Abstract only

Effective partnership between the Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), International Maize & Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat (DRRW) project has made a significant progress and impact on Global wheat community in addressing the threat of Ug99. International stem rust screening nurseries at KARI and EIAR play key roles in the DRRW project for identifying new sources of resistance, pre-breeding, CIMMYT-Kenya shuttle breeding, pathogen survey and surveillance, varietal release, mapping APR and major genes, and genomic selection. About 250,000 lines have been screened against Pgt race Ug99 and derivatives since 2005, and the screening capacity at KARI has increased from 20,000 to 50,000 lines each year. Significant investment in infrastructure and facilities has ensured reliable phenotypic data over years. The results from international nurseries show a shift to higher frequencies of lines with resistance to race Ug99. This KARI-CIMMYT screening nursery has produced global benefits that reach far beyond the borders of Kenya. On-the-ground surveillance, since 2007, KARI pathologists have scoured the wheat growing areas of Kenya in a systematic manner aided by tools and methodology from the international community. Hundreds of wheat fields are surveyed on an annual basis, providing clarity of disease incidence and severity. Active contribution to the Global Cereal Rust Monitoring System, hosted by CIMMYT, has allowed disease hot-spots to be identified and added-value given to the raw survey data. Systematic, annual sampling has permitted in-depth knowledge generation regarding stem rust population dynamics and identified five Ug99 race group members. In parallel, KARI has a dynamic and successful breeding program. This program benefits from collaboration and materials coming out of the CIMMYT breeding program. Release of eight new improved, rust resistant cultivars in the last two years is testament to the success of the program. Training course organized at KARI every year under the DRRW project is designed to train wheat breeders from public and private sector in Africa, Middle East and Central and South Asia, who wish to learn about the stem rust, evaluation of germplasm, standardization of note taking and update themselves with the global knowledge and innovative techniques that can enhance progress and efficiency in their breeding activities. The long-term partnership between KARI and CIMMYT is making huge strides in the fight against the Ug99 race group and producing outcomes that benefit the entire Global wheat community.

Global Wheat Program

English

Lucia Segura

INT2843|INT0610

CIMMYT Staff Publications Collection