Preliminar report of the results of the first (1) Cooperative Near East-American Spring Wheat Yield Nursery

Abstract

The Cooperative Near East-American Spring Wheat Yield Nursery originated as an outgrowth of a recommendation made by Drs. Jose Vallega (Ministry of Agriculture of Argentina) and Norman E. Borlaug (The Rockefeller Foundation) during their assignment as Temporary Consultants to FoA. O. in 1960 to evaluate the Near and Middle East Wheat and Barley Project (1). At that time concrete recommendations also were made for establishing Training Scholarships to be sponsored and directed by F.A.O., with financial assistance from The Rockefeller Foundation, and with responsibility for the scientific training of this group of young scientists to be vested jointly in the scientific staffs of the Wheat Improvement Programs of the National Agricultural Research Institute of the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture (Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agricolas) and The Rockefeller Foundation in Mexico, Theqe two widely different activities, both of which form a part of the same objective, namely that of increasing wheat yields and production in the Near and Middle East countries, have evolved as integral parts of the same program. The young scientists from the Near and Middle East countries, while in Mexico on their training scholarships - in which they are given broad general experience and training in wheat breeding, agronomy, soil fertility, plant pathology and cereal technology - have participated in the preparation of the nurseries, and upon returning to their respective countries have become active participants in growing the nurseries and in the recording of data. During the past three years 24 young scientists from the Near and Middle East have received training in Mexico and are now back in their respective countries participating in wheat and barley improvement programs, which among other activities include the growing of this coopenative nursery.