Research that works for developing countries and AustraliaPakistan - Country Office
Country OfficeSustainable agricultural production from saline lands A common threat to Pakistani and Australian agriculture is that of salinity induced by irrigation. Revegetation and regeneration of salt-affected land has been advanced through research on suitable salt-tolerant forage species for livestock feed.A promising species, Atriplex amnicola was identified as having potential. Project benefits have included increased and improved management skills for A. amnicola and other saltbush forage species and the selection and trialling of a range of plants. Another facet of research into salinity is the successful identification of salt tolerant trees, including Australian Eucalyptus and Acacia species for use in re-vegetation of saline land.Establishing plantations has the dual benefits of helping to rehabilitate saline land and create potential income from otherwise unproductive land.As a result of the successful identification of tree species and establishment of management techniques pilot plantations have been set up in the Punjab. ACIAR's training of local researchers has helped attract funding from development agencies for implementation work. A joint AusAID/UNDP project, which started in 1998, 'Pakistan Community Development Project for Rehabilitation of Saline and Waterlogged Land' builds on two earlier ACIAR-funded projects that tested Australian salt-resistant tree species.It has strengthened the ability of local communities to adopt forage, tree-planting and simple engineering technologies to improve the productivity and sustainability of their farming practices.To date some 60 nurseries have been established. There have also been 25 on-farm demonstration trials commenced. Increasing wheat yields, and overcoming sterility and rust diseases Yields of rain-fed cereal crops have the potential to increase by over half with the appropriate use of nitrogen fertiliser. The addition of nitrogen-fixing legumes (such as chickpea, mungbean or soybean) to cropping rotations can substantially increase yields in following cereal crops. ACIAR-supported research has quantified nitrogen fixation by different legumes under Pakistani conditions to enable the development of models for effective cereal-legume rotations.Workshops on managing legume nitrogen fixation for increased cereal production have been held, passing on training and skills to agricultural extension workers. Wheat it is an important part of the Pakistan diet, and is grown in rotation with rice. However, in many subtropical environments it yields poorly due to sterility, reducing the numbers of grains that form in each head. ACIAR research has identified particular environmental locations that lead to sterility, enabling the classification of suitable localities in Pakistan for growing current wheat varieties. Specific varieties that are less likely to be sterile in subtropical conditions were identified and included as parental material in breeding programs. Rust is a major disease threat to wheat crops throughout Pakistan. Investigations into wheat rust, aimed at understanding the nature and extent of rust variability and the genetic basis of resistance in locally grown cultivars have helped to identify new breeding lines with enhanced resistance. These lines have been distributed to Pakistani breeders and incorporated into breeding programs. Since the introduction of rust resistant lines losses to rust have fallen to less than 5 per cent a year. Improved productivity of pulse crops Lentils play a potentially valuable role in agricultural production in Pakistan, both as a source of export income and of good nutrition. However, low yields and disease can make them an unattractive crop. A recent ACIAR project identified improved lentil lines that are drought and disease- resistant, with release of new varieties underway.106 lines with degrees of resistance to Ascochyta were defined.The K4 line was identified as the best yielding under the dry conditions in Pakistan. Drought avoidance strategies that incorporate planting dates, methods and cultivar maturity have also been identified. Chickpeas are an important source of dietary protein and also replace nitrogen in the soil through its fixation from the atmosphere. Research into nitrogen fixation in chickpea and pigeonpea has identified different patterns of nodulation (the nodes on roots responsible for the fixation process). Different types of nodulating varieties have been tested for their impact on yields in chickpea-sorghum and pigeonpea-safflower systems, with high-nodulating legumes providing greater yields. In addition research has proven the beneficial effects of chickpea on following crops. The preservation of more than 1400 populations of grain, pasture and forage legumes and perennial grasses from the Mediterranean basin, Western Africa, and South Asia will aid in the development of improved varieties and conservation of biodiversity. Pakistani and Australian scientists have collaborated on the collection of landraces of several of these crops. These have been characterised, documented and stored in international genebanks for future use. Benefits from involvement in international forestry and crop sciences networks An electronic compendium of forest tree species for Asian forestry needs has been developed, with input from a range of contributing national forest services, including Pakistan.The compendium links forest tree species and sustainability issues, to help meet a growing demand for sustainable forestry. Pakistan is also accessing genetically improved Australian trees for reforestation efforts through ACIAR's support of the Australian Tree Seed Centre. Trials of different Eucalyptus camaldulensis on sodic-saline land in the Punjab over the last 5-6 years have shown significant genetic differences in growth rates, with faster growing provenances being widely planted. Training As of August 2001, Pakistani and Australian scientists have completed 12 collaborative projects. There are 5 active projects and a further 3 under development. Three Pakistani scientists from these projects have been trained to MSc or PhD level at Australian Universities. Other training has included skills development in wheat breeding through project work in Pakistan and Australia. Saline Agriculture for Irrigated Land in Pakistan: a handbook The publication Saline Agriculture for Irrigated Land in Pakistan: a handbook is a valuable text on saline agricultural practices in Pakistan, and has been used in other countries as an important resource. It draws on the full range of research into salinity, waterlogging and remedial measures, carried out through a suite of ACIAR-supported projects spanning more than a decade. The book has been written for farmers and agricultural extension officers to provide a simple and accessible account of saline agricultural practices for irrigated lands. Better management in irrigated agriculture Pakistan has significant resources of groundwater, but some of these are too saline to be used directly on crops, with resources of less-salty surface water also limited. Conjunctive water management, combines these sources to increase the amount of available water for a range of end-uses. A recent ACIAR project with the Pakistan program of the International Water Management Institute has identified and tested combinations of technologies and management tools to maximise the agricultural productivity of water use in the short and long term, assist in saving water and help the environmental sustainability of irrigation. A current ACIAR project involves the application of permanent raised bed cropping to irrigated maize-wheat cropping. The approach builds on established techniques used in Australia and elsewhere.Trials to date have resulted in yield increases in maize crops, together with reduced water usage and in wheat crops have increased water use efficiency while maintaining existing yields. |
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