Izmir, Türkiye
May 6, 2025
Photo: ©FAO
From 28 April to 2 May 2025, a technical training workshop on advanced breeding techniques to combat wheat rust diseases was held at the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute in Izmir. The workshop was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye under the title: “Breeding Approaches for the Development of Wheat Varieties Resistant to Rust Diseases through International collaboration”.
The workshop formed part of the wider project on “Strengthening Regional Collaboration and National Capacities for Management of Wheat Rust Diseases and Resistance Breeding in Central Asia and Caucasus (CAC-Rust)”, implemented under the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture with funding from the Government of the Republic of Türkiye.
The project aims to accelerate the development of rust resistant wheat varieties and improve regional food security, by building capacity and fostering stronger ties between institutions and researchers.
The workshop brought together wheat breeders, academics and government representatives from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, to strengthen the combined research network and collaboration among key research institutions in the countries.
At the opening session of the workshop, Beyhan Akin, senior breeding scientist at CIMMYT-Türkiye, recounted some recent successes of the International Winter Wheat Improvement Programme (IWWIP), run jointly by Türkiye, CIMMYT and the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). The programme has led to the release of over 140 varieties of disease-resistant wheat in Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Mesut Keser, Country Representative of ICARDA, emphasized the importance of regional collaboration in breeding wheat for rust resistance as well as for the management of wheat rust diseases.
Yunus Bayram, Deputy Director-General for Food and Control from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye, underlined the historical significance of wheat rust diseases and their potential impact on food security. He also praised the organizers for bringing together trainees from the seven countries, and stressed the important role of such training in building collaboration among the countries for agricultural development and strengthening national capacities.
Suat Kaymak, Head of the Plant Health Research Department of the General Directorate of Agricultural Research (TAGEM), emphasized the importance of resistance breeding as a means to minimize the need for pesticide use.
During the technical sessions of the workshop, Fazıl Düşünceli, Agricultural Officer of FAO, summarized FAO’s engagement in wheat rust work over the last two decades, emphasizing in particular its transboundary nature. Düşünceli also updated the participants on the progress of the CAC-Rust project, giving examples of achievements at the regional level including surveillance and training as well as farmer training and the development of national level-strategies and contingency plans for the prevention and management of wheat rust diseases.
Photo: © FAO/Nezih Tavlaş
In addition to the theoretical training, the workshop participants were able to visit speed breeding facilities for practical training and a growth room recently renovated by the project. After a visit to the biosafety (BL3) rust research laboratories, Kumarse Nazari of ICARDA coordinating the Regional Cereal Rust Research Centre explained to the participants the importance of surveillance and race identification in the development of rust resistant varieties.
The workshop continued with practical training on conventional and advanced wheat breeding techniques for developing rust-resistant varieties, including greenhouse and field work. These sessions involved speed breeding, molecular breeding methods and screening of wheat germplasm for rust resistance. A project coordination meeting was held to review ongoing activities and enhance regional cooperation in breeding and disease surveillance. At the end of the training programme, 33 participants received certificates.
About the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programmes
The objectives of the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programmes are to provide support to ensure food security, rural poverty reduction and sustainable forest management; combat desertification; and preserve ecosystems in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and other countries of mutual interest.
Established in 2007, the first phase of the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP) has benefited from trust fund contributions totalling USD 10 million, financed by the Government of Türkiye and represented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. During the first phase of the programme, 28 projects were implemented in 16 countries between 2009 and 2015.
In 2014, Türkiye and FAO commenced the second phase of the FTPP along with the first phase of the FAO-Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme (FTFP) with additional funding of USD 20 million, bringing Türkiye’s total contribution to USD 30 million.
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