From Bihar PRABHA News:

The Indian unit of Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo (CIMMYT) Mexico, which played an important role in India’s Green Revolution in the 1970s, has developed a unique cellphone-based facility for farmers.
Besides answering queries, it will send out tailor-made, crop-specific advisories to farmers growing that particular crop, and that too in the language of their choice. Called CIMMYT Agriplex, the facility covers one lakh farmers in Bihar, Haryana, Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and is backed by a team of 50 agricultural scientists.

CIMMYT Director General Dr Thomas A Lumpkin, said: “We sent out 5,000 messages to wheat-growing farmers in Haryana about yellow rust (a pest that affects wheat crops) that the scientists had forecast, and immediately our phone lines started ringing as the queries flowed in.” Dr Lumpkin is on a visit to India to participate in the 10th National Agriculture Science Congress, organised by the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Research.

He told : “We have designed a database of farmers which will be updated from time to time, containing individual farmer’s details, like the crops he grows and other field history. Whenever our experts think there is a warning to be issued for a group of farmer about a certain crop, instead of sending a blanket message to all farmers, which is more costly; besides the message value is lost ¿ the software will filter only those farmers of the region who grow that crop and send them the message.”

Raj Gupta, South Asia Coordinator of CIMMYT, said: “We are working with 60 Krishi Vigyan Kendras in these states. The government system can also use our database through these KVKs.”

Ajai Kumar, Senior Country Coordinator, CIMMYT India, said: The facility will also provide a phone-in helpline to registered farmers. We have hubs in each of these states. When a farmer calls in on our helpline number, depending on the region he belongs to, the call will be taken by our team in the respective hub. This will solve the language problem, as each of our hubs has a team of agriculture scientists from that region, who can access our central database.”

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A course entitled “Fieldbook and applied statistics – ICAMEX” aimed at scientists and research assistants from ICAMEX (Instituto de Investigación y Capacitación Agropecuaria, Acuícola, Forestal del Estado de Mexico) was held recently at CIMMYT-El Batán. Of the course’s 15 participants, eight scientists, including Director of Research Francisco Javier Manjarrez Juárez, arrived from ICAMEX; one participant represented Semillas Azteca; and six represented CIMMYT. The course, which was held during 31 January-02 February 2011 discussed various statistical applications, specifically, Feildbook software.

The course touched on Fieldbook’s capability to create an inventory, a nursery, preparation of seed for a nursery, analysis of a trial, GxE interaction experimental design, management, basic management of SAS and other statistical models. Héctor Sánchez, Claudio Ayala, José Crosa, and Mateo Vargas led the course.

All of the course participants showed a great interest in the course and believe the information and skills they learned will be of great value in their everyday work. “I learned so much about Fieldbook that I never knew. These new techniques will prove very useful in the development of research activities that I perform at work— specifically in the follow-up and evaluation of those activities. I also learned a little about statistical application, but we weren’t able to explore it enough. It’s a complicated subject that requires more time,” said one of the ICAMEX researchers.

Manjarrez expressed interest in conducting more courses, such as this one, at CIMMYT. The courses would cover topics relevant to ICAMEX staff.

During the closing ceremony, the participants received an award recognizing event participation.

The Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) project recorded a tremendous success in 2010 with the release of six maize varieties. The released varieties are hybrids that have post-harvest and stem borer resistance, which means they are not susceptible to damage by pests such as the maize weevil and the larger grain borer (LGB). Under the IRMA project, CIMMYT, working alongside the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), submitted 12 maize hybrids to the Kenya National Performance Trials (NPT) for testing during 2008-2010.

The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS) and the National Performance Trial Committee (NPTC) oversee the release of varieties in Kenya. The variety release process begins when a variety is nominated for testing. Soon after, seed samples are submitted for testing in at least five locations in the target agro-ecological zones. The insect pest-resistant varieties were subjected to the pests, but the release was also based on yield superiority. Typically, less than 5% of samples submitted are released after two to three years of testing. It is a huge accomplishment that the IRMA project’s hybrids were rapidly accepted, taking only two years for approval and release.

