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
22 July 2004
For more information contact:
Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
Food Legume Traveling Workshop in the Caucasus
The Central Asia and the Caucasus Regional Program of ICARDA, based in Tashkent, organized a traveling workshop in the Caucusus on 22-29 June 2004 to assess the food legume research and development activities in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. In addition to participants from these three countries, representatives from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan participated in the workshop. Dr R.S. Malhotra, Chickpea Breeder, Dr A. Sarker, Lentil Breeder, and Dr D. Bitore, Legume Breeder from ICARDA–Tashkent, Uzbekistan joined the group.

In Azerbaijan, the participants visited the Abshyaran Research Station, the Jalalabad Research Station, the Gobustan Research Station, and some farmers’ fields, where chickpea and lentil lines identified from ICARDA-supplied elite lines and registered for release, are grown. The participants selected 14 chickpea lines at Abshyaran, and 13 at Gobustan Research Station.

Niaz Mekthiv, a farmer in Karajanjir village, planted 4 ha of ‘Narmin’ chickpea and was happy with its performance because of its resistance to ascochyta blight. Arif, a farmer in Sabirabad village, grew FLIP 95-45C, a promising chickpea line, and ‘Arzoo,’ a promising lentil line. The lentil was already harvested, but the chickpea was still in peak podding stage and looked excellent.

Traveling workshop participants visiting a farmer's field planted with the newly released 'Pablo' lentil variety in Metskheta region in Georgia.
The participants then traveled to Georgia where they visited the Georgian Institute of Farming, one of of ICARDA’s collaborators in food legume research in the country. Georgia is the first CAC country to release chickpea and lentil varieties. The participants visited fields planted with the new Georgian varieties of chickpea, ‘Elexir,’ and lentil, ‘Pablo,’ at the Institute. ‘Elexir’ and ‘Pablo’ have been distributed to several farmers in Georgia. The workshop participants, along with Georgian farmers and researchers then attended a field day organized at the station. A Georgian TV station covered the event. Dr V Pasha, a legume breeder from Georgia, gave an overview of breeding activities and showed various promising lines received from ICARDA since 1998.

In Armenia, the participants visited the Scientific Production Center for Farming and Plant Protection, where they were welcomed by Dr H Hovsepyan, Director of the Center, and Prof. S. Suren, Deputy Director. Armenia is in the initial stages of food legume research. Dr Kazarian, a food legume breeder, discussed the progress underway. ICARDA sent 514 accessions (262 chickpea and 252 lentil) to Armenia and the Armenian program has identified two lines of chickpea and two of lentil for release.

On the last day, the participants visited the Gumri Selection Station where winter temperatures drop down to -35° or -40°C; the region remains covered with snow for about 4 months of the year. Several chickpea and lentil lines were jointly evaluated and a number of lines resistant to ascochyta blight and cold were selected. Crop management at the station was excellent and the crops were free of weeds.

At the end of the workshop, the participants discussed their impressions. It was recommended that more emphasis should be placed on seed multiplication, farmers’ field demonstrations, and field days.

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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