105 26 34 460

Chickpea 99 121 25 245

Lentil 97 67 44 208

Faba bean 63 13 76

Grass pea (Lathyrus)

39 39

Total 586 232 356 108 34 1,316

Varieties Releases, 1977-2008

Crop_Name Developing Industrialized Total Varieties

Barley 175 31 206

Bread Wheat 224 6 230

Durum 102 14 116

Chickpea 108 31 139

Faba Bean 51 6 57

Forages 30 2 32

Lentil 96 16 112

Peas 9   9

Total 795 106 901

Collection, acquisition, regeneration, documentation and ex situ conservation of genetic resources of ICARDA mandate crops.

Gene mining and eco-tilling activities.

Agro-morphological and molecular characterization and evaluation of ex situ collections for traits relevant for use in germplasm enhancement.

Pre-breeding activities

Identification and use of wild relatives, landraces and other genetic stocks to broaden the genetic base of cereals and legumes.

Distribution and exchange of genetic resources

Promoting in situ/on-farm conservation of agrobiodiversity.

Institutional strengthening and capacity building,

Major products of Project 1:Conservation and Sustainable Use of Agrobiodiversity in Dry Areas

Characterization of small ruminant breeds and changes in the production systems affecting genetic diversity.

Major products of Project 2: ICARDA-CIMMYT Wheat Improvement Program (ICWIP) for Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA)

Stress tolerant (drought, heat and cold) wheat germplasm adapted to variable environments of CWANA.

Rust resistant wheat germplasm especially against stem rust race Ug99 and its variants in addition to yellow and leaf rusts.

Enhanced wheat germplasm for water use efficiency.

Integrated pest management options for the control of diseases, insect pests.

Conservation agriculture practices implemented for wheat based production systems.

Capacity building of NARS programs.

Major products of Project 3: Barley Improvement

Stress tolerant (drought, salinity, and cold) germplasm for food security and crop diversification.

Barley germplasm with superior end-use (malt) and nutritional quality for improved nutrition, health, and farm income.

New traits through gene discovery for crop diversity. (Generation Challenge Program).

Improved methodologies and tools for genetic improvement (i.e. participatory plant breeding and doubled haploids).

Integrated pest management options for the control of barley diseases and insect pests.

Production of seed to enhance the availability and use of improved barley varieties.

Capacity building in NARS programs.

New strategy developed to better served drylands, cold areas and favorable/irrigated conditions.

Participatory approach is under development with several NARS.

Major products of Project 4:Food Legume Improvement Lentil, Kabuli chickpea, faba bean and

grasspea

Products developed through consultation with and analysis of the needs of NARS.

Stress tolerant (diseases, pests, drought and cold) cool-season legumes for food security, and crop intensification and diversification.

Bio-fortified lentils (Harvest Plus CP) and low-toxin/toxin-free grasspea for improved nutrition and health.

New traits through allele/gene mining for key traits (Generation Challenge Program).

Improved methodologies and tools for genetic improvement (pre-breeding, advanced biometry, international crop information system, etc.).

Integrated pest management options for the control of diseases and insect pests.

Strengthening seed delivery systems.

Capacity building in NARS programs.

Thank YouThank You