The maize hybrids were tested in three agro-ecological zones; coastal lowlands, dry lowland, and medium altitude zones. The successful varieties are MTPEH0701, MTPEH0702, and MTPEH0702 for the humid coastal lowlands ecology; EMB 0701 and EMB 0701 for the medium maturity mid-altitude ecology; and KATEH 2007-3 for the dry mid-altitude areas of Kenya. MTPEH0701, MTPEH0702, and EMB 0701 are post-harvest pest resistant (maize weevil and LGB) varieties, while MTPEH 0703, KATEH 2007-3, and EMB 0703 are stem borer resistant varieties.  The hybrids are medium and early lowlands varieties, suitable for the Embu Katumani and Mtwapa regions in Kenya. These varieties join the nine already existing varieties that IRMA/KARI released in 2006-2007.

The nominations of the varieties were done by CIMMYT’s partners from KARI; Charles Mutinda (KARI, Embu), James Gethi (KARI, Katumani), and Ruth Musila (KARI, Mtwapa). In Kenya, KARI has begun producing breeders’ seed for the new varieties which are currently being tested in eight other IRMA-participating countries, with hopes of eventually releasing them there as well.

A meeting was held during 17-21 January 2011 in Chiclayo, Peru to review progress on developing maize germplasm designed to mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce contamination with mycotoxins. This work is being conducted under the FONTAGRO funded project, “Developing and validating drought tolerant maize to stabilize productivity and reduce mycotoxin contamination resulting from climate change.” The project, which began in 2009 and will run until 2013, seeks to develop and distribute drought tolerant maize varieties that are resistant to ear rots and less prone to mycotoxin accumulation. The improved maize germplasm will be made available to Latin American scientists along with tools and methodologies for developing drought tolerant maize, and detecting mycotoxins in maize grains and products.

The project contributes to the sustainable production of regional maize, maize that each year becomes more exposed to the effects of extreme weather, most vulnerable to drought and climate change. It also ensures that maize is safe for human and animal consumption by addressing the problem of mycotoxin contamination. The consumption of mycotoxins in large quantities, especially aflatoxin, produced by Aspergillus flavus, and fumonisin, produced by Fusarium verticillioides has been associated with liver and esophageal cancer, stunted child growth, malnutrition, and death.

Commenting on the project’s success and upcoming challenges, CIMMYT senior scientist Félix San Vicente said, “In just the first year of the project we have identified some hybrids and varieties with great adaptation across a wide range of environments in the participating countries. This is very exciting and a testimony to the value of collaborative work. We should encourage and maintain networks to test new materials in diverse environments.”

To sustain this success, a 3-day workshop was held in conjunction with the meeting to harmonize protocols and procedures for the proper establishment, management and evaluation of drought and ear-rot trials. The course was led by San Vicente and fellow CIMMYT senior scientists George Mahuku and Luis Narro. San Vicente focused on the establishment and management of drought trials and CIMMYT’s advances in precision phenotyping for drought tolerance. Narro presented methodologies and protocols for identifying maize germplasm tolerant to acid soils.

Mahuku emphasized proper experiment design for evaluating maize germplasm for ear rot resistance, the effect of mycotoxins on human and animal health, and how to properly handle and process samples for mycotoxin analysis. He informed the participants about how they could utilize CIMMYT’s mycotoxin analysis facilities as well as presented CIMMYT’s advances in adapting the doubled haploid technology to rapidly generate pure inbred lines combing desirable traits.

Using this technology, completely pure (homozygous) lines can be generated in one year, compared to the five-year process of conventional breeding methodologies. CIMMYT currently uses this technology to develop maize germplasm combining drought tolerance and ear mold resistance to develop climate ready maize varieties and hybrids.

The meeting reached out to students, stressing the importance of climate change and mycotoxins to the future generation of scientists and breeders. Karen Viviana Osorio Guerrero, a graduate student from Colombia and funded under the FONTAGRO project, said, “As a student, the meeting was very interesting and allowed me to interact with field experts from all over Latin America. The workshop strengthened my knowledge about climate change, drought and the negative health effects of mycotoxin. I now have a clear idea of what I need to focus on in my studies, and how to do it”.

Overall, the workshop was a success which facilitated learning and collaboration among the participants. “The workshop was well organized and the visit to the experimental station highlighted some of the things that we need to take into consideration when conducting drought trials,” said Roman Gordon Mendoza of IDIAP. “I have learned a few things that I will take back home and implement.”

“The meeting served as a platform to exchange results, review progress, identify opportunities and challenges and find a common gound and understanding. This will allow us to more efficiently execute the project towards a common goal,” said Narro.

