Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Conservation agriculture practices revive saline and sodic soils
Environmental health and biodiversity
Evidence suggests conservation agriculture can maintain the sustainability of agri-food systems in regions impaired by soil salinity and sodicity.
Afghan wheat landrace shows promise for rust resistance
Environmental health and biodiversity
Genetic analysis of the Afghan wheat landrace KU3067 reveals resistance to leaf rust and stripe rust, which can be used to develop further disease-resistant wheat varieties.
New CIMMYT maize hybrid available from South Asian Tropical Breeding Program
Innovations
CIMMYT is offering a new improved maize hybrid to partners, to scale up production for farmers in the region.
Earlier wheat planting will boost yields in eastern India
Innovations
Adjusting the sowing dates for wheat in eastern India will increase untapped potential production by 69%, new research shows, helping to ensure food security and farm profitability as the planet warms.
Novel technology to reduce the complexity of maize seed production and increase maize hybrid yields in farmer’s fields
Capacity development
Collaborative field evaluations reveal promising results for sub-Saharan Africa’s low input maize farming systems and commercial seed production.
Untapped potential of genome-edited crops explored in new research
Nutrition, health and food security
Analysis of evidence by scientists of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and CGIAR concludes that the scientific risks of genome editing are similar to those of traditional breeding.
Researchers use storytelling to evaluate women’s agency in agricultural production
Capacity development
A study in India highlights who does what in wheat farming to support the design of gender-responsive interventions in the region.
CRISPR, 10 years on: Learning to rewrite the code of life
Innovations
Source: The New York Times (27 Jun 2022)
Kevin Pixley, Director Genetic Resources Program and Deputy Director General Research – Breeding & Genetics (a.i.) at CIMMYT, quoted in a New York Times article about genome-editing technologies.
Soil scientists and stakeholders reflect on progress and impacts of CIMMYT-Rwanda partnership for soil health
Environmental health and biodiversity
“Strong partnership” highlighted as CIMMYT and the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board review progress in managing acid soil.
Wheat improvement: Food security in a changing climate
Capacity development
New textbook covers all aspects of wheat improvement, as well as rapidly evolving technologies and their potential to accelerate genetic gains and adaptation.
New CIMMYT maize hybrid available from the Latin America Breeding Program
Innovations
CIMMYT is offering a new improved maize hybrid to partners, to scale up production for farmers in the region.
Galvanized leaf storage proteins serve as a nutrient lifeline for maize under drought, recent study says
Climate adaptation and mitigation
A team of researchers activates vegetative storage proteins in maize leaves, to stockpile nitrogen reserves for release when plants are hit by drought.
The race against time to breed a wheat to survive the climate crisis
Climate adaptation and mitigation
Source: The Guardian (12 Jun 2022)
CIMMYT scientists are using the biodiversity of forgotten wheat varieties from across the world to find those with heat- and drought-tolerant traits.
A climate-smart remodeling of South Asia’s rice-wheat cropping is urgent
Environmental health and biodiversity
Multiple studies show conventional farming practices degrade soils, deplete aquifers and feed rampant greenhouse gas emissions.