2022 ICARDA global barley breeding program International Nurseries

Abstract

ICARDA has the CGIAR global mandate to breed barley varieties for the developing World. As such, more than 250 spring and winter 2-row, 6-row and naked barley varieties of ICARDA origin have been released in 46 countries, 51 of them in the last 10 years. Besides direct releases, there are large evidence of impact of ICARDA germplasm in both developed and the developing World’s breeding programs. For the 2021/22 cropping season, the ICARDA Global Barley Breeding Program assembled 3 new nurseries, two yield trials and one observation nursery, that represent the best elite germplasm of all four MegaProduct Lines the program works on: Feed Barley for Arid and Semi-Arid regions, Food and Fodder Barley, Feed and Forage Barley for Favorable Environments and Malt and Fodder Barley. The 2022 International Barley Yield Trial for Arid and Semi-Arid regions (22-IBYT-ASA) contains 24 genetically diverse barley genotypes (including two international checks and one local/national one) targeting two product lines: Feed Barley for Arid and Semi-Arid environments (Feed4Drylands) and Food&Fodder Barley. The 2022 International Barley Yield Trial for Feed Forage and Malt for Favorable Environments (22-IBYT-FFM) trial contains 24 genetically diverse barley genotypes (including two international checks and one local/national one) targeting two product lines: Feed and Forage Barley for Favorable Environments and Malt&Fodder Barley. The 2022 International Barley Observation Nursery (22-IBON) consists in 103 advanced barley genotypes representing the genetic diversity of the Breeding Program and includes barley lines targeting the four main MegaProduct Lines. A total of 128 sets of the nurseries have been distributed upon demand to 27 countries in North America, Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, East, West and South Africa and West, Central and South Asia.