Abstract only

As a result of the hasty land privatization, radical changes have occurred in the system of agricultural production of the country. Petty land plots, their isolation, the absence of working capital and farm machinery have brought to the formation of small-size subsistence farms. The sowing areas under cereals have sharply increased at the expense of the areas planted to fruits, perennial fodder crops, tobacco, geranium and vineyards. According to official data, the areas sown to cereals have increased by 32%. Particularly extended were the areas sown to winter wheat, which, however, has not led to a considerable increase in the total wheat grain output due to reduced yield. Presently, there is a great wheat grain deficit in the country. Thus, in 2003, only 350,000 thousand tons of wheat, as well as maize grain was harvested in total. The average annual wheat grain imports account for 300 thousand tons. Nevertheless, for satisfying the requirements of baking and alcohol industry and livestock production, more than 1 million tons of wheat grain are necessary. It is obvious that the increase of productivity of cereals, winter wheat and maize in particular, is of a strategic importance for Armenia. Further increase of total wheat grain output should be carried out not through the extensive development of the sector, but through enhancing the productivity of cereals. With this end, the Research Center of Agriculture and Plant Protection is actively engaged in breeding aimed at developing of high-yielding varieties of winter wheat and winter barley using traditional selection methods, as well as through testing of valuable varieties from the world collection. The following winter wheat varieties-" Armyanka 60", " Akhtamar", "Nairi 68", "Ani" and winter barley varieties -"Mush", "Utik" were developed at the Center. Winter wheat variety "Armcim" was selected from the international nurseries provided by CIMMYT/ICARDA, and is now included in the on-farm trials. Lately, the area under maize for grain has dramatically reduced in the republic. At present, It is cultivated on an area of 3 thousand ha, which cannot, apparentJy, satisfy the demand of industry and livestock production. Expansion of the maize area and introduction of high-yielding varieties and hybrids into production are within the strategic plan of development of agriculture in the republic in the coming years. To solve this problem, the Center has initiated seed multiplication of high-yielding variety "Abovyani 2", developed by Armenian breeders. Legumes are traditional crops for Armenia. However, due to some reasons (the lack of wholesale market, high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties, fertilizers, etc.), they are grown on limited areas (170-190 thousand ha). Currently, thanks to the support rendered by ICARDA, studies of spring and winter chickpea, lentil, soybean and peavine varieties from the world collection are carried out. Also studied are peanut varieties from the world collection provided by ICRISAT. Seed multiplication of the most valuable varieties of these crops is being conducted. Following the land privatization, practically all seed production farms of the republic were liquidated. Nowadays, The Research Center of Agriculture and Plant Protection and Gumri Breeding Station are in fact the only institutions engaged in research in primary seed growing of winter wheat (Armyanka 60 and "Bezostaya I), spring barley (Nutans local and Nutans 115), and spring wheat (Shiraki 2). Naturally, seed material produced by these institutions cannot meet the growing demands. The arrangement of on-farm seed multiplication has not been realized yet.

English

0409|AGRIS 0401|AL-Wheat Program

Juan Carlos Mendieta

CIMMYT Publications Collection