Theme: Nutrition, health and food security

As staple foods, maize and wheat provide vital nutrients and health benefits, making up close to two-thirds of the world’s food energy intake, and contributing 55 to 70 percent of the total calories in the diets of people living in developing countries, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. CIMMYT scientists tackle food insecurity through improved nutrient-rich, high-yielding varieties and sustainable agronomic practices, ensuring that those who most depend on agriculture have enough to make a living and feed their families. The U.N. projects that the global population will increase to more than 9 billion people by 2050, which means that the successes and failures of wheat and maize farmers will continue to have a crucial impact on food security. Findings by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which show heat waves could occur more often and mean global surface temperatures could rise by up to 5 degrees Celsius throughout the century, indicate that increasing yield alone will be insufficient to meet future demand for food.

Achieving widespread food and nutritional security for the world’s poorest people is more complex than simply boosting production. Biofortification of maize and wheat helps increase the vitamins and minerals in these key crops. CIMMYT helps families grow and eat provitamin A enriched maize, zinc-enhanced maize and wheat varieties, and quality protein maize. CIMMYT also works on improving food health and safety, by reducing mycotoxin levels in the global food chain. Mycotoxins are produced by fungi that colonize in food crops, and cause health problems or even death in humans or animals. Worldwide, CIMMYT helps train food processors to reduce fungal contamination in maize, and promotes affordable technologies and training to detect mycotoxins and reduce exposure.

Farmers tell donors they want quality protein maize

Written by on January 28, 2014. Posted in News.

By Adefris Teklewold/CIMMYT

Farmers spoke of their success with new quality protein maize (QPM) varieties to senior officials from the Canadian embassy in Ethiopia during recent visits to CIMMYT-Ethiopia sites. The visits focused on the status of the Nutritious Maize for Ethiopia project (NuME), which is funded by Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFTAD). NuME aims to reduce malnutrition and promote food security in Ethiopia through the adoption of QPM, whose grain contains almost twice the lysine and tryptophan as non-QPM maize grain.

Abebech Assefa leads a discussion after the field day and collects feedback from farmers, project partner representatives and government officials. (Photo by Adefris Teklewold/CIMMYT)

Jennifer Bloom, DFATD’s NuME project team leader and the second secretary (development) at the Embassy of Canada, and Abebech Assefa, the embassy’s team leader for Food Security and Agricultural Growth, visited farmers and learned about their feelings toward the adoption and promotion of QPM. The farmers also discussed their perspectives on the opportunities and constraints of project implementation with the Canadian representatives. Assefa, accompanied by three other embassy staff members, participated in a field day in the Meskan District of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region of Ethiopia.

During the field day, the visiting delegation observed the performance of two QPM hybrid varieties, BHQY-545 and AMH-760Q, adapted to the area. Farmers carrying out the field demonstrations shared their reactions to the newly-introduced QPM varieties. Farmer Genet Assefa noted that her plots have showed impressive results with the QPM varieties she planted compared to other plots in the area. “All the proper agronomic activities were employed on my plot based on advice from experts,” she said, adding that “QPM should be promoted and made accessible to all farmers so that we can all ensure food and nutritional security and increase our incomes.”

Jennifer Bloom compares food prepared from QPM varieties with food prepared from conventional varieties.

Abebech Assefa led a discussion after the field day and showed appreciation for the farmers who participated in the field demonstrations. She said she was grateful for their willingness to test new QPM varieties on their farm plots and to experience the benefits of QPM in improving food and nutritional security in Ethiopia. Bloom visited several demonstration sites and tested QPM food products during a field day organized in Bure District, Amhara Regional State. She requested the farmers’ opinions about QPM technology. The majority responded that they were satisfied and specifically asked for the seed of BHQY-545 to be made available to everyone in need. Farmers said they favor BHQY-545 because it provides up to four or five cobs and matures early, and they value the BHQ-760 variety for its long cobs.

The farmers said their “most critical concern” regarding the adoption of QPM varieties was that abundant quantities of the quality seed be available at the right time. Local administration and bureau of agriculture officials, who accompanied the DFTAD delegation, expressed their commitment to providing the seed. Bloom ended her visit by thanking the officials for attending the field demonstrations and the farmers for their participation and courage in discussing the advantages of QPM varieties and their concerns about them.

Borlaug Summit on Wheat for Food Security: remembering Norman Borlaug

Written by on January 24, 2014. Posted in Features.

One of the most important aspects of planning the Borlaug Summit on Wheat for Food Security is remembering Norman Borlaug. We’ve received photos and stories from individuals and institutions as they register for the event. Some people only met Dr. Borlaug once while others worked with him for years, but they all share memories of his kindness and impact. You can read and see all of the submissions here; a few of our favorites to date are found below (some submissions are edited for clarity):

“I will help you”

“Dr. Borlaug’s visit to China in 1974 with U.S. delegates started the collaboration between China and CIMMYT … I met him in November of 1990 when I started as a postdoctoral fellow in the CIMMYT Global Wheat Program. We lived in the same block of the visiting scientist building and met very often in the cafeteria in the evening. I traveled with Borlaug a few times and facilitated his visits to China many times.

