Focus: Conserving genetic diversity and using it by introgressing novel genes into breeding populations adapted to the agro-ecologies of dry areas, future climates, and markets. Dry area agrobiodiversity is key to ensuring further genetic gains and adaptation to climate change. ICARDA plays a crucial role in promoting the conservation and sustainable use of dry area agrobiodiversity. Its genebanks hold important and unique collections of global significance in trust. The collections total more than 155,000 plant accessions and 1,380 strains of rhizobia, collected predominantly from four major Vavilovian centers of diversity (Mediterranean, Central Asia, West Asia, and Abyssinia). SRP1 will contribute to introgressing multiple key traits into the breeding populations of the mandated crops that are the focus of SRP2.
ICARDA Strategic Plan 2017 - 2026: https://dx.doi.org/20.500.11766/8237