CIMMYT, Iran Renew Partnership for Maize and Wheat Research

A series of meetings of key people from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the government of Iran sealed the strengthening collaboration between CIMMYT and a national research institute in Iran for increased support for maize and wheat research in the country.

Rajab Choukan, head of maize program and deputy director general for research of the Seed and Plant Improvement Institute in Iran, presented the status of maize breeding and product development in the country and called for CIMMYT's support for the Iranian national maize breeding program in technical backstopping, germplasm exchange, and capacity building. BM Prasanna, CIMMYT global maize program director then outlined the current initiatives and efforts of CIMMYT, especially under CRP MAIZE, and highlighted opportunities for enhancing breeding efficiency through precision phenotyping, doubled haploid (DH) technology, and molecular breeding.

The meetings were concluded by identification of areas for commencement of collaboration in the following spheres: broadening genetic base and improving stress resilience using elite tropical/subtropical CIMMYT maize germplasm, transfer and adaptation of DH technology, and capacity building for Iranian maize researchers.

View CIMMYT's news release at http://blog.cimmyt.org/?p=9737.