What I learned from him is to respect people and work hard. Never, ever, hurt other people’s dignity or pride, and never be arrogant. Always say, ‘I will help you!’ … As said by , CIMMYT Director General Dr. Tom Lumpkin, the best way to commemorate Borlaug is to work hard and do your best job.”– Dr. Zhonghu He

Respected by everyone

“I met Norman Borlaug during a 2008 field day. I remember that he was happy to meet someone from Morocco and told me that he had visited Morocco many years ago and kept a good souvenir from his visit.

While attending the Borlaug workshops and listening to his success stories from the scientific and farmer communities, I understood that he was a great man loved and respected by everyone throughout the world and that he left a very good impression on all the people he met and countries he visited. He is the real father of the Green Revolution. I would have liked to have met him earlier. I would have, for sure, learned a lot from him.” – Dr. Rhrib Keltoum

Memories Unforgotten

“In 2003, one group of farmers from the Cooperatives of Andalusia (southern Spain), owners of the seed company Agrovegetal, visited El Batán and Ciudad Obregón to get to know CIMMYT. We met Dr. Borlaug in Texcoco, and he agreed to travel with us to Sonora to explain the wheat breeding program to us.

I will never forget those days, his personality and his enthusiastic way of teaching. We took a picture with durum wheat YAVAROS 79, the most widely grown variety in Spain, even 25 years after its release.” –Dr. Ignacio Solis, Director, Agrovegetal

CIMMYT strengthens ties with Mexico’s Science Council

Written by on January 22, 2014. Posted in News.

Research center directors from throughout Mexico met to identify possible collaborations on 25 November at CIMMYT-El Batán. Visitors, all from National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) centers, included Lorenzo Felipe Sanchez Teyer, director general of the Yucatán Scientific Research Center A.C. (CICY); Pablo Wong-González, director general of the Center for Food Research and Development A.C. (CIAD); Mayra de la Torre, who is in charge of strategic programs for CIAD; and Martín Aluja Schuneman Hofer, director general of the Ecology Institute A.C. (INECOL).

Aluja received the 2013 National Award for Science and Arts in the technology, innovation and design category. This important award recognizes his invaluable contribution to promoting agriculture and strengthening the marketing of Mexican avocados, among other work to improve science and technology in Mexico. Congratulations Dr. Aluja! During the visit and meetings with CIMMYT researchers, attendees identified potential areas of collaboration with each CONACYT research center. They agreed on possible areas of focus, including impact modeling on long-term agricultural practices, social inclusion research, technological innovation, value chain and market research, nutritional quality and climate change.

Other CONACYT research centers participated in the first analysis and planning meeting for a national postgraduate program in plant genetic resources, held at CIMMYT on 13-14 November. The initiative is led by MasAgro- Biodiversity. Participation at the workshop included 21 national universities and research centers as well as the Northwest Center for Biological Research (CIBNOR), El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) and INECOL.

Left to right: Carlos Moisés Hernández, Denise Costich, Lorenzo Felipe Sanchez Teyer, Kevin Pixley, Mayra de la Torre, Martín Aluja Schuneman Hofer, Pablo Wong-González, Natalia Palacios, Sara Hearne, Isabel Peña, Carolina Saint-Pierre, Francelino Rodrigues, Carlos Guzmán and Gilberto Salinas. Photo: Xochiquezatl Fonseca/CIMMYT — Left to right: Carlos Moisés Hernández, Denise Costich, Lorenzo Felipe Sanchez Teyer, Kevin Pixley, Mayra de la Torre, Martín Aluja Schuneman Hofer, Pablo Wong-González, Natalia Palacios, Sara Hearne, Isabel Peña, Carolina Saint-Pierre,
Francelino Rodrigues, Carlos Guzmán and Gilberto Salinas. Photo: Xochiquezatl Fonseca/CIMMYT

The CONACYT system includes 27 research institutes that focus on science and technology. Research areas and objectives include natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities, technological development and innovation and financial support for postgraduate studies. Inocencio Higuera, deputy director general of CONACYT’s public centers who visited CIMMYT in August 2013, said CONACYT is extremely important to Mexico. CIMMYT has signed academic and scientific collaboration agreements with CONACYT centers including ECOSUR, CIAD, INECOL, CICY and the Social Anthropology Research and Study Center (CIESAS). These five-year agreements establish collaboration and cooperation terms and conditions for the development and implementation of specific research projects as well as academic exchange and training.

CIMMYT recognizes the importance of exchanging scientific knowledge and strengthening research with institutes that have solid infrastructure and expertise in anthropology and social impact, biotechnology, ecological management, nanotechnology, nutrition and high-quality human resources development.

Australian delegation praises CIMMYT’s global achievements

Written by on January 21, 2014. Posted in News.

