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In 1979-80 the first trials of winter sowing of chickpeas were conducted on
farmers fields here in Syria. This followed a specific request from His Excellency
the Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform of Syrian Arab Republic that
there should be an expanded effort on winter chickpeas in Syria. He was impressed
by information then to hand of the big yield advantage that could be
gained by such winter planting and we were strongly pressed to move in this
direction. These trials in 1979-80 were carried out in cooperation with the Department
of Scientific Agricultural Research of the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture.
The results of these first trials were, to say the least of it, very encouraging
indeed. Across a total of 18 locations in Syria, the variety called ILC 482, a
resistant type, yielded an average of nearly 1900 kg/ha on winter planting
compared with only 900 kg/ha on spring planting, giving rather more than 100 %
yield increase not just in one spot but on a broad brush approach across the area.
The trials have continued in 1980-81 in collaboration with the Department of
Scientific Agricultural Research, and it is hoped that, providing the results
confirm those of the year before, a full-blooded effort will be made to extend this
new technoiogy to the farming community. And there is no reason why it should
not be done. This season on-farm trials of winter chickpeas are also being conducted
in Jordan and Lebanon by the respective national programs.
International Yield Trials have also been carried out for winter planting. These
trials started in 1979-80 and the material went to 15 locations in nine different
countries. The results fed back to us have indicated again a very large yield
potential from winter sowing, not invariably but in most of the countries, and
yields in excess of 3000 kg/ha have been reported from several locations. The
success of these International Yield Trials isindicated by the fact that 44 sets of
seed for these trials were sent to 17 countries in 1980-81 and even this was no
more than 80 %of the total demand. Sometimes we are accused of getting on to
countries and insisting to take our trials. This is not the case, as far as these trials
are concerned. The demand exceeds our capacity to supply it. While we are
ashamed that we could not meet all the requirement but we are very pleased for
the interest being shown.
So, Mr. Chairman in view of the probable widespread applicability of winter
chickpeas throughout the ICARDA region, and the consequent possibilities for
dramatic improvement in yield at the farm level we felt here that the time was
ripe for holding a workshop of this nature. We believe there is a dramatic
breakthrough in chickpea production. A big step forward awaits us to be made,
not rashly or impulsively but on the basis of sound application of reason and
planning of further research. We hope that during the workshop past research
will be reviewed in depth and the priorities for our further research as also the
strategies for extending the new technology to farmers will be collectively decided.
Those of us who are older in this game know that all too often research centres
and stations dream up a new technology to find that it does not necessarily latch
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