the Symposium on Wheats for More Tropical Environments - cimmyt

18government officials with <strong>the</strong> potentialbenefits of <strong>the</strong> new maize. We arepleased to extend continued UNDPassistance to research and training inmaize improvement for an additionalperiod of five years, beginning inJanuary 1985. The project recentlyapproved by our Council presents anew image involving three programthrusts, international testing, trainingand nutritional studies. CIMMYT will beable to sustain and expand itsinternational maize testing and totransfer to developing-country farmersimproved maize varieties, combininghigher yield and nutritional quality.Over 50% of <strong>the</strong> funds requested fromUNDP will be spent on trainingdeveloping-country scientists at variouslevels in all aspects of maizeimprovement. The nutritional studiesenVisaged in <strong>the</strong> project will be anessential complementary activity to beimplemented by <strong>the</strong> Instituto deInvestigacion Nutricional (lIN) in Peru,under subcontractual arrangementswith CIMMYT.Now I wish to make a few remarks onour support to research on wheatadapted to tropical environments. Ishall confine myself to some generalobservations, as all <strong>the</strong> technicalaspects will be covered in depth at thisconference. The considerable vision andforethought displayed in our globalprogram is attested to by <strong>the</strong> fact that Ihave been extremely receptive to newideas and have readily responded withfunds, from whatever resources wereavailable, for new research initiativeswhich have <strong>the</strong> potential to producepromising results. Our support toCIMMYT's program to develop wheatvarieties adapted to tropicalenvironments is a striking example.Wheat accounts for more than onequarterof total world grain production,and is a staple food for one-third of <strong>the</strong>world's population. Originating in <strong>the</strong>subtropical and temperate climates of<strong>the</strong> Middle East, over <strong>the</strong> centurieswheat spread into temperate nor<strong>the</strong>rnclimates. There, cultivators andscientists greatly improved its yieldpotential, <strong>the</strong> breadth of its adaptationand its resistance to <strong>the</strong> pests anddiseases most devastating in thoseenvironments. In <strong>the</strong> early 1960s,CIMMYT developed <strong>the</strong> first highyieldingdwarf wheats, whichdramatically increased yieldsthroughout <strong>the</strong> world.Bob Havener and his associatesbelieved that wheat could playa muchmore important role in tropicalcountries. if resistance to a variety offungus diseases and insect pests couldbe overcome. It has considerabletolerance to drought. is a high-yieldingcrop of short duration and prOVideshigh quality food which is readilyaccepted. I agreed to advance somefunds for fur<strong>the</strong>r preparatory work.CIMMYT has already started to crosswheat with related tropical grassspecies to see if <strong>the</strong>ir insect and diseaseresistance can be transferred, as well assome of <strong>the</strong>ir tolerance to tropical soils.Developing countries throughout muchof <strong>the</strong> tropics are also becomingincreasingly dependent upon wheat asa relatively low-cost source of food for<strong>the</strong>ir urban poor and landlesspopulations. Some wheat is homegrown in <strong>the</strong> tropiCS and subtropicsduring <strong>the</strong> drier. cooler seasons, butyields are relatively low, due to <strong>the</strong>generally short grOWing seasons. Thecrop also suffers much damage frominsects and diseases, since littleresearch has been done to developresistance to tropical pests anddiseases. Tropical countries must,<strong>the</strong>refore. import wheat to satisfydomestic demand. using up scarceforeign exchange.