All news and blogs
Applying advanced genomics and data tools to complex polyploid crops
| Sam Storr | 4/6/2019
CGIAR and public sector experts met at the International Potato Center (CIP, Peru), May 8-10, 2019 to evaluate genomics resource needs and demonstrate new tools and methods for polyploid crop breeding. Some of the most important crops in the world, such as potato, sweet potato, wheat and banana are also some of the most genetically complex,...
Plant breeding for the future: the time is now
| Sam Storr | 29/4/2019
by Laura Cramer and Philip Thornton (CCAFS)This article first appeared on CCAFS.cgiar.org, read it here. Climate change requires that we breed crops and livestock better suited to new conditions.Think about the last food you ate. Maybe it was a meal or maybe you’re snacking on something right now. Have you ever considered the amount of effort that has gone into plant and animal breeding to produce that food? The wheat that was ground...
| Sam Storr | 11/4/2019
The low rate at which farmers adopt improved varieties is one of the biggest obstacles to overcoming food insecurity. The average maize variety grown by farmers in sub-Saharan Africa is 15 years old, even though maize breeders have been releasing more than 50 new varieties every year.When it comes to climate change, for...
| Sam Storr | 15/3/2019
A rich source of protein, oils and other nutrients that requires few inputs to produce, groundnut is considered both an important contributor to household nutrition and a cash crop. To accelerate the development and adoption of improved varieties, a workshop on the use of product profiles low-cost genotyping was held for...
Applying stage-gates to better manage public breeding programs
How to | Sam Storr | 12/2/2019
Video: George Kotch, EiB product design and management lead, explains stage gates in five minutes. High-performing breeding programs not only have a strong idea of customer needs, they also exercise full control of the breeding pipeline to ensure that...
Product profiles are a blueprint for breeding with impact
How to | Sam Storr | 12/12/2018
The impact of breeding on poverty alleviation in the developing world has been limited by low rates of adoption in farmers’ fields. With the number of people going hungry in the world again on the rise we must recommit to science for impact.Product Profiles were designed by...
Breeders find strength in diversity at EiB contributor meeting
| Sam Storr | 3/12/2018
Around 115 members of the CGIAR breeding community, plus others representing national programs, universities, funders and the private sector, met for a three-day discussion of how to co-develop the next generation of advanced breeding programs that will improve the rate at which resource-poor farmers are able to adopt improved varieties that meet their needs.Photo: Attendees at the meeting (Sam...
Continuous improvement for breeding with impact
How to | Sam Storr | 30/10/2018
We all feel that we improve as time goes on. Lessons are learned, new tools incorporated, and different initiatives occur here and there. But even with hard work and dedication this is not enough to create the step changes in variety turnover and genetic gain increases we want to see in...
Genotyping workshop for transformative rice breeding in Bangladesh
| Sam Storr | 10/10/2018
During 17-21 September, 22 members of the transformative rice breeding project at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) received training in high-throughput genotypic selection and analysis as part of the collaboration between EiB and the High-Throughput Genotyping Project (HTGP).Photo: Dr. Khandakar Iftekharuddaula, Dr. Sharmistha Ghosal, Ms. Milcah Kigoni and Mr....
IRRI gathers researchers to advance breeding programs around the world
| Sam Storr | 28/9/2018
Last August, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) hosted more than 40 participants from public sector breeding programs across ten countries for the Joint Breeders’ Training and Workshop, in collaboration with EiB and the Genomic Open-Source Breeding Informatics Initiative (GOBii).The activity was an opportunity for breeders and informaticians to discuss, evaluate, and enable...