Despite the tremendous advances made by plant breeders in increasing the global food production, there is still a significant need for increased quantity and quality of food items in various regions of the world. | Turk J Agric For 29 (2005) 113-119 © TÜB‹TAK Biotechnology Applications for Wheat Improvement at CIMMYT Harindra Manilal WILLIAM1,*, Ravi Prakash SINGH1, Richard TRETHOWAN1, Maarten van GINKEL1, Alessandro PELLEGRINSHI1, Julio HUERTA-ESPINO2, David HOISINGTON1 1 International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Apdo. Postal 6-641, 06600, Mexico DF, México 2 Campo Experimental Vall de Mexico-INIFAP, Apdo. Postal 10, 56230, Chapingo, Edo. de Mexico, México Received: Abstract: Despite the tremendous advances made by plant breeders in increasing the global food production, there is still a significant need for increased quantity and quality of food items in various regions of the world. Although this can be partially solved by upgrading the storage and distribution networks, crop performance and yield potentials are constantly challenged by various biotic and abiotic stress factors. As additional tools to facilitate the global wheat breeding efforts at CIMMYT, we have used molecular markers for characterizing loci that confer adult plant resistance to leaf rust and yellow (stripe) rust, which are globally important diseases in wheat. We have also established a biotechnology laboratory that is charged with acquiring, validating and applying markers for certain traits that are important to CIMMYT wheat breeders. Use of PCR based markers coupled with rapid DNA extraction procedures have enabled application of markers on a wide range of material. Genetic engineering procedures have also been used to establish procedures as well as for experimenting with genes that confer resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses in wheat. Key Words: molecular markers, leaf rust, yellow rust, genetic engineering Introduction Traditional plant breeding activities have resulted in tremendous yield gains in most cultivated crop species. Global wheat breeding efforts over the past 40 years have made significant contributions in enhancing the yield potential .
