Wheat

CIMMYT Global Wheat Program: World’s Largest Open-Source Elite Wheat Germplasm

Global wheat demand is on the rise, driven by population growth and shifting consumption patterns. Yet, wheat faces unprecedented threats: changing climate patterns, emerging pests and diseases, dwindling water supplies, degradation of and competition for arable land.

In this context, CIMMYT Global Wheat Program (GWP) stands at the forefront of global efforts to ensure that wheat remains a reliable, sustainable and affordable food source.

CIMMYT’s GWP is the world’s largest public wheat breeding program, delivering climate-resilient, high-yielding wheat varieties to over 200 partners across the globe. Our germplasm is present in over 60 million hectares of wheat crop, contributing directly to global food security and farmer livelihoods. Our major focus is on developing countries where wheat plays a key role in food security and poverty alleviation. But we are not limited to provide germplasm, we partner with National Programs for capacity building and methodological improvement. Through decades of relentless work, every dollar invested in CIMMYT’s wheat breeding returned to society largely amplified.

A cutting-edge wheat breeding program

GWP integrates the latest technologies and methods to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges:

• Precision Phenotyping: advanced phenotyping platforms, including remote sensing, UAV imaging, and controlled stress environments, allow detailed trait measurement.
• Genomic selection and speed breeding: short breeding cycles based on efficient field and greenhouse operations, with early prediction of breeding values and recycling of top-performing parents, accelerating genetic gain for critical traits
• Molecular tools and bioinformatics: using the latest genotyping and quantitative genetics methods for quality control, gene monitoring, population management and marker assisted selection, implementing high-accuracy data-driven breeding.
• Seamless integration with National Programs: GWP collaborates with national partners to assure effective last-mile towards impact, while gathering valuable phenotypic data in relevant environments to feedback into future breeding cycles.
• Close collaboration with advanced research institutes: GWP reaches to the most advanced research centers all over the world, translating the latest knowledge into novel wheat germplasm in the field.

Proven results and impact:

Through GWP, CIMMYT and partners around the world have a proven impact record:

• Delivering genetic gain for yield potential of above 1% per year in different regions and cropping systems.
• Distributing improved germplasm through the International Wheat Improvement Network (IWIN), including varieties resistant to critical diseases, such as rusts, Fusarium head blight and wheat blast and improved resilience in environments threatened by drought and heat.
• Tapping novel genetic diversity of landraces, wild relatives and synthetics for improvement of complex traits, including Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI) for enhanced nitrogen use efficiency.
• Delivering wheat varieties with higher zinc and iron content and matching the highest industrial and consumer standards.
• Building capacity for wheat breeding, genetics, physiology and pathology through training programs, internships and collaborative research opportunities, with special attention to gender inclusion.

Contributing to Sustainable Development Goals

CIMMYT’s wheat research contributes directly to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 5 (Gender Equality), with far-reaching impact on livelihoods, ecosystems, and social inclusion.

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Program Director

Flavio Breseghello (f.breseghello@cgiar.org)

Program Manager

Hamish Dunsford (h.dunsford@cgiar.org)