Trials at El Batan
The projects for CIMMYT are based around Wheat & Maize
• High yielding varieties to feed increase population.
• More productive and sustainable farming systems.
• Conservation and utilization of Wheat and Maize genetics worldwide.
o 140,000 Wheat varieties
o 28,000 Maize varieties
o Not only these but ancestral lines such as Teocintle (Thought to be parent of all Maize).
Dr Thomas Lumpkin who is the Director of CIMMYT wants to get CIMMYT back on the edge of research with activities such as GM varieties of various crops with modification for not only herbicide resistance, but also with benefits for consumers with health (increased Folate) and for the farmers with drought tolerance and frost resistance. He also had a broad range of questions for us as farmers. I think it was more to find the depth of our knowledge. He gave an overview of where CIMMYT has helped third world and developing countries. As an example the 2 of the top three varieties for Wheat production in the Sub Continent came straight from CIMMYT and the third one had some parental genetics as well.
Next up we had a meeting with the stats man (picture brown suit and pocket pen protector). His group runs all of the statistical analysis for the research and scientist. They help with the design of the project to get maximum value so the results can useful and meaningful. By doing this and on a regular basis it is efficient of time and the researcher more time for his/her project.
Thomas gave us tour of the gene bank that CIMMYT have at El Batan. They have an excellent storage facility with the ability to house the grain at near zero in the ground floor and below zero underground. He is also in charge of the collection of parental lines of the grasses that were the ancestors of wheat.
Paernatal Wheat Grasses
As honour guests we were given the royal treatment for luch with a three courses meal in the Hacienda at El Batan.
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