But there is still work to be done according to Mahuku. “We are off to a great start and we have made significant progress. We need to maintain the current rhythm, constant dialogue, and use standardized protocols if we are to succeed in delivering climate-ready maize germplasm,” he concluded.

“Developing and validating drought tolerant maize to stabilize productivity and reduce mycotoxin contamination resulting from climate change” is executed in conjunction with INIA (National Institute of Agrarian Research, Peru); IDIAP (Panama Institute of Agricultural Research); CORPOICA (Columbian Cooperation for Agricultural Research); INTA (Nicaraguan Institute of Agricultural Technology); DICTA (Leadership for Agricultural Science and Technology, Honduras); and CIMMYT. FONTAGRO, the Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology, which funds the project, is a consortium of Latin American countries that finance research and innovation of regional interest.

The 7th Workshop on QTL Mapping and Breeding Simulation was held at CIMMYT-El Batán during 20-21 January 2011. The two-day workshop, which explored advanced breeding software and technologies, was free for all CIMMYT and GCP scientists, consultants, students, and interested visitors who were visiting El Batán. Twenty-eight scientists from various CIMMYT programs attended the workshop, kicked off by our DDG Marianne Banziger.

The first day of the course, led by CIMMYT scientist Jiankang Wang, and the Generation Challenge Program scientists Scott Chapman and Mark Dieters, focused on modeling breeding programs to achieve faster genetic gains and more efficiently use known gene information. To achieve this, the participants learned the ins and outs of software programs such as QU-GENE, an investigative platform of quantitative genetics, and QuLine, a breeding simulation tool for inbred line-breeding programs.

QuLine has the potential to simulate most methodologies for developing inbred lines. It has been used to compare different selection strategies, to study the effects on selection of dominance and epistasis, to predict cross performance using known gene information, to optimize marker assisted selection to efficiently pyramid multiple genes, and to investigate the use of identified QTL-marker associations and design-led breeding approaches for improving rice quality, among other things. At the end of the first day, Ravi Singh, wheat scientist, said “I am a strong supporter of simulation to evaluate the potential of new strategies.” And although the software may not be perfect, looking forward, Singh added, “The real value will come when you have known information, and have computer simulations that tell you what crosses to make. Simulation will assist both new breeders and seasoned breeders”.

The second day, led by Wang, focused on QTL mapping. Rapid increase in the availability of fine-scale genetic marker maps has led to the intensive use of QTL mapping in the genetic study of quantitative traits. However, the construction of linkage maps and QTL mapping are two separate steps, no software does both. In 2010, Wang and his team at CAAS implemented map construction in the software QTL IciMapping under the support of GCP and other Chinese projects. This is the only software which integrates linkage map construction and QTL mapping, saving researchers invaluable time when they are using QTL mapping to identify the genes of important traits.

The participants acknowledged the great functionalities and user interfaces of the software. At the end of the second day, Sybil Herrera, CIMMYT associate scientist, said, “It is great that we can construct the genetic linkage map in QTL IciMapping software. Before we needed to use one software to construct the map, and then use another one to do QTL mapping. It took a lot of time to work on the format from map construction software to the format for QTL mapping software.”

The workshop proved a successful example of knowledge sharing and capacity building. At the end of the second day, the participants had a thorough understanding of the addressed software programs and the experts and compiled a list of tips and suggestions to improve breeding simulation tools and the QTL mapping software.

Thank you to all who made this workshop possible!

In Bangladesh, approximately 350 species of weeds have been identified, and in Asian countries, these weeds cause roughly 33% of total crop loss. Because of the threat posed by weeds, the use of herbicides in Bangladesh has risen rapidly in the past few years. Herbicides are a great asset to protect crops from weeds; however when not used properly, they can be dangerous to human health or lead to the premature development of herbicide-resistant weeds.

For this reason, a training program entitled “Safe Use of Herbicide and Effective Weed Management” was held at the Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service office (RDRS) in Rangpur during 16-20 January 2011 for national scientists, extension officers, and herbicide marketing agents. The 21 participants included scientists from Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Sylhet Agricultural University, RDRS Bangladesh, and Peoples Resource Oriented Voluntary Association (PROVA); as well as agricultural chemical companies Syngenta and ACI.

