ICARDA News

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN THE DRY AREAS
P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria
Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012
Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG
Website: www.icarda.cgiar.org
18 March 2004
For more information contact:
Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
New Chickpea Variety Released in Iran
The ICARDA kabuli chickpea breeding line FLIP90-96 was approved for release in February 2004 in Iran under the name 'Arman.' This is the culmination of years of testing under different growing conditions both on the station and in farmers’ fields.
'Arman' has a 56% yield advantage over presently grown varieties such as 'Bivanij,' 'Jam,' and 'Hashem,' a 100-seed weight of 36g, an erect stature/growth habit, and a high protein content of 26.5%. 'Arman' is also resistant to Ascochyta blight and is recommended for growing in the mild- and moderately cold-winter areas of Gachsaran, Golestan, Ilam, and Kermanshah provinces in Iran.
Many Iranian colleagues contributed to the identification and release of this variety, in particular Dr S.H. Sabaghpour, chickpea breeder at the Dryland Agricultural Research Institute (DARI). Dr Sabaghpour and his colleagues at DARI and the provincial agricultural directorates deserve our congratulations for their hard work and dedication. ICARDA's technical support to Dr Sabaghpour and his colleagues was crucial to this success. A rapid adoption of this chickpea variety by Iranian farmers is expected.

About ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.cgiar.org) serves the entire developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil, and faba bean; and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management of water, improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants (sheep and goats), and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible for the improvement of durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage legumes and farming systems; and for the protection and enhancement of the natural resource base of water, land, and biodiversity.

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of 62 members and 16 Future Harvest Centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable development by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition and health, and protecting the environment.
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