Selection for greater agronomic water use efficiency in wheat and rice using carbon isotope discrimination - D1.20.08


Objective:

The overall objective of this project is to contribute to increasing the agronomic water-use efficiency of wheat and rice production where agronomic water-use efficiency is defined as grain yield/total water use including both transpiration and evaporation. The specific objectives of this project are (i) to evaluate different strategies for using carbon isotope discrimination as a selection tool for identifying higher yielding genotypes of wheat and rice in various target zones and cropping systems, (ii) to develop sets of elite isomorphic lines varying in carbon isotope discrimination for further use (see iii), and (iii) using sets of these isomorphic breeding lines evaluated in contrasting cropping environments, national program scientists to determine the most effective breeding strategies for application of carbon isotope discrimination in their environments.

Activities:

This CRP was formulated on the basis of the recommendations of a consultants' meeting held in Vienna in November 2001. The first Research Co-ordination Meeting was held Sept. 27 - Oct. 1 2004 in Vienna and the second RCM was held in November 2005 in Meknes Morocco, with Rachid Serraj acting as Scientific Secretary. At the 1st RCM, the following target cropping systems and environments were identified; a) wheat in water-limited rainfed stored soil moisture cropping systems; b) wheat in irrigated cropping systems; c) wheat in Mediterranean type cropping systems and d) rice in favourable and saline cropping systems. At the 2nd RCM, all participants presented their progress reports on their research covering the period 2004-2005. The progress made in the project was reviewed and future activities were discussed in working group sessions. Detailed work plans were established for future research activities in each participating country and in line with the project objectives. The mid-term review of the CRP was carried out and approved in December 2006. The third RCM was held in Yinchuan, China 4 to 8 June 2007. Nine research contractors from Algeria, Bangladesh, PR China (2), India, Morocco, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen; two technical contractors from CSIRO-Australia and IRRI-Philippines and one agreement holders from CIMMYT-Mexico attended this meeting. The 4th and final meeting will be held in 3-7 November 2008 in Vienna. The 4th and final meeting was held in 3-7 November 2008 in Vienna. All participants presented the final results of the research activities over the last four to five years. Several significant achievements resulted as given in the final report. These were published in scientific papers (peer-reviewed journals).

Participants:

[Download pdf]

Reports:

Project Officer:

Lee Heng