UAF explores hybrid wheat to increase per-acre yield

The University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) is set to explore hybrid wheat to increase per-acre production and help meet Pakistan’s

LAHORE: The University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) is set to explore hybrid wheat to increase per-acre production and help meet Pakistan’s growing demand for the staple crop.

Vice Chancellor Dr Zulfikar Ali said the initiative aimed to increase wheat yield per acre by 20 per cent through hybrid seeds. He said the proposed seeds would be more expensive than conventional wheat seed but claimed they would not increase farmers’ overall input costs.

The three-year research initiative will focus on developing and evaluating hybrid wheat varieties, testing promising combinations in different locations and assessing their disease resistance, grain quality and adaptability to local growing conditions.

The university formalised the collaboration through a Letter of Intent (LoI) signed with Guard Agricultural Research & Services at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Dr Zulfikar Ali and the company’s Chief Executive Shahzad Ali Malik signed the document in the presence of LCCI President Ali Hussam Asghar.

The research will also examine traits that could improve wheat’s resilience to changing climatic conditions. Field trials and multi-location testing will help assess the performance of promising hybrid combinations under different agricultural conditions.

UAF will provide scientific expertise in wheat genetics, breeding and agronomy, along with research facilities and access to breeding material. The initiative will also include training programmes, field demonstrations and exchanges involving researchers and students.

The private-sector partner will support commercial feasibility assessments, seed production and testing facilities. The arrangement also provides for research grants, PhD support, master’s fellowships and internships.

The LoI provides for joint ownership of intellectual property, breeding material, technology and research outputs generated through the collaboration.

Speaking on the occasion, Shahzad Ali Malik said the organisation had introduced hybrid rice in Pakistan, particularly in Sindh, and expressed its commitment to improving wheat yields. He also said he would work towards reviving cotton cultivation as head of the LCCI Standing Committee on Agriculture.