CIMMYT Publications Repository
Not a member yet
7809 research outputs found
Sort by
Determination of rice accession status using infochemical and visual cues emitted to sustainably control Diopsis apicalis dalman
No full textThis study assessed the host plant selection behavior of female stalk-eyed flies (SEFs) or Diopsis apicalis, where a Y-tube olfactometer was used to compare SEF attraction to the odor of leaves from four rice varieties (ITA306, WAB56-104, CG14, and RAM55). Another step of the evaluation consisted of pairing leaf odors from two rice varieties. Also, potted plants of the tested varieties were displayed in a screened cage and submitted to female SEF selection. The results indicated that the odor produced by leaves from rice varieties CG14, WAB56-104, and ITA306 significantly attracted SEFs, at rates of 81%, 70%, and 97%, respectively, while SEF females were rarely attracted by the odor of leaves from the resistant rice variety RAM55, at a rate of 35%. The results suggested that the use of a Y-tube olfactometer was similar to the use of a screened cage. The resistance exhibited by rice variety CG14 against SEFs is related to an antibiosis interaction acting as bait, while that in RAM55 is an antixenosis one. Farmers can plant the traditional CG14 variety on the edge of rice fields to draw SEFs and poison their larvae. However, RAM55 can be inserted in an intercropping system to repel SEFs from laying eggs. The authors recommend CG14 and RAM55 as candidates for breeding to create resistant lines against SEF
Assessing genetic gain and diversity in Ethiopian bread wheat across six decades
No full textAssessing breeding progress and genetic diversity in released varieties is crucial for informing future crop improvement strategies. This study evaluated genetic gain and diversity in 49 Ethiopian wheat varieties released over six decades (1967-2021). Significant yield increases were observed, with 'Shaki' showing the highest gain. However, the average annual genetic gain was modest (0.90% under irrigated, 0.69% under rain-fed). The recent released bread wheat variety '' Shaki '' exhibited a 48.6% increase in grain yield under irrigated conditions and a 37.1% increase under rain-fed conditions over the oldest variety, "Lakech". Genetic diversity analysis revealed a decline in heterozygosity and a skewed allele distribution, suggesting potential inbreeding within the breeding program. Population structure analysis indicated a shared genetic background across decades. The low genetic gain and declining diversity highlight the need for strategies to enhance genetic diversity and incorporate novel yield-associated traits to achieve sustainable genetic improvement in Ethiopian wheat breeding
Scaling Roadmap: Advancing user-centric bundled climate information (CIS) and digital agro-advisory services (CSA) in Ethiopia
No full textBundled CIS+CSA converts forecasts into timely, actionable advisories, inputs, and services—reducing climate risk, improving decisions, and raising productivity and incomes for diverse Ethiopian smallholders nationwide. - Lersha–CIMMYT model delivers biweekly voice/SMS advisories; links mechanization, inputs, credit, insurance, and markets; leverages agents, cooperatives, and meteorological services to reach women, youth, and non-literate farmers. - Responsible scaling: strengthen forecasts and localization; integrate with extension, finance, policy; diversify revenues; embed inclusion safeguards—building resilient, sustainable CSA/CIS ecosystems nationwide.6 page
Chapter 34. What do we know about the future of wheat?