The training was led by Abul Hashem, Australian senior weed scientist from the Department of Agriculture and Food of Western Australia and renowned Bangladeshi weed scientist, SM Rezaul Karim from Bangladesh’s Agricultural University; and coordinated by Md. Enamul Haque, CIMMYT cropping systems agronomist, and KM Marufuzzaman, program manager of RDRS Bangladesh.

The training course covered a range of topics on weeds management theory and practice as well as on the safe use of herbicides. In the theory classes, the trainees learned about the scientific classification of weeds, various weed control methods, herbicide resistance, the significance and utility of herbicide label and MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet), safety requirements for spraying herbicides, personal protection equipment required in operation, among other subjects.

In the practical classes, the participants received instruction on how to set up a weed management trial, how to make assessments on weed control treatments, sprayer calibration, how to calculate spray volume and herbicide volume, how to read and use herbicide related information (e.g. spray chart, herbicide level and Material Safety Data Sheet), how to identify weed species, and how to develop a comprehensive weed management plan.

Based on post-course informal assessments, the training has already proven useful to the participants. They came to the training course with 5- 25% knowledge of safe herbicide usage. Most of the participants indicated that at the end of the training, their knowledge and understanding about weed management, herbicide use and herbicide safety requirements increased by 75- 90%. They also confessed that they had not previously received such training on herbicide use at university or during their employment with various research or extension organizations.

The training was organized under the collaborative research project “Addressing constraints to pulses in cereals-based cropping systems, with particular reference to poverty alleviation in north-western Bangladesh” which began in 2006 and involves the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), BARI, RDRS, PROVA, DAE, CIMMYT, and Murdoch University-Australia.

The training program was funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Crawford Fund Australia and co-sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and Food of Western Australia (DAFWA), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Murdoch University, Australia, and RDRS Bangladesh.

In Kenya today, the issues of food security and food quality have been under intense discussion following the outbreak of aflatoxin contamination in maize in recent years. At CIMMYT, the aflatoxin control project, which began in 2009, is headed by George Mahuku and Hugo de Groote, alongside Jon Hellin.

The Aflacontrol Project held a stakeholders’ conference on 13 January 2011 at the Southern Sun Hotel in Nairobi. The objective of the conference was to present the preliminary results of an aflatoxin analysis along the maize value chain—from the farmers’ fields to the table—and to inform and engage the many stakeholders who play a role in reducing the risk of Aflatoxin. In attendance were about 90 participants including agricultural scientists, government representatives, artisans, millers, animal nutrition producers and private sector practitioners, farmers, and the media. After the introduction and welcome by Steve Collins, the project’s Head of Communication and Advocacy at the ACDI-VOCA, Diana Grusczynski of the B&MGF, speaking on videophone from Seattle, gave a welcome address.

During the workshop, among the issues discussed were the incidence and prevalence of aflatoxin along the maize value chain and strategies to minimize contamination (e.g. use of biocontrol agents, agronomic practices, drying, storage and processing methods); methodologies for identifying contaminated samples (diagnostics); and alternatives for use of contaminated foodstuffs. In his presentation, KARI Director Ephraim Mukisira assured participants that the government of Kenya supports the Aflacontrol project and would like to see concrete solutions for managing and minimizing aflatoxin contamination. Considering maize consumption in Kenya is estimated at 98kg per person annually, “It is critical to find viable solutions and rapidly. We must work together to bring a positive impact to farmers,” he concluded.

Preliminary results were given by Pippa Trench, from IFPRI, and CIMMYT’s George Mahuku. Key in the findings were the incomplete knowledge by farmers, concerns on storage practices, the potential use of mills as an avenue of information, need for rapid testing, and the complexity of trade. Mahuku presented preliminary results from the work of CIMMYT and KARI, identifying critical contamination points along the maize value chain. The preliminary results revealed that contamination starts at field level and increases under poor storage. Therefore, strategies aimed at minimizing infection by the aflatoxin producing fungi, Aspergillus flavus, and adoption of proper harvesting and post-harvest technologies are likely to have the greatest impact to minimize aflatoxin contamination.

“Some farmers believe that contamination comes from other countries and national maize is free of aflatoxin. They are exposed to aflatoxin poisoning under this mistaken sense of security,” said Mahuku. “Information dissemination, awareness creation and education of farmers are crucial to combat the aflatoxin problem in Kenya,” added Mahuku. “This information should be packaged in a format and language that is easily understood by the farmers and consumers.” Control strategies should focus on minimizing contamination in the field, rather than post-contamination. It is also important to note that aflatoxin is invisible, and can be present in apparently clean looking maize.

