Volume 2

Turkey is the leading durum wheat producer in West Asia and North Africa and produces annually from 4 – 6 million tons of durum wheat on 2-3 million ha. The total wheat production of Turkey, including durum wheat, varies between 16 and 21 million tons and the total wheat acreage from 9 – 9. 5 million ha. Fallow occupies an additional 5 million ha. The average grain yield of 2 t ha-1 conceals wide disparities in production potential due to extremely diverse agro-ecological conditions. The major durum production areas are the Central Anatolian Plateau (CAP) and the Transitional Zones (TZ) where 50 % of the durum wheat is produced, Southeastern Anatolia with 35% and the Mediterranean, Aegean and Southern Marmara region with 15 %. Until the 1950’s, more durum than bread wheat, dominantly durum land races, were cultivated in Turkey. The introduction of improved bread wheat cultivars with higher yield reduced the durum wheat acreage dramatically from 1950 - 1970. The major yield limiting factors are drought, foliar diseases and sunny pest in all regions, Micro nutrient disorders, in particular Zinc-deficiency and decreasing soil fertility due to poor agronomic practices are important factors reducing yield on the CAP and the TZ. The National Cool Season Cereals Research and Training Project started in 1969 and ended in 1996. Turkey doubled its wheat production within a decade. Production increases were achieved due to the paradigm shift brought about by the development of improved Turkish winter wheat cultivars, introduction of spring wheat from CIMMYT and winter wheat from Russia and the USA and improved agronomic practices within the joint Turkey/Rockefeller Foundation/Oregon State University/ USAID/CIMMYT project. Since 1970, Turkey released 24 spring durum and 16 winter durum wheat cultivars of which 12 are in production as of today. Durum yields and production did not increase to the same extent as the bread wheat production did. A major bottle neck for faster spread of new varieties is the low supply of certified seed for new durum wheat varieties. Only average 12 000 tons year-1 or 3 -4% of the annual needs are produced. Research institutes in the durum wheat growing areas have a good infrastructure but lack well trained researchers. Brain erosion from institutes is a major constraint for future impact from research. Turkey has opportunities to raise the durum production by utilizing its rich wheat genetic resources in breeding for higher yield and through increasing the irrigated area, in particular within the Southeastern Anatolian Irrigation Project (GAP) where until 2015 more than 1 million ha land will be watered. Research at universities and the Ministry of Agriculture needs to be integrated and better coordinated. Bio safety regulations are urgently needed, since Turkey is a center of origin for wheat and needs to set clear guidelines for the use of transgenic wheat. Turkey must increase its research, both in conventional breeding as well as biotechnology to cope with the growing demand for quality durum. Of highest priority are supply of adequate and high quality durum wheat seed, higher macaroni quality and better disease resistance. Otherwise, economic durum wheat production in Turkey will be at risk in the future.

Global Wheat Program

Text in English

0604

INT0599

CIMMYT Staff Publications Collection