Plant Breeding and Genetics Newsletter, No. 40, January 2018

As we come to the end of 2017, let me reflect on some of the achievements of the Plant Breeding and Genetics (PBG) Subprogramme, to which so many of you have contributed, and inform you about some of the planned activities for 2018. A new agreement was signed between Indonesia's National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) and the IAEA, designating the Center for Isotopes and Radiation Application (CIRA/BATAN) as an IAEA Collaborating Centre. Nuclear applications in crop improvement have long been making significant contribution to food security in Indonesia. CIRA/BATAN has successfully developed many mutant varieties in different crops; indeed, it received an outstanding achievement award for this work during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Joint FAO/IAEA Division in 2014. The Collaborating Centre agreement will further strengthen collaboration between the PBG and CIRA/BATAN on the development of plant mutation breeding and related nuclear technologies aimed at enhancing capabilities in crop improvement for climate change adaptation. One of the centre's contributions will be to validate and co-develop protocols for mutation breeding of rice, sorghum and soybean. During the 61st IAEA General Conference, PBG, jointly with the Soil and Water Management & Crop Nutrition (SWMCN) Section and the Technical Cooperation Division for Asia and Pacific, organized a side event on Climate- Proofing Rice Production Systems: Nuclear Techniques for Climate Change Adaptation. This event showcased how nuclear techniques are helping Member States to broaden the genetic diversity of rice, improve yield and enhance food security. The PBG currently provides technical support to five Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) and 69 active Technical Cooperation Projects (TCPs), focusing on crop improvement through mutation breeding techniques. These projects contribute to developing crop mutant varieties adaptable to climate change and to ensuring food security in Member States. A new CRP on 'Improving Resilience to Drought in Rice and Sorghum through Mutation Breeding' was launched this year, with the first research coordination meeting (RCM) held in October 2017. This CRP aims at improving drought resilience of rice and sorghum germplasm through mutation induction and the development/adaptation of robust screening protocols for rapid generation advancement and developing molecular markers linked to drought tolerance genes. Currently we are in the process of developing a new CRP on Disease Resistance in Cereals for Better Adaptation to Climate Change, which will focus on disease resistance in rice. A Technical Meeting on Mutation Breeding was organized in Bali, Indonesia, from 4 to 7 September to discuss a regional approach, strategy and socio-economic impacts of plant mutation breeding for national and regional development in Asia. Through eleven training courses organized in Members States as well as through training opportunities at our Plant Breeding and Genetics Laboratory (PBGL) at Seibersdorf, we support Members States' needs to strengthen capacity building and to transfer technology for crop improvement. In 2017, the PBGL made substantial progress towards developing greenhouse protocols for pre-field screening for resistance to the parasitic weed Striga in both sorghum and rice. Building on the progress made in mutation discovery during previous years, the PBGL has initiated several R&D projects in 2017 aimed at developing molecular marker technology and protocols to speed up the breeding and pyramiding of key mutant traits of high value to Member States.