No full textWheat has been and will remain a major component of diets globally. It accounts for an average of 18 percent of total energy intake and 19 percent of total protein intake globally. It is the primary staple food for 1.5 billion resource-constrained people in the Global South. Wheat represents 29 percent of the global cereals area and 14 percent of the global cropland area. It is an important crop in most agricultural areas of the world except the humid tropics and is less prominent in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared to rice and maize, it is more drought- and cold-tolerant. Wheat will continue to be an important source of protein in 2050, even under changing diets. In meat-based diets, wheat is often part of animal feed. In plant-based diets, wheat is a source of protein. Climate change offers both challenges and opportunities for wheat. Areas previously unsuitable for wheat production may have a comparative advantage under climate change. Similarly, some traditional wheat-growing areas may become less suitable for wheat production under climate change, especially due to heat stress. While Jägermeyr et al. (2021) indicate it can be beneficial for many existing wheat-growing areas, the impacts, for example, of increased frequency and intensity of heat waves, warmer night temperatures, and other weather anomalies are likely to counteract some of the benefits. Some of the poorer regions of the world are historically considered to be wheat-deficit areas and will increasingly depend on imports. This is a key factor in Africa, where there is less wheat production and wheat consumption is increasing with rising incomes.201-20
Genomic prediction powered by multi-omics data
No full textGenomic selection (GS) has transformed plant breeding by enabling early and accurate prediction of complex traits. However, its predictive performance is often constrained by the limited information captured through genomic markers alone, especially for traits influenced by intricate biological pathways. To address this, the integration of complementary omics layers—such as transcriptomics and metabolomics—has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance prediction accuracy by providing a more comprehensive view of the molecular mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation. We used three datasets, each collected under a single-environment condition, which allowed us to isolate the effects of omics integration without the confounding influence of genotype-by-environment interaction. We assessed 24 integration strategies combining three omics layers: genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics. These strategies encompassed both early data fusion (concatenation) and model-based integration techniques capable of capturing non-additive, nonlinear, and hierarchical interactions across omics layers. The evaluation was conducted using three real-world datasets from maize and rice, which varied in population size, trait complexity, and omics dimensionality. Our results indicate that specific integration methods—particularly those leveraging model-based fusion—consistently improve predictive accuracy over genomic-only models, especially for complex traits. Conversely, several commonly used concatenation approaches did not yield consistent benefits and, in some cases, underperformed. These findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate integration strategies and suggest that more sophisticated modeling frameworks are necessary to fully exploit the potential of multi-omics data. Overall, this work highlights both the value and limitations of multi-omics integration for genomic prediction and offers practical insights into the design of omics-informed selection strategies for accelerating genetic gain in plant breeding programs
Evaluation of elite wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes for resistance to stem rust (Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici), yield and yield stability
No full textStem rust, caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, is a destructive fungal disease of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and poses a major challenge to wheat production in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The continuous evolution and variable nature of stem rust predispose wheat to serious genetic vulnerability, necessitating proactive incorporation of new and effective resistance sources into breeding lines. This study evaluated 25 wheat genotypes over three seasons at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Njoro, to assess resistance mechanisms and yield stability under stem rust pressure. A 5 x 5 partially balanced alpha lattice design was employed. Disease progression was assessed using final disease severity (FDS) and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), alongside evaluations of agronomic performance. Statistical analyses revealed significant (P <= 0.001) effects of genotype, season, and genotype x season interaction for AUDPC and agronomic traits. Grain yield (GY) was significantly (P <= 0.001) negatively correlated with disease components, and positively correlated with kernels per spike (KS), biomass (BM), harvest index (HI), and thousand kernel weight (TKW). Broad-sense heritability (H2) estimates ranged from 59.90% for grain filling period to 95.58% for FDS. Adult plant resistance genes Lr34/Yr18/Sr57, Lr46/Yr29/Sr58, Sr2/Yr30, and Lr67/Yr46/Sr55/Pm46 were detected in various combinations across 21 genotypes. Based on disease response and yield performance, genotypes 8790929, 8790027, 8790948, and 8790935 exhibited the highest levels of resistance and superior grain yield. These genotypes represent valuable sources of stem rust resistance and are recommended for use in breeding programs for gene introgression and varietal development
