A delegation from Uzbekistan visited ICRISAT headquarters in India to learn about short-duration second crops suited to their country's arid ecologies. The visitors were interested in crop options that mature before winter and can increase agricultural production through double cropping. They were briefed on dryland crop options from ICRISAT like pearl millet and pigeonpea. The delegation explored opportunities for academic exchange and obtaining genomic services and training from ICRISAT to develop crops suited to Uzbekistan's climate and soils. Previous partnerships between ICRISAT and Uzbekistan in developing salinity tolerant pearl millet varieties were also discussed.

1. Newsletter
Happenings
In-house version 24 Sep 2021, No.1925
Adelegation from Uzbekistan visited ICRISAT
headquarters in India in search of a short-duration
second crop suited to arid ecologies that mature before
winter. The visit aligns with the Government of
Uzbekistan’s efforts to increase agricultural production
through double cropping. The visitors were briefed on
dryland crop options and expressed interest in academic
exchanges and internships based on the Institute’s
expertise in genomic technologies and dryland agri-food
systems
The arid climate of Uzbekistan, with variances in
temperatures that exceed 40-45 °C and low humidity, to
sub-zero conditions, call for crops that are tolerant to
heat, cold and drought, said Dr Zabardast Buriev,
Director General, Center for Genomics and
Bioinformatics, Tashkent. He spoke of climate change
and its impact in terms of changing weather patterns,
rising temperatures, lower precipitation levels and
increased soil salinity in the regions around the Aral Sea.
Addressing the visitors, Dr Rajeev K Varshney, Research
Program Director – Accelerated Crop Improvement,
ICRISAT, mentioned the cultural links between the
countries and said that the crop requirements of the
country made it a ‘natural’ partner. He spoke of the
multi-faceted expertise available that the group could
tap into from state-of-the-art genomic facilities to
developing seed systems amongst others. He said that
genomic services can be availed for other crops as well
that suit the agro-ecology of Uzbekistan and that
advanced training courses are available for scientists and
research students. Mr Akmal Nuriddinov, Representative
of the Ministry of Innovation and Development,
Uzbek delegation explores climate-resilient crop options
for arid, degraded ecologies and avenues for academic
exchange
Photos: PS Rao, ICRISAT
The delegation from Uzbekistan inspect pearl millet and pigeonpea crops in demonstration plots.
Uzbekistan, spoke of ties with ICRISAT in terms of
internship opportunities and academic exchanges.
Previous association with Uzbekistan
Dr SK Gupta, Principal Scientist, and Head of the Pearl
Millet Breeding Research Program, spoke of previous
partnerships in developing salinity-tolerant pearl millet
mainly for forage. He said that in the past, germplasm
was shared extensively and a new variety Hashaki 1 was
released in the country in partnership with the
International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and
the International Center for Agricultural Research in the
Dry Areas (ICARDA).
Dr Venkatesh Kulkarni, General Director, Nath Bio-
Genes, Central Asia, said the group was interested in
producing grain and that non-saline areas were available
for cultivation. He said that the group was looking for a
variety that matures in 75-80 days. Dr Gupta said that
dual purpose pearl millet hybrids are available which
can suit the required maturity group, and moreover
some of them are biofortified and have high levels of
grain Fe and Zn content for enhanced nutrition.
Dr Harish Gandhi, Principal Scientist and Cluster Leader-
Crop Breeding, spoke about high-biomass and quality
forage sorghum suited to both tropical and temperate
climates. Under this context, Scientist, Dr. Prakash
Gangashetty, provided insights on the sorghum breeding
lines shared with Tashkent and which is released as the
variety “ Keshen” in Uzebekistan. He also drew attention
to a paper that was published on the response of
sorghum bicolor varieties to soil salinity for feed and
food production in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.