Dr Hugo Vivar, Barley Breeder and Regional Coordinator of ICARDA's Latin America Regional Program, based at
CIMMYT in Mexico, won the 1998 James

     Dr. Imad Eujayl won the CGIAR Chairman's 1998 "Outstanding Locally-Recruited Support Staff," science award. This award is presented to a locally-recruited scientific support staff member of any nationality who, during his/her tenure at a center, has made an outstanding contribution towards achieving the CGIAR goals. The award consists of a plaque and a cash amount of US$5000. Imad received this award from the CGIAR Chairman, Dr Ismail Serageldin,

and Mildred Oldfield/E. R. Jackman Team Award of the College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State University (OSU), USA, as a member of the Barley Stripe Rust Resistance Team. The team consists of seven researchers, of which Dr Vivar is one. The award includes a certificate and an Oldfield medal to each team member and US$3000 for the team.
      In his communication to the team members, Dr Thayne R. Dutson, Dean, College of Agriculture, OSU, said: "I wish to congratulate you and members of your team on being selected as the recipient of the 1998 James and Mildred Oldfield/E.R. Jackman Team Award. It is with great satisfaction that we provide this recognition to you."
     The Barley Stripe Rust Resistance Team has, through individual and cooperative efforts, contributed to the development of a new value-added processing industry in Oregon.
      The award was presented to the
winners on the Faculty and Staff Day
of the College of Agriculture of OSU
on 17 September 1998. ICARDA has a world mandate for the improvement of barley. In the Latin America region, stripe rust is one of the major diseases causing severe losses in barley production. Dr Vivar has been involved for several years in developing improved barley
varieties resistant to stripe rust, in cooperation with OSU, national  researchers and other partners.

during ICW 98 in Washington, D.C., in October 1998. The happy news makes the entire ICARDA family proud of Imad.
     Imad  joined the biotechnology group as a research assistant at ICARDA in 1993 to work on lentil genome-mapping project, after having had working experience in tissue culture in lentil. The project required the development of segregating populations for genetic linkage analysis, development of long-term mapping population for testing in different environments, and application of new genetic analysis tools (PCR-based markers) and extensive genotyping of individual lines of the population. Imad carried out all these responsibilities single-handed for four years.
     The research problem he addressed was to identify DNA markers that are linked to Fusarium wilt resistance and frost tolerance in lentil. Imad developed a genetic linkage map for lentil on recombinant inbred lines (the most extensive lentil map to date) with RAPD, RFLP and AFLP. From this map he was able to identify DNA markers linked to Fusarium wilt resistance. For frost tolerance also, a DNA marker was identified. Having identified these markers, selection for these traits is possible even when the stresses are absent, which is not unlikely in the unpredictable dry-area environments of West Asia and North Africa. It is the first time that a DNA marker for an abiotic stress--frost tolerance--has been identified in lentil. His research efforts yielded a genetically characterized population that can be shared by investigators for long-term collaborative projects in lentil genetic mapping. This will help develop improved lentil cultivars with specific traits, and will contribute to increased food production.