ISLAMABAD: The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) has developed and released 20 high-yielding heat-tolerant maize hybrids in Pakistan and four other South Asian countries.

CIMMYT has announced that the high-yielding maize seeds were developed after a decade of rigorous efforts, along with public-sector maize research institutes and private-sector seed companies in the region. The other countries of the region which received maize hybrids were Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal.

In South Asia, maize is mainly grown as a rain-fed crop and provides livelihoods for millions of smallholder farmers.

The project leveraged the germ-plasm base and technical expertise of CIMMYT in breeding for abiotic stress tolerance, coupled with the research expertise of its partners.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2024