| Abstract |
As stated in our last report, the world is awakening to the need for food in the face of the expanding world population. This is reflected in the greater worldwide awareness of the value of food and the greater interest induced by the number of meetings convened to deal with the problem. Wheat is the major food crop of the world measured either by area sown or size of harvest - 228 million hectares and 355 million tonnes of production in 1975. It is estimated that about 10 per cent of the crop is grown as durum wheat. Barley ranks fourth among the cereals producing 155 million tonnes. Together they make up approximately 16 per cent of the total food supply. Products like milk, fruits, vegetables, melons, roots and tubers contribute about 46 per cent of the gross weight of the world's food supply, but these foodstuffs are high in water content. When they are equated and compared on a dry weight basis with grains, the contribution of wheat and barley to the total dry matter food intake, is much greater. Triticale, a new crop in which CIMMYT has taken a lead, is being grown on a limited acreage and it may be expected to replace much of the rye which is declining in production. In its limited way CIMMYT continues to contribute to the research on bread and durum wheats, triticale and barley. Details of this work are reported in the following pages. The work CIMMYT does, however, is only assuccessful as the National Programs are successful. Much of the credit for success so far, has been the result of the contribution of the scientists in the many countries with which CIMMYT has had the good fortune to be associated. The identification of superior materials in many countries and the reporting to CIMMYT, provides the basis for continued improvement in germ plasm which CIMMYT sends back to the cooperating countries. In 1974, a total of 1210 nurseries were distributed to 83 countries. Of these, only 11 National Program reports are included herein. CIMMYT wishes it could receive highlights of reports from other countries to include as a record of the joint efforts to improve the productivity of cereals. During the course of the year, the new set of nurseries distributed for growing in 1976 represented a modest increase to 1228 nurseries distributed to 90 countries. This year, forty six in-service trainees took courses in plant breeding, plant pathology, agronomy and cereal chemistry. A large number of visiting scientists spent varying periods with the program. The climate during the year was, as might be expected, variable from location to location. Although North Africa was well below normal in rainfall, Algeria was able to reach its average production because of improved weed control and use of fertilizers. Tunisia showed a modest gain. In Turkey, an all time production level of 14.7 million tonnes on 9.25 million hectares was achieved. Much of this gain was a direct result of the increased use of fertilizers and herbicides. India continued to produce at near record levels, as also did Nepal. On balance it might be said that this was a reasonable year for production, but there was little extra grain produced to increase the level of storage needed against emergency periods. |
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