By Miriam Shindler/CIMMYT

The Australian delegation stand with CIMMYT representatives in front of the Gene Bank. Front row left to right: Ambassador Tim George, Ms. Robyn McClelland, Sergeant-at-Arms, Dr. Thomas Lumpkin, Hon. Bronwyn Bishop, Mr. Stephen Jones MP, Hon. Philip Ruddock MP and his wife Back row left to right: Ashleigh McArthur, Australian Embassy in Mexico; Senator Deborah O’Neill; Mr. Mark Coulton MP; William Blomfield, Australian Embassy in Mexico; Dr.Marianne Bänziger , CIMMYT Deputy Director General; Mr. Damien Jones, Special Adviser to the Speaker; Dr. Kevin Pixley, Director Genetic Resources Program Director; Dr. Hans Braun, Director Global Wheat Program Director; Ricardo Curiel, MasAgro Communications Specialist. (Photo: Xochiquezatl Fonseca/CIMMYT) — The Australian delegation stand with CIMMYT representatives in front of the Gene Bank.
Front row left to right: Ambassador Tim George, Ms. Robyn McClelland, Sergeant-at-Arms, Dr. Thomas Lumpkin, Hon. Bronwyn Bishop, Mr. Stephen Jones MP, Hon. Philip Ruddock MP and his wife Back row left to right: Ashleigh McArthur, Australian Embassy in Mexico; Senator Deborah O’Neill; Mr. Mark Coulton MP; William Blomfield, Australian Embassy in Mexico; Dr.Marianne Bänziger , CIMMYT Deputy Director General; Mr. Damien Jones, Special Adviser to the Speaker; Dr. Kevin Pixley, Director Genetic Resources Program Director; Dr. Hans Braun, Director Global Wheat Program Director; Ricardo Curiel, MasAgro Communications Specialist. (Photo: Xochiquezatl Fonseca/CIMMYT)

The Honorary Bronwyn Bishop, speaker of the Australian House of Representatives, commended CIMMYT’s impressive achievements during a visit to the El Batán campus on 16 January. Bishop was accompanied by Tim George, the Australian ambassador to Mexico, as well as three other members of the House of Representatives and a member of the Senate.

In an engaging presentation, CIMMYT Director General Thomas Lumpkin captivated the delegation by showcasing CIMMYT’s history and extensive agricultural research for development activities. The delegation was also impressed by CIMMYT’s contribution to the Australian agriculture sector; 98 percent of Australian wheat is derived from CIMMYT parental lines. A 4.6 percent yield increase due to CIMMYT germplasm translates into additional annual income of up to AUD$ 250 million (US$ 219.8 million) for Australian wheat farmers.

The fruitful visit was an opportunity to strengthen the partnership between CIMMYT and Australia and to form future collaborative projects that will help both farmers in the developing world and in Australia. Australia is one of CIMMYT’s strongest partners and collaborators. Institutions such as the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) are working with CIMMYT to improve maize and wheat varieties for farmers in Australia and the developing world.

Agronomists learn precision-conservation agriculture

Written by on January 14, 2014. Posted in News.

By M.L. Jat and Tripti Agarwal /CIMMYT

Wheat agronomists in India learned about precision-conservation agriculture and received the tools to continue their education at a workshop in November.

Nearly 40 participants attended “Precision-Conservation Agriculture for Improving Wheat Productivity in South Asia,” which was organized by CIMMYT, the Directorate of Wheat Research (DWR) and the International Plant Nutrition Institute – South Asia Program (IPNI), with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The workshop was held 26 to 27 November at the DWR in Karnal, India.

Agronomists receive GreenSeeker training at a DWR field. Photo: RK Sharma, DWR

Attendees represented nine of the All India Coordinated Research Centres on Wheat and Barley Improvement (AICRCW&BI) located in different state agricultural universities as well as CIMMYT, IPNI, three Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes, the State Department of Agriculture in Karnal and the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK). The goal of the workshop was to train scientists in blending precision and conservation agriculture, an important strategic initiative of the CGIAR Research Program on Wheat (WHEAT), said M.L. Jat, senior cropping systems agronomist for CIMMYT.

The event aimed to raise awareness about Nutrient Expert, a software tool that helps determine fertilizer requirements, and GreenSeeker, an optical sensor that measures Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), an indicator of crop development and health. In 2009, IPNI and CIMMYT started working with the Nutrient Expert Decision support tool in close collaboration with national agricultural research and extension systems. The tool gained wide acceptance after private organization and corporations began providing it to farmers.

Targeting widespread adoption of both technologies, each coordinated research center received a GreenSeeker tool and Nutrient Expert software. Participants were engaged and motivated to learn about and implement the tools in farmers’ fields. Kaushik Majumdar, director of IPNI in South Asia, applauded the workshop collaboration and continuous efforts on implementing site-specific nutrient management. Etienne Duveiller, director of research for CIMMYT-South Asia, urged a multidisciplinary approach to address yield potential in germplasm and agronomy.

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Partners should expand their innovation and training efforts and construct an action plan to reach farmers, said DWR Project Director Indu Sharma. She also proposed discussion of technology adoption and said training scientists is one way to move forward on agricultural issues. She cited a report on farmers who said they obtained 7 to 9 ton per hectare grain yield with higher nutrient applications.

In addition, she mentioned the need to bridge the production gaps of 15 to 20 percent in high productive zones and up to 35 percent in low productive zones through best-bet agronomic management practices. Regarding training, she emphasized the dissemination of knowledge. “Learning from the best farmers who are harvesting with higher productivity is required to ensure sustainable development,” she said. Participants said they appreciated the knowledge they gained during the workshop. CIMMYT, DWR and IPNI extended their support to participating institutes for future precision conservation agriculture endeavors.

Turkey hosts global plant breeding congress

Written by on December 7, 2013. Posted in News.

