CIMMYT Introduces Wheat Tolerant to Ug99 Fungus in Bangladesh

Losses due to Ug99, a devastating fungal disease that affects wheat in many parts of the world including developing countries Bangladesh and Kenya can now be controlled using the newly released variety from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center  (CIMMYT). The new wheat variety called Francolin was developed to resist all varieties of Ug99 as well as yield 10 percent higher than available varieties in Bangladesh and El, Batan, Mexico.

CIMMYT has been working with the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute in the development of the new variety with assistance from USAID seed multiplication program. Hashi, the first Ug99-resistant wheat introduced in the country and the two new varieties are expected to cover more than 5 percent of the total wheat area in 2012-13.

Details on the news can be seen at http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-26/cimmyt-introduces-wheat-tolerant-to-ug99-fungus-in-bangladesh.html