Regional workshop on molecular breeding, crop improvement held

MUSCAT: A regional workshop on ‘Molecular Breeding and Marker-Assisted Selection’ began in Muscat today and will continue until September 24, focusing on strengthening scientific and technical cooperation and exchanging expertise in modern plant breeding technologies.
Held under the auspices of Dr Ahmed bin Nasser al Bakri, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources for Agriculture, the workshop aims to build national and regional capacities in using molecular technologies and genetic markers to improve crops and enhance agricultural production in response to environmental and climatic challenges.
The workshop is organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, represented by the Directorate-General of Agricultural and Animal Research, in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
It features lectures, practical sessions and specialised training in molecular breeding and marker-assisted selection, helping participants strengthen their knowledge and skills while facilitating the exchange of expertise among researchers and specialists from participating countries.
Dr Al Ghalia bint Hamid al Maamari, Director of the Tissue Culture and Biotechnology Research Centre, said the workshop reflects the importance of sustained international cooperation and partnerships in advancing scientific research and developing expertise in modern agricultural technologies.
She noted that food security and agricultural sustainability remain key development priorities amid accelerating climate and environmental challenges, including drought, irregular rainfall, soil degradation and limited freshwater resources, as well as the growing threat of pests and plant diseases.
“These challenges call for scientific and innovative approaches that harness advanced biotechnologies to strengthen the resilience and productivity of agricultural systems and secure communities’ needs for essential and strategic food crops,” she said.
Al Maamari explained that mutation breeding is an established and effective approach to improving crops and enhancing their productivity and quality. Mutations, whether naturally occurring or induced in laboratories through physical agents, including radiation used in peaceful nuclear applications, or chemical agents, provide an important source of genetic variation in plants.
She said this variation could help develop new and desirable traits that enable crops to withstand harsh environmental conditions, adapt to climate change and resist agricultural pests and diseases.
Such improvements are particularly important for staple crops such as wheat and barley, as well as crops of local economic significance, she added.
Al Maamari further explained that genetic markers enable researchers to examine plant genetic material and accurately identify promising mutations at an early stage, rather than waiting years for desired traits to emerge visibly and stabilise across generations.
This approach helps reduce research time and effort and accelerates the development of improved crop varieties.
She emphasised that integrating mutation breeding, molecular technologies and marker-assisted selection offers a promising pathway to accelerating the development of improved agricultural varieties and transferring them efficiently to farmers’ fields.
Such advances would contribute to strengthening food security and enhancing the resilience of agricultural systems against global food crises and disruptions to supply chains, she said.
The workshop also seeks to highlight the integration of molecular breeding techniques and marker-assisted selection with mutation breeding programmes as precise diagnostic tools for identifying genetic changes and selecting promising mutations during the early stages of plant development. – ONA