Genetic analysis of ear, husk, and tassel traits in tropical maize under diverse environments
No full textGrain yield (GY) in maize (Zea mays L.) is influenced by multiple component traits, with ear- and tassel-related traits playing a significant role. Despite their importance, these traits receive less emphasis in tropical maize breeding. This study aimed to: (i) assess the inheritance and heterosis of ear and tassel traits, and (ii) investigate their genetic correlation with GY. Thirty tropical maize inbred lines were used to develop 150 hybrids, which were evaluated under artificial Striga hermonthica infestation, managed drought stress, and rainfed conditions over two years. General (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability mean squares were significant (P< 0.05) for most traits, indicating the contribution of both additive and nonadditive gene action. GCA sums of squares predominated over SCA, suggesting that additive gene action controlled the inheritance of ear, husk, and tassel traits. Broad-sense heritability was high for husk (H-2 = 0.59-0.89), ear (H-2 = 0.71-0.93), and tassel (H-2 = 0.78-0.95) traits. Fifteen inbred lines exhibited significant positive GCA effects for ear traits, suggesting the presence of favorable alleles associated with increased ear length (ERL) and circumference (ERC). Additionally, 23 inbred lines exhibited favorable GCA effects for reduced tassel size. Mid-parent heterosis for ERL (41%) and ERC (22%) was greater under managed drought stress. Both ERL and ERC were strongly correlated with GY (r(g) = 0.58-0.96), suggesting their suitability for inclusion in a selection index. Path analysis identified ERL and ERC as having significant positive direct effects on GY, while ear aspect had a negative direct effect on GY across all conditions. Selection for ear and tassel traits in tropical maize is recommended to develop more efficient inbred lines for higher grain yield
Licensing of public plant varieties: the case of CSIR
No full textTo achieve sustained productivity growth, it is critical that farmers adopt improved crop varieties alongside sound agronomic practices. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), through its Crops Research Institute (CRI) and Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), leads the conduct and coordination of breeding and related research focused on developing crops suited to different agroecological zones with consumer preferred traits. However, unpredictable funding and limited dissemination capacity often prevent these innovations from reaching smallholder farmers who depend on them at scale In response to these challenges, CSIR is increasingly exploring licensing as a way to stimulate the commercialization of its agricultural technologies. This approach aligns with CSIR’s broader mandate to enhance the impact of its research by fostering collaboration with the private sector. Licensing agreements could offer a viable path for public varieties to enter the market, potentially generating royalty income that could be reinvested into further research and varietal promotion activities. This could also help ensure that farmers have access to the latest, most effective varieties. However, the process of licensing public varieties is far from straightforward. While there is potential for licensing models to accelerate the commercialization of improved varieties, their success depends on overcoming several key barriers. Licensing agreements must be structured in a way that is attractive to the private sector, while also safeguarding the public interest and public good nature of some technologies. Public research institutions, such as CSIR, need to navigate the complex intersection of intellectual property rights, legal and regulatory frameworks, and market dynamics. The importance of this issue has been recognized by the New Markets Lab (NML) and the Dryland Crops Program of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), as part of the implementation of the Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Delivery of Legumes and Cereals in Africa (AVISA) project, have worked to build capacity and share knowledge with key stakeholders in Ghana. These efforts have focused on supporting the CSIR in fostering the adoption of improved varieties by both the private sector and farmers. This report on the licensing of public varieties by CSIR builds upon a body of work previously conducted by NML in countries such as Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, and Mali,1 in collaboration with other partners, including CIMMYT, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA). Through the AVISA project, NML has developed several resources to guide the licensing process. These include an Annotated Guide on Flexible Licensing Models and Agreements, which outlines various options for structuring licensing agreements and includes examples of potential provisions; Tanzania and Nigeria Guidebooks for Regulatory Aspects of Disseminating Public Varieties,2 which examine the regulatory frameworks in both countries and their relevance to the licensing of public varieties; and Model Plant Variety Licensing Agreements tailored