By Alexey Morgounov/CIMMYT

Turkey More than 650 people from 75 countries attended the International Plant Breeding Congress in Antalya, Turkey, from 11 to 14 November. The congress was organized by the Turkish Union of Plant Breeders, with help from CIMMYT and officials of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock of Turkey.

Simultaneous translation in English, Russian and Turkish helped expand speaker diversity. The congress included four main sections: cereals, field crops, horticultural crops and genetic resources. B.M. Prasanna, director of CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program, delivered a key-note speech entitled, “Meeting the challenges of global climate change and food security through innovative maize research.”
The International Winter Wheat Improvement Program, a collaboration between CIMMYT and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), organized a half-day session highlighting its activities and presentations from its collaborators. Alexey Morgounov, winter wheat breeder for CIMMYT, presented on climate change in winter wheat breeding sites and co-authored four additional oral presentations. In the final plenary session, it was announced that the congress will be held once every two years in Turkey. Participants appreciated the quality and organization of the event.

Seed technologists benefit from production training

Written by on December 5, 2013. Posted in News.

By Adefris Teklewold and Dagne Wegary

Developing Ethiopia’s seed sector can help bring quality protein maize (QPM) to people at risk of protein deficiencies, participants in a seed production training course learned last month. To enhance the skills of public and private seed company agronomists and seed quality inspectors, the Nutritious Maize for Ethiopia (NuME) project hosted a QPM seed production training course from 30 October to 1 November. With funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), NuME aims to bring QPM to farmers in the major maize-growing areas of Ethiopia. Seed sector capacity building is a key component of the project, along with advancing and sharing QPM technology.

Fikre Markos, plant health and regulatory director of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, said the seed system in Ethiopia remains underdeveloped. “The country’s seed companies are inefficient due to capacity limitations and can benefit from training for seed technologists,” he said. Nearly 40 participants – including five women – attended the training. Seed agronomists represented seven private seed companies, four public seed enterprises, and one farmer cooperative union, while seed quality inspectors were drawn from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, three regional bureaus of agriculture and three zonal seed quality laboratories. Four agricultural research institutes producing breeder, pre-basic and basic QPM seed varieties were also represented.

Jennifer Bloom, second secretary for food security and agricultural growth for DFATD, addresses the trainees.

Jennifer Bloom, second secretary for food security and agricultural growth for DFATD, opened the workshop and commended CIMMYT for bringing relevant partners to help implement NuME.

NuME Project Leader Adefris Teklewold said the project is aligned with the government of Ethiopia’s growth and transformation plan and millennium development goals. The NuME project focuses on gender parity in achieving these goals. Women are targeted in the project’s education and communication efforts to identify ways they can benefit from QPM. “The project addresses the issues of food and nutritional security and also focuses on promoting and ensuring gender balance and opportunities for women,” Teklewold said. “Through disseminating QPM technology, the project aims to support stakeholders’ efforts to challenge intra-household power imbalances.”

Presentation topics included clarifying the difference between QPM and non-QPM germplasm; QPM variety development and promotion; identification and maintenance of true-to-type varieties and parental lines; effective planning of QPM seed production; field management of seed production; post-harvest handling and marketing and principles of seed quality control and inspection. QPM contains higher levels of essential amino acids than normal maize. The QPM trait is recessive, meaning seed production requires careful quality control so the trait is not lost.

The trainers–experts drawn from CIMMYT, the Agricultural Transformation Agency of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Sasakawa Global 2000 and Ethiopian seed Enterprise – brought a wealth of information and knowledge to improve the skills of seed technologist and quality inspectors.

Participants said the training would benefit their personal careers as well as help them meet NuME’s high-quality seed production objectives. The training not only enhanced their knowledge of QPM seed technology but gave them insight into its role in food and nutrition security, they said.

Markos presented certificates to the participants and closed the training by saying the private sector is crucial for varietal development, seed production and dissemination and asked participants to use the training to improve QPM seed production and quality control in Ethiopia.

CIMMYT leads fight against lethal maize disease in eastern Africa

Written by on November 29, 2013. Posted in News.

By Florence Sipalla/CIMMYT

CIMMYT is leading collaborative research efforts to control the deadly maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease that is devastating crops in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. First identified in farmers’ fields in eastern Africa in 2011, MLN results from the combined infection of two plant viruses and can cause nearly 100 percent crop loss.

Surveillance, avoiding seed movement from disease-prone areas, instituting maize-free seasons and the development and use of resistant maize varieties can help prevent its spread. CIMMYT is spearheading efforts to identify sources of MLN resistance, developing a strategy to contain the disease and studying the disease and insects that contribute to its spread.

In addition, CIMMYT has produced fact sheets and videos to raise awareness on MLN, in addition to organizing meetings and workshops to train partners from national research programs in eastern Africa on how to identify the disease and curb its spread. “We have to come together to stop the disease, as it affects food security for those who depend on maize,” said CIMMYT pathologist George Mahuku during a Seed Trade Association of Kenya (STAK) congress from 6 to 8 November. “Developing MLN-resistant varieties is the most cost-effective way to deal with the disease.” He also said the recently-launched CIMMYT-Kenya Agricultural Research Institute MLN Screening Facility and Maize Doubled Haploid Facility would help speed development of MLN-resistant varieties.

The MLN facility was established with funding support from both the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture while the DH Facility was established with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. During the three-day event, issues that affect the seed sector – including MLN – were addressed. Mahuku described the disease and research efforts to control it, while dispelling fears about its transmission through seed. “Seed movement is crucial for us to increase productivity and widen our genetic base, but the seed should be clean, produced in MLN-free areas and certified MLN-free to minimize accidental introduction of MLN viruses,” he said. Mahuku stressed the need for more research on the disease’s seed transmission rate and alternative hosts.

CIMMYT will partner with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) to study transmission of MLN through aphids, beetles and thrips, as well as their interactions with the MLN viruses. Mahuku also urged seed companies to recognize MLN symptoms and notify scientists if they spot them on their farms. Scientists can then investigate and design and adopt appropriate strategies for combating it.

He encouraged stakeholders to practice maize-free seasons to reduce sources of infection. MLN has created an emergency for sectors caught unaware and without funding to immediately address the disease. “We encourage the [seed] industry to set aside some funds for these kinds of emergencies,” said Esther Kimani, general manager of phytosanitary services at the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS). Existing commercial hybrids in Kenya have already been tested for MLN, said STAK Executive Officer Evans Sikinyi during a field tour of Marula farm in Naivasha, where CIMMYT is testing a large selection of experimental and commercial varieties under MLN infection.

The participants also toured the Maize Lethal Necrosis Screening Facility in Naivasha and were invited to submit seed for screening at the facility. Mahuku also called for the standardization of screening protocols. “If we are speaking the same language, we will move far,” he said. “We need to develop and use standardized protocols to ensure that the same material can be planted in 10 different areas in different countries for screening purposes, and this information can be harmonized.”

CIMMYT-leads-fight-against-lethal-maize-disease-in-eastern-Africa Participants will carry the messages of progress, hope and caution to colleagues, partners and farmers back home. “We will use lessons learned on this trip to strengthen surveillance of the disease in South Sudan,” said Cirino Oketayot, head of the research unit in South Sudan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Tourism, Animal Production, Fisheries, Cooperatives and Rural Development. Added Gloria Ngila, the general manager of Dryland Seeds: “This helps one realize how much CIMMYT is working with the government to alleviate the problem.” The STAK congress was attended by seed sector representatives from Burundi, India, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Dual-purpose maize could reduce fodder shortages in India

Written by on November 26, 2013. Posted in News.

Maize stover is dumped in a field for use as a cooking fuel.

By Brenna Goth/CIMMYT

Maize stover – the part of the crop left over after grain harvest – provides a promising option for feeding livestock in India, according to research by CIMMYT and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Now, the two organizations are working together to select and breed dual-purpose maize varieties optimized for both grain and stover production.

Maize production is rapidly increasing in India, largely due to the growing poultry industry, and is replacing crops such as rice, sorghum, legumes and wheat in some areas, said CIMMYT maize breeder P.H. Zaidi, who is helping lead research on the topic. To be sustainable, the crop must be able to produce a high grain yield and quality stover as fodder for domestic and commercial use. “Dual-purpose maize is needed to meet both the poultry industry demand for grain and the demand for good quality stover to feed cattle,” Zaidi said. In India, maize is largely treated as a single-purpose crop grown for grain, ignoring its potential for stover.

Maize-stover-roughly-chopped-and-spread-in-the-field-as-residue

CIMMYT has been studying the possibility of dual-purpose maize for the past several years. In 2009, a focused study began in collaboration with ILRI under the Cereal System Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) project and continued with support from the CGIAR Research Program MAIZE. Maize stover is underutilized in India, Zaidi said. Though sorghum stover is more commonly used in the region, steers fed maize stover gained similar amounts of weight, according to recent ILRI research. “Contrary to widespread perceptions among farmer and fodder traders, quality stover from superior dual-purpose maize varieties can replace sorghum stover in dairy production in India,” said Michael Blümmel, operating project leader for ILRI. “It decreases the feeding cost substantially.”

Processed stover can be used as fodder for dairy cattle. Photos: P.H. Zaidi

CIMMYT and ILRI already know that increasing the use of maize stover as animal fodder in India could “mitigate fodder shortages and halt increasing fodder costs,” according to this September blog post by Zaidi. The study on stover quality in commercial maize hybrids found variability but that “stover from some high-yielding popular (maize) hybrids is on par with or even better than the best sorghum stover traded.” “From a breeding standpoint, the major challenge with dual-purpose maize is to keep high yields,” Zaidi said. “In terms of increasing use, the major challenge is changing the negative perception and assumption that maize fodder is inferior to that of sorghum, which is not true.”

Dairy cattle eat processed maize stover in India. Photos: P.H. Zaidi

To address these challenges, CIMMYT and ILRI organized a workshop on dual-purpose maize at the International Crops Research. Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) campus in Hyderabad, India, on 22 October. Participants came from the Directorate of Maize Research, the Sehgal Foundation and seed companies, including Godrej AgroTech, Limagrain Bioseed, Pioneer Hi- Bred and VNR Seeds. O.P. Yadav, project director of the Directorate of Maize Research in New Delhi, said he expected to gain “new insights into the needs and opportunities for including maize stover traits into the All India Coordinated Maize Program (AICMP).”

Unprocessd maize stover given to cattle, which is largley wasted. Photos: P.H. Zaidi

Presentations covered the available variations of dual-purpose traits in pipeline maize hybrids, targeted genetic enhancement for developing dual-purpose cultivars, association mapping to identify genomic regions related to maize quality and the economic impact of improved maize stover feed. Genomics-assisted breeding could be a useful for breeding dualpurpose maize and ILRI and CIMMYT developed a genomics selection-based 2014 work plan.

As part of the priorities defined in the workshop, CIMMYT, ILRI, AICMP and the private sector will work together to research pipeline hybrids and analyze the most popular released hybrids for feedfood- fodder traits. Participants also said targeted genetic enhancement should continue to generate superior food, feed and fodder traits for hybrids. The organizations will work to determine the importance farmers place on grain and stover traits, Blümmel said. Crop scientists, livestock scientists and key actors in fodder value chains such as farmers, fodder traders and middlemen, feed processors, dairy producers and seed enterprises all need to be involved in crop improvement for dual-purpose maize, he said.

For further reading: Potential for dual-purpose maize varieties to meet changing maize

demands

Behind the science: crop physiology solves real-life problems

Written by on November 22, 2013. Posted in Features.

By Brenna Goth/CIMMYT

CIMMYT’s wheat physiology unit has grown from a small team led by one scientist in Mexico to a group that now includes specialists in crop modeling, crop physiology, molecular genetics and remote sensing. Matthew Reynolds, who leads the team, has seen a significant increase in the application of plant physiology since coming to CIMMYT nearly 25 years ago. “When I first started,” he said, “we worked to convince skeptical plant breeders that physiology could be useful to them.” Today, the team is widely recognized for its contributions and has produced germplasm that is being used by national agricultural research systems.

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Last month, Reynolds became a 2013 fellow for the Crop Science Society of America, which is the highest recognition given by the organization. He was also invited to speak at a Bayer’s 150th anniversary science symposium, which featured a wide range of disciplines from medicine to crop research.

A United Kingdom native, Reynolds comes from a botany and crop physiology background. He first came to CIMMYT after earning a Ph.D. at Cornell University in New York. Though he had more experience working with potatoes than wheat, Reynolds said he was enticed by the opportunity that CIMMYT provided to work on “the real and tangible problem of food security.” He sees wheat as an exciting crop to work on not only for its importance worldwide as a food source, but also because it is so widely adapted. “It is the best suited of any major staple food crop to drier conditions,” Reynolds said. “That makes it an important pillar for food security as we face the uncertainties of climate change.”

Reynolds splits his time between CIMMYT’s headquarters in El Batán, Mexico, in the Central Mexican Highlands, and Ciudad Obregón, Sonora state. In Ciudad Obregón, an irrigated desert research station in northern Mexico, Reynolds and his team conduct most of their research and advise visiting scientists and Ph.D. students. He also travels frequently to interact with partners worldwide. Collaboration and sharing knowledge are crucial to his work. Field guides and manuals on physiological breeding edited by Reynolds and colleagues have been translated into Chinese, Russian and Spanish. Reynolds also compiled and edited the book Climate Change and Crop Production.

Another recent endeavor has been to establish the Wheat Yield Network, which unites institutions worldwide working on raising the yield potential of wheat. The work is demanding and the problems aren’t getting any less, Reynolds said. But he sees the job as not only intellectually stimulating but a privilege.

“It’s extremely satisfying,” he said, “to help solve real-life problems for people who really need it, through a combination of science, training, and global collaboration.”

Silo project celebrates successful first year, calls for policy reforms

Written by on November 8, 2013. Posted in News.

By Wandera Ojanji/CIMMYT

The wide adoption of metal silos for grain storage by smallholder farmers in eastern and southern Africa requires the identification of policy gaps, incentives and disincentives and institutional partnerships, according to CIMMYT policy economist Jones Govereh.

Metal silos are effective long-term storage facilities, protecting grain from pests such as grain borers and maize weevils. While lauding the decision of some governments to reduce the corporate tax on farming from 30 percent to 25 percent in 2010, Govereh called on them to include galvanized metal sheets imported solely for grain storage silos under the tax exemptions in place for other agricultural imports. “Farmers are not going to realize the benefits of storage investments without proper policies in place,” Govereh said. “Governments in the region need marketing and storage policies that support a liberalized marketing environment and avoid a maize marketing monopoly, which distorts investments in storage technologies. We also need policies that facilitate better coordination of public-private operations to avoid overlaps and conflicts.”

Govereh spoke during the regional annual review and planning meeting of the Effective Grain Storage for Sustainable Livelihoods of African Farmers (EGSP) Phase-II Project held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 20-21 August. Building on the successes of the previous phase (2008-2011), EGSP-II (2012-2016) is improving food security and reducing the vulnerability of resourcepoor farmers – particularly women farmers – in eastern and southern Africa through the dissemination of metal silos. The project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The annual review had three main objectives: to evaluate progress, achievements and challenges; to exchange ideas, information and research outputs among CIMMYT, SDC and other key partners; and to plan for the future.

The meeting was attended by implementing partners in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, CIMMYT project staff and SDC representatives. The meeting allowed participants to share ideas and information on implementation, raise awareness on promotion and dissemination of effective grain storage technologies and consult stakeholders on effective post-harvest technologies, policy environment and market issues. The project also held exchange visits to Kenya and Malawi for key partners. Participants shared experiences on project implementation, learned about the project’s impact on smallholder farmers’ livelihoods and discussed challenges. Tadele Tefera, CIMMYT entomologist and project coordinator, praised national teams and partners for achieving research and dissemination targets for the year.

