Uzbekistan, CIMMYT aim to cut wheat breeding to 4–5 years

Photo: The Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 21. Uzbekistan and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) aim to reduce the time required to develop new wheat varieties from 12–15 years to four to five years through the introduction of speed breeding technology at a meeting on October 21 in United States.

This was reflected in the statement by the Uzbekistan Ministry of Agriculture, following a meeting between Uzbekistan’s Agriculture Minister Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov and CIMMYT Director General Bram Govaerts in the United States.

During the meeting, Abdurakhmonov thanked CIMMYT’s leadership for its cooperation with Uzbekistan. Govaerts, in turn, noted the country’s rapid development, saying he had witnessed the changes firsthand.

The parties are already working together to strengthen the research capacity and technical infrastructure of the Southern Agricultural Research Institute in Uzbekistan.

One of the key areas of cooperation is the introduction of speed breeding technology, which aims to reduce the time required to develop new wheat varieties from 12–15 years to four to five years.

Moreover, the partnership includes professional development programs for Uzbek scientists and specialists at CIMMYT’s headquarters in Mexico and its center in Türkiye.

Abdurakhmonov noted that Uzbekistan is also adopting new agricultural practices, including reviewing wheat planting schedules and applying seed vernalization techniques to improve crop development.

The parties agreed to further expand cooperation, exchange expertise and organize additional training programs for local agricultural specialists.

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is a nonprofit international agricultural research organization founded in 1966 and headquartered in Texcoco, Mexico. It develops improved varieties of maize and wheat, focusing on higher yields, disease resistance, climate resilience and sustainable farming. CIMMYT is part of the global CGIAR network of agricultural research centers and works with research institutions and farmers in dozens of countries.