Heat and Drought Tolerant Wheat Varieties

Wheat cultivation in high temperature regions

The Heat and Drought Tolerant Wheat Varieties mature within 90 days, faster than many traditional varieties. They can withstand temperatures that are 4°C higher than normal and show 75% of their yield potential under extreme conditions of less than 200mm of moisture and heat stress. These varieties are resistant to diseases and pests like yellow stem rust and have high water use efficiency, making them suitable for regions with limited water resources. They also have good bread-making quality with 14-15% protein content. These traits make these varieties particularly suited for challenging growing conditions, such as those found in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

7•8

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 7/9; level of use 8/9

Positive or neutral impact

Adults 18 and over: Positive high
The poor: Positive medium
Under 18: Positive low
Women: Positive low

Positive or neutral impact

Climate adaptability: It adapts really well
Adaptability for farmers: It helps a lot
Biodiversity: It helps them grow and thrive
Carbon footprint: It reduces emissions a lot
Environment: It makes a big difference
Soil quality: It doesn't harm the soil's health and fertility
Water usage: It uses a lot less water

Problem

Heat Stress: Traditional wheat varieties suffer from reduced yields when exposed to temperatures 4°C higher than normal.
Drought Conditions: Insufficient moisture levels, often less than 200mm, cause significant yield losses in conventional wheat.
Low Productivity: Farmers struggle with low yields, impacting food security and economic stability. Traditional varieties yield much less than the improved variety's 6 tons/ha.
Limited Cultivation Zones: Traditional varieties are unsuitable for regions with high temperatures and low rainfall, limiting agricultural expansion.

Solution

Heat Tolerance: These varieties can thrive in environments with temperatures 4°C higher than what traditional wheat can tolerate. This is critical for areas experiencing rising temperatures due to climate change.
Drought Resistance: They can grow with minimal water, performing well with less than 200mm of rainfall. This makes them suitable for arid and semi-arid regions where water scarcity is a major issue.
Increased Yields: Farmers can achieve up to 6 tons per hectare, which is a significant increase compared to conventional varieties. This boost in productivity helps improve food security and farmers' incomes.
Expanded Cultivation Areas: These wheat varieties are suitable for cultivation in regions that were previously not viable for wheat farming due to high temperatures and low rainfall. This expansion can help increase overall wheat production and make more land usable for agriculture.

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4 - 6 tons/ha

increase in yield

100 kg/ha

Planting rate

IP

Unknown

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested

Countries where the technology has been tested and adopted
Country	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	Tested	Adopted
Eritrea	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	Tested	Adopted
Mali	Tested	Adopted
Niger	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	Tested	Adopted
Senegal	Tested	Adopted
Sudan	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid		–		–
Subhumid	–	–	–	–
Humid	–	–	–	–

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 13: climate action

Goal 1: no poverty

Goal 5: gender equality

Heat and drought tolerant wheat varieties replace traditional wheat seed varieties.

They are cultivated on farmer fields using:

same planting density and mineral fertilizer input as other improved cultivars, following local recommendations;
good agricultural practices such as reduced or zero tillage, raised bed planting, soil fertility management, integrated pest management and efficient irrigation systems.

Downloads

product-profile-heat-and-drought-tolerant-wheat-varieties.pdf (PDF, 522.02 KiB)

Last updated on 26 June 2024

International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)
Zewdie Bishaw

Technology originally documented by

ProPAS

Commodities

Wheat

Sustainable Development Goals Details ›

+ 1 more

Subcategory

Drought tolerance Heat tolerance

Value chain step

Production

Solution for

heat and drought tolerance

Best used with

Tested/adopted in Details ›

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested

Where it can be used Details ›

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones.

Target groups

Farmers Seed companies