The Aflacontrol Project is facilitated by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (B&MGF), and CIMMYT is one of its seven partners. Others are the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), Agricultural Cooperative Development international/Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (ACDI/VOCA), International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), University of Pittsburgh, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUSH) and Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER).

For more information, visit the project website, http://programs.ifpri.org/afla/afla.asp.



Make your own at WORDLE – http://www.wordle.net

On 24 November 2010, the Governor of the Shandong Province presented the Qilu Friendship Award to Roberto J. Peña, CIMMYT’s GWP wheat quality expert. The Qilu Friendship Award is the highest honor awarded to foreigners in recognition of their contributions to the economical and social development of the Province. This award was presented by the Provincial Governor to 18 expert foreigners who have a made a significant impact on economic, social and scientific development of the Shandong Province

Peña’s more than 10 years of work alongside scientists of The Crop Research Institute of the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SAAC), have resulted in significant advancements in the infrastructure for wheat quality testing and improvement in China. His work has contributed to the development of modern high-yielding, high-quality wheat cultivars, and to human resource development through the training of various Chinese SAAC wheat scientists.

Peña’s hard work and many years of dedication to the region make him a deserving candidate of the award. He has since returned from the award ceremony in Shandong, China.

Welcome home Roberto!

Despite numerous flight disruptions in Europe, due to unusually cold winter weather and an unforeseen strike of Spanish air traffic inspectors, 15 university professors of plant breeding, pathology, and molecular biology from seven Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, and Turkey) and Ethiopia arrived at El Batán on 5 December 2010 to attend a week-long workshop entitled, “Wheat Science to Textbooks.”

The first of its kind prepared by CIMMYT, this unusual workshop was designed to comprehensively present and share the explorations of the Global Wheat Program so they may be used to enrich the curriculum of plant breeding and related subjects at universities.

One of the course participants, Tadesse Dessalegr, associate professor at Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia, plans to share what he has learned during the course with his students, researchers, and colleagues. “It’s a great experience to meet with wheat breeders and pathologists from all over the world,” said Dessalegr, who visited El Batán once before in 1985. “I am happy to see how CIMMYT has changed in the past 25 years, and I am glad to be making links between Bahir Dar University and CIMMYT, as well as other world-wide universities with prestigious wheat breeding programs,” he continued.

The majority of the course consisted of presentations given by CIMMYT scientists, however, participant presentations comprised Wednesday’s program, allowing the attendees to exchange on the conditions of regional agricultural and university programs. The workshop concluded on Friday, 10 December 2010, wherein half the participants took in the archaeological beauty of Teotihuacan, pre-Columbian pyramids less than one hour’s drive from El Batán, and the other half enjoyed food, drink, dancing and good cheer at CIMMYT-El Batán’s annual Christmas party.

Two weeks ago, two editions of the Communication, Mentoring & E-learning workshop were conducted simultaneously in Dhaka, Bangladesh (21–24 November) and New Delhi, India (23–26 November) for CSISA hub teams and partner institutions from all four CSISA countries.

Mr. N. Satyanarayan, communication and professional development specialist from Syngenta, an international agri-business focused on research and technology, prepared and delivered an excellent two-day module on communication skills necessary for good extension workers. The module included components on personal values and beliefs, learning styles, audience profile analysis, meeting content planning, mind mapping, and group dynamics. Satyanarayan also prepared and delivered a discussion on mentoring, which was a new concept of personal and professional development for many participants.

The final day of the workshop was dedicated to e-learning; its patterns, advantages and limitations, and examples of online courses and webbased tools relevant to the work of extension specialists. This day was prepared by IRRI’s head of training, Noel Magor, and CIMMYT’s Petr Kosina.

For many participants with scientific and technical backgrounds, this was the first time they have participated in a course focused on soft-skills development. They expressed much interest and requested the continuation of such courses in the future. Participants appreciated the hard work of Ravi Kanth (CSISA training officer) and T. Anuradha (CSISA CKB coordinator).

Seed is the lifeblood of CIMMYT’s work. Unfettered shipments, both incoming and outgoing, depend on CIMMYT and partners’ ability to keep seed clean from pathogens and to properly document seed health. To promote protocol consistency among Mexican seed technicians, a weeklong seed-health workshop was held during 29 November-03 December 2010 at CIMMYT-El Batán.

