Diversification of germplasm and genetic enhancement of barley for biotic and abiotic stress and malting quality for different agro-ecologies: Segregating populations developed and shared for evaluation at ICARDA India Platform

Abstract

ICARDA has a long-lasting collaboration with the ICAR, IIWBR and other Indian research institutions that has resulted in a number of varieties released coming from ICARDA nurseries or having ICARDA germplasm as parental material. The interest of the NARS in ICARDA germplasm relies in its high productivity, diversity and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In order to deliver fit-for-purpose varieties to the NARS that will ultimately reach the farmers, the Global Barley Breeding Program of ICARDA uses a multi-location approach to identify the best varieties combining the desired traits. In the present report we show results of the efforts made in 2020 in India to provide the NARS with disease resistant high grain and straw yield genotypes as well as new diversity for Indian barley germplasm.