AHEAD

ALLIANCE FOR WHEAT ADAPTATION TO HEAT AND DROUGHT

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Joint meeting of EWG AWAS, NUE and AHEAD:

Presentations and Meeting Summary available Now

The Joint meeting of the Expert Working Groups “Abiotic Stresses” (AWAS), “Nutrient Use Efficiency” (NUE) and AHEAD has been a great success. Please find the presentations of the five presenters as well as the meeting summary, including the interactive discussion, here.

The Program aims to support the wheat experts of tomorrow. We want to involve Early Career Researchers into AHEAD network discussions and provide links between different researchers, institutions and countries.

First Deadline: Januray 15, 2024

International Wheat Congress (IWC 2024)

Abstract books available now!

The IWC 2024 has been a great success. In case you missed something or want to receive more information about talks or posters: the abstract books for oral, poster and workshop presentations could be downloaded no HERE.

Thanks a lot for all the interesting conversations and discussion during the congress at the Wheat Initiative Booth!

WHY WHEAT?

Crop production all around the world is more and more affected by the climate change. Weather extremes - including droughts and heat waves – were increasing constantly over the last 30 to 40 years and leading to huge damages or loss of entire crops. Wheat is one of the most important staple foods in the whole world population diet, making up 20 % of the calories and proteins consumed by humans worldwide. Therefore, crop shortfalls are influencing food availability and prices, leading to price hikes and food shortages. This could be detrimental especially for many less-developed countries, as wheat is representing the main source of calories in these parts of the world. To secure food availability and affordability regionally and globally effort must be made on new technologies, breeding’s and knowledge exchange to match modern crop cultivation with the growing problems of the climate change.

VISION

A global co-ordinating program facilitating development and delivery of new technologies to ensure wheat varieties and agronomic practices can meet the challenges of increasingly hotter and drier production environments.

Mission

  • Bring the wheat research community together to inform and exchange new germplasm, technologies and ideas for enhancing tolerance to heat and drought.

  • Build the capacity for research and technology delivery in all regions where heat and drought challenge wheat production.

  • Provide a framework for effective investment from funding organisations and value-adding across global research, enabling ready access and uptake of new technologies and resources.

  • Engage the global wheat R&D and breeding community to promote collaboration and information sharing on heat & drought-related discoveries.

ASPIRATION

  • Development of global research programs integrating expertise across multiple international partners

  • Knowledge of, and ready access to germplasm, intellectual capacity, technological resources and facilities

  • Increased investment in wheat heat and drought research reflecting robust research delivery and rapid progress in global adaptation to heat and drought

  • Open and frequent communication globally, and the opportunity for regular exchange of staff and students between research groups and countries

  • Ability to openly and effectively compare germplasm and technologies and their communication to facilitate uptake and adoption

  • Development of efficient and rapid technology delivery paths to facilitate adoption