Monica Mezzalama, head of CIMMYT’s seed health laboratory, led the course, which 11 technicians from State Committees of Plant Health, and INIFAP attended. The participants, which came from 10 Mexican states, spent the majority of the course inside the El Batán seed health laboratory exploring various detection methods of seed borne fungi, bacteria, and viruses affecting maize and wheat. In the long-run, these methods will help the technicians ensure seed viability and health in their own laboratories.

On Tuesday, 30 November, the participants took a break from the lab to enjoy the fresh air of the Tlaltizapán station where they learned field inspection and sample collection procedures. The course focused on diseases prevalent in Mexico and included presentations from Monica Mezzalama as well as two guest lecturers, Ana María Hernández, plant pathologist, and Gustavo Mora, plant disease epidemiologist, both professors from the Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco, Mexico. The workshop was the first of its kind, and due to resounding positive feedback, it is hoped to be continued annually. Thanks to all that made the course possible, a special thanks to Noemí Valencia, seed health laboratory supervisor; Gabriela Juárez, research assistant; Laura Rodríguez, training office assistant; and Óscar Bañuelos, Tlatizapán station superintendent.

The Wheat Research Center (WRC) in Bhairahawa welcomed 20 early and mid-career wheat breeders from four CSISA countries (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan) to its scenic campus in Nepal’s Terai region to participate in a two-week regional Wheat Improvement and Pathology course which was organized in collaboration with Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) from 29 November- 12 December 2010.

The course, the first of its kind, was prepared and led by Arun Joshi, CIMMYT-Nepal wheat breeder, to stress the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to wheat improvement. The program was officially opened by NARC Executive Director Bhartendu Mishra, and included lectures on modern breeding methods and approaches, genetic diversity, wheat pathology, experimental design and statistical analysis, conservation agriculture, participatory variety selection, literature and data sources for wheat scientists, e-learning, and knowledge management. Diversity was prevalent among the participants, visible in their backgrounds, levels of experience and the variety of organizations which they represented. Resource persons represented CGIAR centers, NARS institutions and NGOs of the region. It was also great to see several young women scientists among the participants. Special thanks to staff of NARC/WRC Bhairahawa for providing a great venue and logistical support; and to Mr. Surath Pradhan for course administration.

On 02 September 2010, Nepal gave the go-ahead to release a new wheat variety with resistance to Ug99. BL3063—given the common name “Vijay” meaning Victory—has CIMMYT parental lines in its pedigree, good resistance against variants of Ug99, and impressive agronomic performance under both normal and late sown conditions in the Terai region of Nepal.

“NL 3063 yielded 7% higher than the current most popular variety, Gautam, in three years of multi-location testing in Nepal,” said Madan Raj Bhatta, wheat breeder at Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), adding that it also performed better than other varieties in on-farm testing.

Because of its notable performance under late-sown conditions, BL 3063 is believed to have terminal heat tolerance. It also performs exceedingly well under zero tillage, said Janmejai Tripathi, wheat agronomist in Bhairahwa, Nepal. Additionally, BL 3063 has large, bold, amber colored grains, high protein content (12.5%), and good quality for baking industries. Recently, Yue Jin of the United States Department of Agriculture reported that this variety possesses adult plant resistance for Ug99.

In Nepal, under the guidance of the National Wheat Research Program (NWRP) and CIMMYT, BL 3063 was under demonstration and multiplication on 22 hectares of farmers’ fields. This resulted in 50 tons of improved seed for the coming year, according to Arun Joshi, CIMMYT wheat breeder. This important step toward mitigating the threat of Ug99 was made possible in part by a USAID seed multiplication famine fund program in which six countries are currently multiplying wheat varieties resistant to Ug99. The NWRP of the NARC and CIMMYT-Nepal are working together under this program to identify suitable Ug99-resistant varieties, seed production, and seed delivery.

FROM AGRI-VIEW

By Julie Martin, Editorial Intern
Thursday, September 2, 2010 12:22 PM CDT

“Maiz y trigo.”

The Spanish words for “corn and wheat,” this vocabulary was used to its full extent as 12 students from UW-Madison recently traveled to Mexico to the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (also known by its Spanish acronym CIMMYT for Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo). While visiting the center, the students not only practiced their Spanish, but learned about current research being done, as well as new varieties of corn and wheat being developed.

