Research Highlights of the CIMMYT Wheat Program 1999-2000

Improving Wheat Production in
Central Asia and the Caucasus
A. Morgounov, M. Karabayev, D. Bedoshvili, and H.-J. Braun
The countries of Central Asia (Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and
Uzbekistan) and the Caucasus (Armenia,
Azerbaijan, and Georgia), with a population of 62
million people, produce 15-16 million tons of
wheat a year. The wheat-growing environment is
divided into two distinct regions (Figure 1). The
Southern region (36-44 o N latitude), occupying 5-6
million ha across all eight countries, grows fallplanted
winter or facultative wheat mostly under
irrigation (60-70%) The main crops are cotton,
sugar beet, maize, and vegetables. Rainfed wheat is
planted on the other 30-40% of the area, mostly on
hillsides or mountains where irrigation is not
possible. The major biotic constraint for wheat
production is yellow rust, which has affected the
region in the last 3-5 years. Yield potential in the
best irrigated fields (Fergana Valley, Chui Valley,
and Samarkand) is close to 5-6 t/ha. However,
average yield barely reaches 2 t/ha due to poor
agronomy and lack of inputs.
The Northern region (48-52 o N latitude), 10-11
million ha located only in Kazakhstan, grows
spring planted spring wheat with daylength
sensitivity. There is a comparable wheat area in
Georgia
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Turkmenistan
South
Uzbekistan
North
Kyrgyzstan
Tadjikistan
Russian
Siberia
Kazakhstan
Figure 1. Map of major wheat-producing regions in Central
Asia and the Caucasus.
Russian Siberia across the border. Though this area
is not part of CIMMYT’s mandate, the similarity of
environment and strong traditional links between
researchers suggest that activities in the North
should involve both Kazakhstan and Siberia. Wheat
is the principal crop in this region, where it is
rotated with fallow every 3-4 years. It is planted in
May and harvested in August. Drought represents a
major abiotic stress. Septoria, leaf rust, and root rots
are the major diseases in the region.
History of CIMMYT Cooperation in CAC
CIMMYT cooperation with Central Asia and the
Caucasus (CAC) goes back to the time when this
region was part of the Soviet Union. In the 1970s
there was a substantial flow of Mexican germplasm
to the USSR and wide-scale testing of new wheat
varieties in all agroecological environments. Bread
and durum wheats (Siete Cerros and Oviachik 66)
that proved competitive were released in areas with
mild winters (southern Russia, Azerbaijan,
Uzbekistan, and Tadjikistan). At the same time,
many lines were used in crosses, and a number of
modern wheat cultivars in the region have Mexican
germplasm in their pedigrees.
The initial dynamic germplasm exchange of the
1970s was followed by a pause in the 1980s, when
the germplasm was channeled through the Vavilov
Institute in St. Petersburg; usually it was delayed or
never reached the breeding programs. In the 1990s
interest in collaborating with the region was
renewed as the newly independent states were able
to establish direct linkages with CIMMYT. After
independence, research programs found themselves
isolated and in need of new and better sources of
germplasm, methodologies, and information.
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