Bread Wheat Improvement in Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) Region:Relevance to Australia

Francis C. Ogbonnaya & Osman S. Abdalla

ICARDA/CIMMYT Wheat Improvement Program (ICWIP)Biodiversity and Integrated Gene Management Program;

ICARDA

Wheat Production in CWANA

Wheat is the main staple food in CWANA Region Wheat consumption in CWANA is about 185 kg/capita/yearAbout 50 million hectares in CWANAWheat productivity and total wheat production in CWANA is generally low.Many countries in the region are substantial net importers of wheat.

0500

1000150020002500300035004000450050005500600065007000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

YEARS

PR

OD

UC

TIO

N (

1000 M

t) MoroccoAlgeriaEgyptSyriaTunisia

Wheat Production during 1990-1999 in Selected CWANA Countries

Mean Rainfall Relative to LTA at T. Hadya, Syria, during 1998/99 to 2004/05 Seasons

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/ 04

SEASONS

Me

an

Ra

infa

ll %

of

Lo

ng

T

erm

Av

era

ge

1998/9 1999/00 2004/5

Rainfall Distribution at T. Haya during 2002-03 to 2004-05 Seasons

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Sep Oct Novr Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul

Month

Pre

cipi

tati

on (

l mm

)

2002/ 03 2003/ 04 2004/05 Long term

GOAL

Enhancement of Productivity and Production Sustainability of Spring Wheat Cropping Systems in CWANA Region

Target Environments

• Spring Bread Wheat improvement targets all wheat growing areas in CWANA with focus on:

Semiarid (Mediterranean Rainfed) environments

Favorable irrigated environments including low latitudes of CWANA

Constraints Temperate Continental Low latitudeDrought √ √High temperature √Water use efficiency √Terminal heat √ √Salinity √ √Cold √Leaf rust √ √Stem rust √ √Yellow rust √ √Septoria tritici blotch √Hessian fly √Sawfly √ √

RWA √

Sunn pestBunts √

Aphids √ √

Targeted Environments and Major Stresses

334

600

384450

254

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Breda-N-RF T. Hadya-N-RF

T. Hadya-N-RF+1SI

T. Hadya-E-RF+2SI

Terbol -Fav

Test Environments

Long

Ter

m A

vera

ge R

ainf

all (

mm

)Moisture Gradient for Germplasm Selection

Genotypic Response to Environmental Variability

Wide Adaptation: The relative ability of a genotype to consistently yield in the upper percentile across different locations (Spatially)

Stability: The relative ability of a genotype to consistently yield in the upper percentile over years (Temporally)

Multilocation Testing: a procedure to gauge spatial adaptation used extensively by BW improvement programs to identify temporally Stable, Drought Tolerant germplasm

AWYT2-LR-04: Performance of 24 Genotypes under Moisture Extremes

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500

Yield under Moisture Stress (280 mm)

Yie

ld u

nd

er

No

Mo

istu

re S

tress (

441 m

m)

524

504

522523

509

515

505508

506 510511

512

519 517516

503

518507

520 502

513

514501

521

Mean = 1562 kg/ha

Mea

n =

6279

kg/

ha

(A) (B)

(C)

(D)

Breeding Methodology

Targeted Crossing Program that emphasizes broadening the genetic base:

- Utilization of old varieties and elite locally adapted cultivars

- Utilization of wheat relatives and derived synthetic wheat

Breeding Methodology

CWANA Drylands – a Cradle of Agriculture

Center of crop origin & diversity (Vavilov)

WheatBarleyChickpeaLentil

Status of ex situ Collections (2005)

Crop Gene Pool

No. Accessions

Wild Species & Landraces

(with long/Lat)

Global Rank

Wheat 37,930 25,400 No.1 (Aegilops, W. Triticum; T.

durum)

Barley 26,181 13,800 No. 2 (USDA 30,000)

Lentil 10,520 4,380 No. 1

Chickpea 12,421 4,126 No.2 (ICRISAT 17,000)

Faba bean 10,649 2,087 No.1

Forage/Pasture 35,120 23,420 N.A

TOTAL 132,831 73,200

Enhancing Diversity

Alien gene pools, in particular Aegilops squarrossa, and wild triticum and landracesutilized to enhance genetic variability of traits relevant for wheat improvement, with emphasis on stress tolerance

Aegilops squarossa

Wild Triticum

Environment information

Enhancing Diversity:Use of Landraces and CWANA Adapted Cultivars

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Fre

qu

en

cy

dis

trib

uti

on

(%

)

R MR MS S

Reaction type

Relative resistance levels to yellow rust in wild relatives of wheat

Aegilops sp.Triticum sp.W.Land Race

Enhancing Diversity: Tapping the Gene Pool for Rust Resistance

COLD DAMAGE

• In Continental areas of WANA cold damage can occur around tillering and anthesis.

• Early planting :(1st to 2nd week of Oct) facilitates selection for cold tolerance.

Heat Tolerance• Late Planting

(March):Terminal Heat Stress.

• Summer Planting:Heat all through the crop cycle.

• Screening at Hot Spots:Wad Medani, central Sudan

Breeding for Biotic Stress:HESSIAN FLY DAMAGE

SusceptibleResistant

HF

Total Damage

Use of Spreader Rows

Relevance to Australia

Similar environments with similar production constraints Exploitation of genetic variation that exist in gene stocks derived and collected from dry areas in CWANA Opportunity to exploit genetic variation associated with adaptive genes for harsh environment because of the long evolutionary mutations accumulated in response to co-existence with natureGeneration of drought stress tolerant germplasm in Australian genetic background via targeted evaluation in appropriate environments measured as yield increases and enhanced WUE in wheat under Mediterranean environments

Relevance to Australia

Bench marking of selected Australian varieties with key ICARDA’s wheat germplasm that potentially exhibit drought tolerance measured as yield increases and enhanced WUE in wheat under Mediterranean environments

Hartog, Wyalkatchem, Gladius, Calingiri, Bonnie Rock, Westonia, Excalibar, Axe, Yitpi, Young, Sunvale and Bolac

Relevance to Australia

Crossing with selected Australian leading varieties and elite lines

Distribution of segregating and fixed lines with stress tolerance to Australian breeding entities

Knowledge of stress tolerance and appropriate tools for incorporation and selection in breeding programs

Breeders visit to ICARDA?

Acknowledgements

Funding Agencies Staff

Staff of the wheat program, GRU and pathology groups at ICARDA