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ICARDA News International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012 Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG Website: www.icarda.org
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Media contact: Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
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Turkey
Releases New Red Lentil Varieties
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| Lentil is
an important food and feed crop in Turkey, and an important component
of the farming systems. Turkey is one of the major lentil producers
globally, with its South-East Anatolia Region being the most intensive
lentil-growing area in the world. The region has witnessed a substantial
amount of fallow replacement with lentil in the past. Among a number of other national institutions, the South-East Anatolia Regional Agricultural Research Institute (SEARARI) in Diyarbakir, Turkey, has had strong collaboration with ICARDA in the development of red lentil varieties. Consequently, SEARARI recently released two red lentil varieties, 'Altintoprak' (ILL 7010) and 'Cagil' (ILL 7686), which were developed through cross-breeding at ICARDA and were shared with NARS through the International Nursery network. The release was made by the Central Variety Release Committee in Ankara, Turkey, in early 2006. There was initial selection from the International Nurseries and subsequent evaluation in a series of on-station and on-farm trials at different locations over the years, before the varieties were released for general cultivation in the vast area of South-East Anatolia. Mr Murat Koç and Mr Zübeyir Türk, Lentil Breeders, led the research team under the dynamic leadership of the Director of SEARARI, Mr Sevket Tekin. The two improved lentil varieties are resistant to vascular wilt, a major threat to the cultivation of lentil in the region. They are medium tall (32 cm) with good standing ability, and are suitable for mechanical harvesting. They have large seeds (35–40 g/1000 seeds), and are high-yielding. Altintoprak produced an average yield of 1.7 t/ha, while Cagil produced 1.65 t/ha during on-farm evaluation, as against the average of 1.26t/ha produced by local varieties. Seed multiplication and dissemination to farmers is underway. The two improved varieties are expected to replace the low-yielding, lodging type local varieties soon, and provide additional economic benefits to farmers. For more information contact: Dr Ashutosh Sarker |
About
ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.org)
serves the entire developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil,
and faba bean; and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management
of water, improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants
(sheep and goats), and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In
the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible
for the improvement of durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage
legumes and farming systems; and for the protection and enhancement of
the natural resource base of water, land, and biodiversity.
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of countries, international and regional organizations, and private foundations supporting15 international research centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable development by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition and health, and protecting the environment.