Infographics – CIMMYT

Remote sensing specialist Francisco Pinto operates a UAV at CIMMYT's research station in Ciudad Obregón, in Mexico's Sonora state.

Breeder friendly phenotyping

Written by Marcia MacNeil on March 3, 2020. Posted in Infographics.

In crop research fields, drones and other high-tech sensing tools are now a common sight. They collect high-resolution data on a wide range of traits — from simple measurement of canopy temperature to complex 3D reconstruction of photosynthetic canopies.

This technological approach to collecting precise plant trait information, known as phenotyping, is becoming ubiquitous. According to experts at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and other research institutions, breeders can profit much more from these tools, when used judiciously.

Examples of different classes and applications of breeder friendly phenotyping. (Image: M. Reynolds et al.)

In a new article in the journal Plant Science, CIMMYT Wheat Physiologist Matthew Reynolds and colleagues explain the different ways that phenotyping can assist breeding — from simple to use, “handy” approaches for large scale screening, to detailed physiological characterization of key traits to identify new parental sources — and why this methodology is crucial for crop improvement. The authors make the case for breeders to invest in phenotyping, particularly in light of the imperative to breed crops for warmer and harsher climates.

Read the full article:
Breeder friendly phenotyping.

This article was originally published on WHEAT.

Cover photo: Remote sensing specialist Francisco Pinto operates a UAV at CIMMYT’s research station in Ciudad Obregón, in Mexico’s Sonora state.

Global greenhouse gas emissions from the food system

Written by Rodrigo Ordóñez on February 20, 2020. Posted in Infographics.

Global schemes to fight climate change may miss their mark by ignoring the “fundamental connections” in how food is produced, supplied and consumed, say scientists in a new paper published in the journal Nature Food. Global bodies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), handle the different components of the food system separately. This includes crop and livestock production; food processing, storage and transport; and food consumption. Scientists argue this disjointed approach may harm strategies to reduce food emissions and safeguard food from climate impacts, and that a “comprehensive” and “unified” approach is needed.

Food and climate change are deeply interlinked, but food emissions need to be tracked beyond the “farm gate,” that is, beyond the emissions arising from growing crops or raising livestock. Researchers are uncovering new insights on how the different subcomponents of the food system contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. They argue that we must understand how these components work together — or clash in some cases — in order to effectively address agriculture in a changing climate.

Read more:
Rosenzweig C et al. 2020. Climate change responses benefit from a global food system approach. Nature Food.

Scaling out climate-smart agriculture in southern Africa

Written by Emma Orchardson on December 3, 2019. Posted in Infographics.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change estimates that temperatures in Africa are set to rise significantly in coming years, with devastating results for farmers. Some regions could experience two droughts every five years, and see drastic reductions in maize yields over the next three decades.

Research demonstrates that climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is good method of mitigating the effects of climate change, for both farmers and the planet. Associated practices, which increase soil moisture levels and soil biodiversity have been shown to decrease soil erosion by up to 64%. They also have the potential to increase maize yields by 136% and incomes in dry environments by more than twice as much.

However, adoption rates remain low in some of the countries which stand to benefit the most, such as Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, where the adoption of complete conservation agriculture systems is currently at 2.5%.

A new series of infographics describes some of the farming constraints will have to be addressed in order to scale climate-smart agricultural practices successfully in the region, taking into account both benefits and challenges for farmers.

Download the infographics:

Can we scale out Climate-Smart Agriculture? An overview.

Feasibility study of Climate-Smart Agriculture for rural communities in southern Africa: the approach.

Identifying the two best-bet CSA options to test.

A perfect storm: climate change jeopardizes food security in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Benefits and challenges of climate-smart agriculture for farmers in southern Africa.

Gender-sensitive climate-smart agriculture in southern Africa.

There is a strong business case for scaling out CSA in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The fall armyworm, explained

Written by Rodrigo Ordóñez on May 30, 2019. Posted in Infographics.

As part of the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) has created a series of infographics explaining key information about fall armyworm.

These infographics will be translated and used to reach out to farmers in Bangladesh, through agrodealers and public sector partners. The principles and concepts presented in them — which champion the use of integrated pest management strategies — are relevant to countries across the region.

If you would like to use these infographics in other countries or translate them to other languages, please contact Tim Krupnik.

Fall armyworm is an invasive insect pest that can eat 80 different types of plants, but prefers maize. It spread throughout Africa in just two years, and was found in India in late 2018. Since then it has spread across South and South East Asia, where it presents a serious threat to food and income security for millions of smallholder farmers.

The infographics are designed to be printed as foldable cards that farmers can carry in their pocket for easy reference. The graphics provide an overview of fall armyworm biology as well as the insect’s ecology and lifecycle. They also describe how to identify and scout maize fields for fall armyworm and provide easy-to-follow recommendations for what to do if thresholds for damage are found. One of the infographics provides farmers with ideas on how to manage fall armyworm in their field and village, including recommendations for agronomic, agroecological, mechanical and biological pest management. In addition, chemical pest management is presented in a way that informs farmers about appropriate safety precautions if insecticide use is justified.

Download the infographics:

How can I identify fall armyworm?

What is fall armyworm and how does it grow?

What is fall armyworm and how can I scout for it in my field?

What should I do if I find fall armyworm damage?

New infographics illustrate impact of wheat blast

Written by Marcia MacNeil on February 18, 2019. Posted in Infographics.

Wheat blast is a fast-acting and devastating fungal disease that threatens food safety and security in the Americas and South Asia.

First officially identified in Brazil in 1984, the disease is widespread in South American wheat fields, affecting as much as 3 million hectares in the early 1990s.

In 2016, it crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and Bangladesh suffered a severe outbreak. Bangladesh released a blast-resistant wheat variety — developed with breeding lines from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) — in 2017, but the country and region remain extremely vulnerable.

The continued spread of blast in South Asia — where more than 100 million tons of wheat are consumed each year — could be devastating.

Researchers with the CIMMYT-led and USAID-supported Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) and Climate Services for Resilient Development (CSRD) projects partner with national researchers and meteorological agencies on ways to work towards solutions to mitigate the threat of wheat blast and increase the resilience of smallholder farmers in the region. These include agronomic methods and early warning systems so farmers can prepare for and reduce the impact of wheat blast.

This series of infographics shows how wheat blast spreads, its potential effect on wheat production in South Asia and ways farmers can manage it.

This work is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. CSISA partners include CIMMYT, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

CIMMYT and its partners work to mitigate wheat blast through projects supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), the CGIAR Research Program on WHEAT and the CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture.

Learn more about wheat blast.

This article was originally published on the website of the CGIAR Research Program on Wheat.

Reducing the gender gap in agriculture

Written by on March 8, 2016. Posted in Infographics.

EL BATAN, Mexico (CIMMYT) — To mark International Women’s Day 2016, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) created an infographic to highlight the importance of reducing the gender gap in agriculture.

Women are crucial to agricultural production in developing countries, however, are disadvantaged in access to agricultural resources. This disparity negatively impacts farm productivity and threatens food security.

CIMMYT is dedicated to ensuring the inclusion of women in its projects, research and training opportunities.