The role of CGIAR Germplasm Health Units in averting endemic crop diseases: the example of rice blast in Bangladesh

Abstract Background One of the less known benefits of the CGIAR is the facilitation of international agricultural research for crop improvement by providing a continuous supply of breeding materials for the development of disease resistant varieties. The Germplasm Health Units (GHUs) of the CGIAR ar...

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Main Authors: Yuji Enriquez, Melinda Smale, