Climate resilient wheat varieties introduced through international collaboration for enhanced food security in Central Asia

Ram Sharma et al.13 July 2016

Central Asia Climate Smart Agriculture Workshop12-14 July, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

ContributionsNational Wheat Research Programs in Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC)ICARDA, CIMMYT, CRP-WHEAT, CRP-Dryland Systems

Donors:National funds for wheat research, CACBMZ/GIZRussian FederationsICARDA, CIMMYT

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ICARDA - History of Collaboration in the CAC region

1995The first workshop held in Tashkent in December 1995 brought together

participants from ICARDA and other CG Centers, from donor organizations and NARS of CAC to identify areas of collaboration

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ICARDA - History of Collaboration in the CAC region

1998 Nine CGIAR Centers agreed to form a Consortium to assist the eight

CAC countries in agricultural research with ICARDA as the lead Center ICARDA's CAC Regional Program Office was established on 1 August

1998 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan ICARDA facilitated the establishment of the CGIAR Regional Program

for Sustainable Agriculture in CAC (www.cac-program.org). ICARDA serves as the Convening Center for the CAC Regional Program.

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ICARDA - History of Collaboration in the CAC region

2000– Regional Forum of the CAC countries (CACAARI) was established– CACAARI has been representing Central Asia and the Caucasus at

various regional and global meetings, including Global Forum for Agricultural Research (GFAR)

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Wheat breeders and CSA

• Wheat breeders always think of CSA• Plan for 20 years of climatic variations for each new

variety to reach the farmers’ fields

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Bezostaya 1 – Probably the most climate resilient winter wheat variety

1969 – released

Still grown on≈ 1 million haYield 6 t/ha

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Temperature variations in Karkalpakstan 2013 and 2016

-30-10103050

-30-20-100

1020304050

Tmax Tmin

30 June

2016

1 Dec

2013

Tem

pera

ture

°C

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Constraints to wheat production under climate change in Central Asia

WinterAutumn Spring

Drought

Wet

Heat

Dry

Wet

Dry

Mild

WetYellow

rustLeaf

rust

Dry

Yellow rust

Salinity

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Wheat stripe rust problem in Central Asia

Six stripe rust epidemics since 2009

2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

Kroshka2009, Uzbekistan

Krasnodar-992013, Tajikistan

Grom2016, Uzbekistan

30% yield reduction in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan due to yellow rust

Sharma et al. (2016), J. Phytopathology

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Wheat stripe rust problem in Central Asia

Cost of fungicide spray:1-3 sprays ( 70 to 210 USD/ha)Saving from 20% area200,000 ha = USD 14 – 42 million

2016 case: epidemic lasted for 3 months 1 to 3 fungicide spraysApprox. 500,000 ha sprayedFungicide cost, 2 sprays: $140/ha

USD 70 million

• Environmental cost• Human health cost

Wheat germplasm received in Central Asia:

1995 - 2011

Total

Kazakh

stan

Kyrgyzs

tan

Tajikis

tan

Turkmenist

an

Uzbekis

tan-5000

5000

15000

25000

35000

45000

55000

65000 Total Bread wheat Durum wheatN

umbe

r of a

cces

sion

s

New, improved wheat varieties, resistant to yellow rust

Shumon Shams

Climate Resilient Winter Wheat - Yaksart

Characters:1. Winter frost tolerance2. Medium Salinity tolerance3. Heat tolerance4. Moderately yellow rust

tolerance5. Moderately leaf rust tolerance6. Grain yield

9 t/ha under normal soil, irrigation6 t/ha on medium saline soil

7. Quality - superior

Climate Resilient Winter Wheat - Gozgon

Characters:1. Medium Salinity tolerance2. Highly resistant to yellow rust3. Grain yield

8 t/ha under normal soil, irrigation6 t/ha on medium saline soil

4. Quality - satisfactory

Remained yellow rust resistant in the past 6 disease epidemics in: 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015. 2016

Gozgon

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Elomon

• Suitable for fewer irrigation

Climate Resilient Winter Wheat - Yaksart

Characters:1. Suitable for fewer irrigation2. Medium Salinity tolerance3. Heat tolerance4. Moderately leaf rust tolerance5. Grain yield

9 t/ha under normal soil, irrigation6 t/ha on medium saline soil

6. Quality - satisfactory

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ICARDA – Research thrusts in the CAC region

Germplasm Enhancement

NRM

SEPR

Livestock and Feed

Seed production

PGR

Sustainable agriculture

Better livelihoods

Salinity problem to crop production

Khorezm, Uzbekistan

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New wheat varieties under farmers field demonstration Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan

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Identifying salinity and frost tolerant wheat varieties for Aral Sea region

Khorezm Karakalpakstan

Entry name Origin

Grain yield (t/ha)1000-kernel weight

(g)

Test weig

ht (g/l)

Grain hardnes

s

Flour protein

(%)

Flour gluten

(%)

Days to

heading

Plant height (cm)

Agronomic

scoreChimbay 2014

Chimbay 2015

Urgench

2015

Krasnodar-99 (check) Russia 2.58 4.18 4.41 48.0 788 85 12.1 28.4 219 89 4

Amudarya IWWIP 4.20 5.58 5.66 50.2 806 86 13.0 26.4 220 90 4Aral IWWIP 2.99 6.30 5.68 50.5 792 81 11.7 28.6 218 90 5LSD0.05 1.53 0.86 0.97 5.6 3.4 3 4

Evaluation by farmers, Khorezm

Evaluation by farmers, Karakalpakstan

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Conclusion

• Wheat improvement efforts in Central Asia region are developing positively, and there are indications to expect future progress in wheat productivity in the Central Asia because wheat production is directly linked to food secuirty

Dashoguz, TurkmenistanSalinity Drought Heat Frost

2012

2013

Dashoguz Turkmenistan“Davletle”

2011: 120 Varieties evaluated

2012

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• Climate of Central Asia is highly variable with extreme events for winter wheat production in Central Asia

• Frequent occurrence of yellow rust disease epidemics poses serious threat to wheat production and food security in Central Asia

• Salinity, drought, and heat are permanent features challenging sustainable wheat productivity in Central Asia

• Climate resilient winter wheat varieties are increasingly becoming available through national, regional and international collaborations

Summary

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Acknowledgement

1. National Wheat Research Programs in Central Asia2. International Winter Wheat Program3. ICARDA4. CIMMYT5. Post-graduate students

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Acknowledgement to partnership

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Acknowledgement to Ph.D. scholarsSevindj Nurieva

Winter bread wheat PGR evaluation for salinity tolerance

50 accessionsAzerbaijan

Elchin Hajiyev

Winter bread wheat and durum PGR evaluation for salinity and tolerance

220 accessionsAzerbaijan

Akmal Meyliev

Yellow rust resistance in winter wheat

Uzbekistan

Shakhnoza Khazratkulova

Stability analysis of winter wheat yellow rust and quality traits

Uzbekistan

Diyor Juraev

Identifying heat tolerant winter wheat genotypes

Uzbekistan

Acknowledgement

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Thank you for your attention!