the Symposium on Wheats for More Tropical Environments - cimmyt

345While efforts to develop wheatgennplasm and production technologiesfor more tropical environments are stillin <strong>the</strong> initial stages. <strong>the</strong> test ofcomparative advantage must be appliedat some stage to detennine whe<strong>the</strong>r thisresearch thrust is feasible. given <strong>the</strong>limited research resources available in<strong>the</strong> developing world. Some preliminaryeconomics research in Thailandindicates that. while wheat does not nowcompete with o<strong>the</strong>r alternative crops.with varieties better adapted to <strong>the</strong>environment and improved culturalpractices. it could become a commercialcrop in certain upland regions. Suchpreliminary evaluations. indicatingminimum yield levels needed to makewheat a competitive crop. provide uswith ecouragement that science can beput to work to make wheat a profitablecrop in areas in which it currently is notgrown.