Project overview:

Wheat is the most widely grown crop in the world and a staple crop for food security in Central Asia and the Caucasus, with an average annual consumption of around 160 kg per capita in the region. It is produced largely by smallholder farmers for whom it also constitutes an important source of income.

However, the yield and production of wheat in this region are constrained by a number of factors. Among these, wheat rust diseases, namely the yellow rust, leaf rust, and stem rust, caused by species of the fungus Puccinia spp., are among the most important biological constraints. 

Due to the frequent appearance of new races of the rust fungi and their rapid spread, continuous monitoring and international collaboration and information exchange are essential.

An integrated approach focusing on breeding and the use of resistant varieties is the key strategy for effective management of these diseases. In cases of unexpected epidemics, farmers need to have the capacity to act quickly to control disease outbreaks.

The CAC-Rust project has been developed to address these challenges faced by the countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

The project will facilitate regional collaboration and strengthen national capacities to improvesurveillance, race analysis and integrated disease management. It will also support the development and deployment of disease resistant varieties.

The project activities are implemented in collaboration with the national institutions of the beneficiary countries, and international institutions, including the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the Regional Cereal Rust Research Center (RCRRC) in Izmir, Turkey, the International Wheat and Maize Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the International Winter Wheat Improvement Programme (IWWIP) operated by Turkey, CIMMYT and ICARDA.

The project will support activities in key domains: 

• facilitation of regional collaboration and networking, training of national technical officers;
• support for disease surveillance, race analysis and mapping in support of the global rust monitoring system;
• characterization of the resistance properties of popular varieties;
• support for breeding programmes for developing resistant varieties;
• integrated disease management and farmer training;
• development of national strategies and contingency plans; and
• strengthen the capacities of institutions for rust management

The primary beneficiaries of the project will be the national institutions and officers involved in research, extension, seed systems, and plant protection, as well as the farmers in the seven countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Neighbouring countries and surrounding regions would also benefit from the knowledge generated. This is of great value given the importance of early warning of potential epidemics from emerging races.