Hugo De Groote, CIMMYT economist, said metal silos have a major impact on farmers’ livelihoods. Those who have not adopted the technology sell most of their maize at harvest (when prices are at their lowest because the supply is at its peak) while adopters sell much of their grain in the fifth month at higher prices, he said. Adopters stored their maize for two months longer than non-adopters and were food secure for one month longer. Vongai Kandiwa, CIMMYT gender and development specialist, noted the importance of mainstreaming gender in the project to minimize the risk of creating, maintaining or exacerbating gender gaps.

Stakeholders also reported several challenges, including an inadequate number of skilled and competent artisans with entrepreneurship skills; lack of fabrication materials; expensive materials; low awareness and knowledge of the technology; and inadequate extension services.To overcome these challenges, stakeholders agreed to boost awareness through promotional events, engage in capacity building of collaborators and strengthen the artisan network. Olaf Erenstein, director of CIMMYT’s Socioeconomics Program, thanked the implementing partners and other stakeholders for their dedication and commitment and SDC for its continued support.

CIMMYT rebuilds partnerships in Pakistan

Written by on November 5, 2013. Posted in Features.

CIMMYT Faisalabad Office (left-right): Dr, Imtiaz Muhammed, Country Liaison Officer, CIMMYT Pakistan; Dr. Etienne Duveiller, South Asia Regional Director, CIMMYT; Dr. Thomas Lumpkin, Director General, CIMMYT; Dr. Javed Ahmad, Wheat Botanist, Wheat Research Institute WRI Faisalabad; Dr. Makhdoom Hussain, Director, Wheat Research Institute WRI Faisalabad; Mr. Abdul Hamid, CIMMYT Faisalabad; Mr. Muhammad Noor, CIMMYT Faisalabad. Photo by Miriam Shindler. — CIMMYT Faisalabad Office (left-right): Dr, Imtiaz Muhammed, Country Liaison Officer, CIMMYT Pakistan;
Dr. Etienne Duveiller, South Asia Regional Director, CIMMYT; Dr. Thomas Lumpkin, Director General,
CIMMYT; Dr. Javed Ahmad, Wheat Botanist, Wheat Research Institute WRI Faisalabad; Dr. Makhdoom
Hussain, Director, Wheat Research Institute WRI Faisalabad; Mr. Abdul Hamid, CIMMYT Faisalabad; Mr.
Muhammad Noor, CIMMYT Faisalabad. Photo by Miriam Shindler.

By Imtiaz Muhammad/CIMMYT

CIMMYT has a long history with Pakistan. The majority of wheat grown in the country is a result of their collaboration. Dr. Norman Borlaug’s principles of free germplasm exchange still support Pakistan’s national program.

In 1961, Manzoor A. Bajwa, a young Pakistani wheat scientist, arrived in Mexico to receive training in improved wheat production. While working alongside Borlaug and his team in Ciudad Obregón, Bajwa identified a medium-to-hard white grain line with a high-gluten content ideal for making good chapattis. The new variety also showed promising resistance to rust and powdery mildew. To mark this momentous collaboration, the line was named MexiPak –meaning line selection in Mexico by a Pakistani researcher.

In Pakistan, the name MexiPak is synonymous with the successes of the Green Revolution. In a recent meeting between CIMMYT and Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, the Minister for Food Security and Research, he recalled experiences in rural Punjab when he was 7 or 8 years old. One year, his father had record wheat harvests. The reason? “MexiPak,” he said. This is just one example of CIMMYT-Pakistani collaboration. The Pak-81 line, which has been released in more countries than any other wheat variety in history, was selected by a Pakistani breeder while training at CIMMYT.

Today, Pakistan faces daunting challenges due to climate change, changing diets, increasing population, groundwater depletion and growing food security concerns. The new Prime Minister and cabinet have indicated an increased interest in developing Pakistan’s agriculture sector and the country’s agricultural research abilities. In a related development, the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, recently became the top-ranked university for agricultural sciences in South Asia (NTU Rankings, 2013). CIMMYT and the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) are reigniting agricultural research for development across Pakistan.

Wheat Productivity Enhancement Program (WPEP) Farm Machinery Shed at the Wheat Research Institute, Faisalabad. Photo by Miriam Shindler.

Since 2010, PARC and CIMMYT have worked closely to improve agronomic practices through projects such as the Wheat Productivity Enhancement Program (W-PEP) and the new Agricultural Innovation Program for Pakistan (AIP), a $30 million program funded by the United States Agency for International Development. The PARC complex in Islamabad houses CIMMYT offices where agronomists, breeders and socio-economic experts work to improve maize and wheat yields.

In a recent visit to Pakistan by CIMMYT Director General Thomas Lumpkin, PARC and the Pakistani government reaffirmed their commitment to establishing the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) in Pakistan. PARC donated land on its Islamabad campus to erect the BISA-CIMMYT headquarters in Pakistan, as well as land that will be converted into an experimental farm. The Pakistani government also asked BISA to build an experimental farm in every province. BISA will provide Pakistani researchers with the opportunity to collaborate with South Asian counterparts to increase wheat yields and develop more nutritious and heat-resistant maize. BISA is following in the steps of Borlaug in starting a second productive and sustainable Green Revolution.