The purpose of the trip was to expose students to what a career in agriculture could lead them to, and help peak their interest for what agriculture offers. For many of the students, especially those in agronomy, it might be plant breeding at a research station similar to CIMMYT. For agronomy graduate student Adrienne Shelton, it helped define more opportunities.

“I knew about CIMMYT and other international research stations, but I really enjoyed getting a much closer, more hands-on perspective of what they’re doing, particularly listening to the scientists about their projects,” says Shelton. She’s not quite sure yet what she wants to do after earning her PhD, however the trip helped define more clearly some possible options. “Seeing what they’re doing down there gave me a much better idea of what international work would look like.”

Another agronomy graduate student on the trip, Reid Rice, found the trip just as eye-opening with a future goal of becoming involved with industry work.

“Getting that exposure to organizations trying to combat hunger worldwide and seeing what strategies are taken was just a great opportunity,” says Rice. “Its one thing to hear what they’re doing in terms of breeding and developing; its another to visit those environments, to see what’s going on in Mexico and understand exactly what type of land and soil the farmers have to work with. It’s absolutely crucial to keep in mind.”

Other major areas of study represented by the students ranged from agronomy and biology to international studies and economics. With a shortage of emerging agronomists in the industry, as well as various majors across the board within agriculture, concern is growing for availability of future agriculturists. Several of the students on this trip were sponsored by Syngenta, who has taken the initiative to bring these students to the forefront of crop production research to show them how they can become an active part in the process. Many of the students have experience with sweet corn breeding at UW-Madison, and could relate directly to practices they were implementing in their research plots.

For other students, it reiterated the importance of the impact of their research. For Rachel Eder, an agronomy student with a focus on natural resources, she found the trip built upon her experiences as an intern with the Dane County Land and Water Conservation Department.

“I have more confidence in what I’m promoting here in Dane County,” says Eder, as she continues to build her base of knowledge. A portion of the trip was designated for discussion on the conservation agriculture practices being conducted at the station, something Eder personally was interested in.

An ideal place to ask their questions about the research on corn and new varieties, CIMMYT was chosen for several other reasons, more specifically because of its mission. They recognize the greater purpose with their research, as stated in their mission, “to sustainably increase the productivity of maize and wheat systems to ensure global food security and reduce poverty.” Learning about their research projects for African countries and developing new seed varieties to combat various environment pressures, it’s not difficult to feel a part of something bigger.

“It’s a very inspiring place,” says Bill Tracy, Agronomy Professor at UW-Madison and one of the organizers of the trip. “We were hoping students could see that they could have a really positive impact on the world by getting involved in agriculture.”

The group traveled to three different research stations in Mexico, gaining hands-on experience right in the corn field. Researchers and scientists presented their projects and what their studies have shown thus far. Physically walking through the fields and looking at the specific corn populations helped convey the true challenges the researchers face as they develop more suitable varieties for various purposes. Corn populations being grown in the lowland tropics were being developed for countries in Africa, where there is a similar climate. In the highlands of Mexico, corn populations intended to be grown in Brazil and Argentina are being developed. Students with experience in the corn field and a strong science background, they came with questions and an eagerness to learn about the station.

“Twelve people who didn’t really have a clue as to what CIMMYT does or is are now strong advocates,” says Tracy. “The U.S. students came away with a better sense of the challenges that face developing countries. CIMMYT welcomes the opportunity to reach out to people and to interact with students to talk about their research. It’s a positive experience for everyone.”

Additionally, the students brought together their own unique skills and backgrounds, which added significantly to the experience. When traveling between research stations, they experienced the diverse countryside of Mexico and the various climates, from the cooler highlands to the lowland tropics. Nearly the entire group had never been to Mexico before, and they found the cuisine and marketplace just as educational as the corn fields.

“Anytime anyone’s exposed to other cultures, it’s always valuable in terms of broadening their view of the world,” says Tracy. “Having people from different backgrounds and perspectives broadens everyone else that’s part of the group as well as enriches the whole program with different points of view.”

A perfect balance between education and culture, the student group walked away with a greater perspective of the impact CIMMYT has on the rest of the world and how they could eventually become one of the future’s leading scientists to continue feeding and nourishing the rest of the world.