Syria
March 15, 2010

Syria’s Ministry of Agriculture has released a new durum wheat variety, developed jointly by the General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), the Arab Center for Studies in Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) and ICARDA. Douma 3 (ACSAD 1229) is suitable for rainfed agriculture in dry areas (corresponding to Stability Zone II). In field trials in four governorates (Dara’a, Hama, Aleppo and Raqqa), it gave consistently better grain quality and disease resistance than the control varieties, with yields 10 to 16% higher.

This follows the release earlier this year of Cham 9 (Douma 41008), targeted at Stability Zone I. Cham 9 gave yields 11-12% higher than the control variety, and in addition, has good morphological characteristics and high levels of disease resistance, particularly to the Ug99 strain of stem rust disease. It is already being grown by farmers in four provinces; Hassake, Aleppo, Tartous and the El-Ghab region in Hama. It is expected to expand to dry areas in Dara’a and Idleb provinces.

Website: http://www.icarda.org

Published: March 15, 2010