Behind the science: maize breeder inspired by ‘personal challenge’

Written by on November 4, 2013. Posted in Features.

By Brenna Goth and Maria Concepción Castro/CIMMYT

CIMMYT maize breeder José Luis Torres said he is driven by a strong passion for his work.

Last week marked 29 years since Torres, principal researcher for the Global Maize Program, first came to CIMMYT as a 21-year-old agronomy engineer. Since then, he has helped transform maize breeding in Mexico’s highland valleys, learned from a World Food Prize winner and earned a Ph.D. He’s not here for the salary but the dynamic work environment and a desire to “improve plants and improve people,” he said.

Torres’ interest in maize comes from its importance as a staple food for Mexicans, he said. He researched dwarf maize while studying agronomy at the Antonio Narro Agrarian Autonomous University and came to CIMMYT as a research assistant for the maize program under the late Hugo Córdova. His passion for improving the crop comes from working in the field. Direct observation leads to solutions, Torres said. “You will learn quickly,” he said, adding that he leads his team with this attitude.

Days spent in Mexico’s highland valleys led Torres, who is originally from Coahuila, Mexico, to contribute to a maize “boom” in the area, he said. The crop was rustic and unsightly when Torres first started, but his team, which included Córdova, World Food Prize winner Surinder Vasal and Jim Lothrop, changed its architecture. The researchers implemented “family planning,” a process of eliminating maize offspring to reduce competition between plants. The changes made maize lower in stature, allowed it to mature earlier and enabled seeding two cycles per year. Since then, Torres has used a range of improvement techniques, from traditional approaches to molecular biology and doubled haploid technology.

His team has released 32 CIMMYT maize lines. This year, 12 lines will be released, including blue maize lines for the first time. Blue maize contains antioxidants and could benefit poor farmers, Torres said. His team continues to develop hybrids that can easily be harvested by mechanical means and allow more plants to grow in the same area. Torres also focuses on the “improving people” aspect of his work philosophy. He leads a team of two engineers, five permanent employees and about 10 temporary workers.

Torres, who came to CIMMYT with an undergraduate degree and has since earned a Ph.D., wants to support others in furthering their education, he said. He also encourages young scientists to leave the computer and get out into the elements. Torres attributes his success to observation and experimentation – not “cyberbreeding,” he said. He also recognized the support of his team and the Global Maize Program. “It’s a lot of work,” Torres said of his job. “But it’s a personal challenge.”

MasAgro posters recognized at international conference

Written by on October 31, 2013. Posted in News.

By Natalia Palacios/CIMMYT

Two posters developed by scientists from CIMMYT, Chapingo Autonomous University (UACh) and the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) as part of maize quality collaborative projects were recognized during the Fifth International Nixtamalization Conference held in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, from 7-9 October. Nixtamalization is a method of processing maize.

The poster “Nixtamalized flour mixtures for tortillas,” a collaboration between UACh and CIMMYT, won second place, while third place went to IPN and CIMMYT’s “Effect of the traditional and extruded nixtamalization process on yellow maize carotenoids.” The conference’s supervising committee evaluated 40 posters for coherence with research objectives, clarity in explanation and design, said Natalia Palacios, maize nutrition quality specialist, who coordinates MasAgro’s research on the subject.

More than 250 participants from universities, research centers and companies from the masa and tortilla industry attended the conference. The conference included subjects related to nixtamalization technology, raw materials and quality control, nutrition, biofortification of soja ixtamalized products, sustainability and energy efficiency, competitiveness and marketing.

CIMMYT partner honored with agriculture prize

Written by on October 29, 2013. Posted in News.

By Brenna Goth/CIMMYT

A long-time colleague of CIMMYT received the inaugural 2013 World Agriculture Prize from the Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for the Agricultural and Life Sciences (GCHERA), which recognizes contributions to the field by a university faculty member. Ronnie Coffman, international professor of plant breeding at Cornell University and director of the Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat project, was awarded the prize for his leadership in crop improvement, the prize committee said. He received the award on 20 October during GCHERA’s annual meeting in China.

Ronnie-Coffman

“The world’s farmers need access to the best science that the many great institutions of GCHERA can deliver in order to produce crops that are nutritionally adequate and best-adapted to future challenges,” Coffman said during his acceptance speech, according to GCHERA. Coffman spent a year as a visiting scientist with CIMMYT’s wheat program in 1970 and has continually collaborated with the organization since then. Norman Borlaug, the late CIMMYT wheat scientist and Nobel Peace Laureate, supervised Coffman when he was a graduate student, and the two worked together to address the stem rust disease race Ug99 and other wheat diseases.

Coffman is vice chair of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative, which was established to respond to wheat disease threats. He worked in the Philippines as a rice breeder for the International Rice Research Institute in the 1970s, where he developed new varieties, before joining the Cornell faculty in 1981. More recently, he has focused on fighting wheat diseases and mentoring students. Coffman has served on the board of various CGIAR centers, including the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. (ICRISAT) Coffman is also a confirmed speaker for the Borlaug Summit on Wheat for Food Security, a Borlaug 100 event that CIMMYT will host in March 2014. For more information about the event, visit www.borlaug100.org.