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As a contribution to a global effort, ICARDA is now developing a
barley "core" collection of 300 accessions that will represent a
species diversity for the WANA countries. A similar core collection
will also be created by ICARDA for wheat.
ICARDA, as well as other CGIAR centers, favors the unrestricted
access to genetic resources for all bona fide users. In the
last four years, 1990-93, the Genetic Resources Unit of ICARDA
distributed from its collections a total of 50036 seed samples of
wheat. barley and their wild relatives to users all over the world.
The major part, however, was distributed for utilization in the WANA
region, either directly to national programs (11962 accessions) or
indirectly through ICARDA germplasm, improvement programs (18859).
ICARDA's gene bank also serves as a backup to genetic resources
programs of the WANA countries and, when possible, its collections
are duplicated in the country of origin.
Evaluation and utilization
At ICARDA plant genetic resources conservation activity is not
confined to its collection from the centers of diversity and safe
storage in the gene bank. The approach, however, is to carry out
detailed evaluation of the material preferably in its own habitat
with close collaboration of the National Agricultural Research System
(NARS) of the respective country to identify new sources of
resistance to the biotic and abiotic stresses responsible for low and
variable productivity of wheat. Though a very large amount of
material was evaluated for more than 30 characters but here only a
few traits which has direct effect on the adaptability (Growth habit)
of the new germplasm or the most pertinent stresses (Thermal) are
reported for the germplasm collected from WANA as well as developed
at ICARDA (Table 2).
Growth habit
Growth habit (GH) and maturity plays vital role in the adaptation of
wheat varieties in different agro-climatic situation which is
influenced by temperature, photoperiod and genotypes. The growth
habit studies were carried out in the green house in combination with
field evaluation by planting in late spring. It is important to first
study and evaluate the genetic variability in the germplasm
originating from different regions of each country and then at ICARDA
we target the new germplasm according to the needs of each region. In
total 2045 lines/cultivars were studied for growth habit on a scale
of 1 (spring) to 5 (strong winter type). Variability for GH was large
and the germplasm from WANA showed a gradation from spring to pure
winter type.
Growth habit data revealed that approximately 90% of, the wheat
germplasm from Morocco, Algeria, Syria and Ethiopia is of spring type
and the remaining of facultative type (Fig.
3). On the other hand 75% of the germplasm from Iran, and Turkey
was of winter/facultative type and only 25% of spring type. Since at
ICARDA the cereal improvement activity is divided into spring and
winter wheat projects, the germplasm developed under winter and
facultative wheat project was evaluated. The growth habit of
germplasm developed at ICARDA ranged from pure spring types (15%) to
winter and facultative types (85%) which is directed to serve the
region with continental climate. These data clearly indicate that at
ICARDA the genetic diversity for the important traits to serve the
diverse needs of WANA is enhanced.
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