to the specific regulatory environments of Tanzania and Nigeria. This report critically examines CSIR’s nascent efforts on licensing its varieties. It assesses current approaches, evaluating both successes and shortcomings. While CSIR has made notable strides since reinitiating its licensing program in 2022 and expanding it in 2024, several gaps remain, particularly in terms of institutional capacity, awareness among stakeholders, and the alignment of legal and regulatory instruments with market needs. The report also identifies key challenges, such as the need for more robust public-private partnerships, more comprehensive training for researchers and stakeholders, and clearer guidelines for navigating the complex legal and regulatory landscape and licensing processes. The findings and recommendations contained in the report are based on semi-structured consultations with nearly 40 stakeholders from CSIR who engaged in NML-led licensing workshops in Kumasi and Tamale. These included breeders, management teams, plant variety protection desk officers, legal representatives from CRI and SARI, and representatives from the private sector. Key recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of CSIR’s licensing efforts include: Establishing Multi-tiered Capacity-building Strategy: Capacity building is needed at multiple levels, so a multi-tiered capacity building strategy could be developed to go beyond basic workshops and include practical, hands-on training in licensing negotiations, intellectual property and related law, and market access. This could include leveraging digital tools, such as the one under development by NML, to provide continuous access to capacity building tools and professional development through follow-up sessions and mentorship to ensure that knowledge is applied effectively and that stakeholders stay up to date with evolving standards in licensing practices. Formal EGS Supply Processes with Streamlined Distribution and Focus on Strengthening Infrastructure and Human and Financial Capacity: CSIR could collaborate with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and seed companies to obtain production data for better demand forecasting and supply alignment. This could include use of digital platforms for advance ordering and payment to improve EGS production planning, creation of a registry to track breeder lines and licensed varieties, improved internal quality assurance mechanisms for EGS production, and sustainable financing through public-private partnerships or donors. Capacity Building on Intellectual Property Rights and Intellectual Asset Management for Public and Private Stakeholders: Capacity building in legal aspects of intellectual property and intellectual asset management would be beneficial to CSIR’s future work on licensing. Internally, CSIR could establish comprehensive DUS protocols for more crops, especially in AVISA focus area, and advocate for waiver of PVP registration fees for public varieties to reduce financial burdens and encourage innovation, with a focus on PVP for varieties that have the most market potential. Licensing Strategy for CRI and SARI for Varietal Promotion: A licensing (and funding) strategy should be developed for CRI and SRI, including in collaboration with the private sector, to share promotion costs by leveraging innovative licensing models. These could include lower royalty rates for companies that commit to investment in varietal promotion and promotion of a demand-led breeding approach, including collaboration with experts from other fields (e.g., gender, socio-economic studies) to ensure that varieties meet diverse farmer and consumer needs. Variety Licensing Database: A variety licensing database could be developed that includes up-to-date information on all available varieties, their traits, suitable growing conditions, and their licensing status (including whether they are protected under PVP). This database should be easily accessible by both public institutions and private sector stakeholders, with a user-friendly interface that allows for seamless access to information. Once created, the database should be regularly updated to reflect new varieties, changes in licensing agreements, and market trends. Further, CSIR could focus on creating a dynamic system for feedback from private sector actors to ensure that the varieties listed align with market needs, improving the flow of relevant information. Standardized Licensing Guidelines: Standardized licensing guidelines should be developed across the relevant CSIR institutes. This process could be expedited through collaboration between CRI and SARI to ensure that the guidelines are harmonized, transparent, and easily accessible to potential licensees. The guidelines should clearly specify the required documentation, application procedures, and the responsibilities of both the licensor and licensee. A clear, well-publicized licensing process will not only streamline the application process but also enhance the confidence of private sector stakeholders in engaging with public sector innovations. Capacity Building for Private Seed Companies: Capacity building support for the private sector should cover some of the same issues noted above. It could also include matched financial support, infrastructure development, and training in formal business practices. This would enable seed companies to independently produce EGS and engage in formal licensing processes, fostering a more sustainable and growth-oriented seed sector in Ghana.24 page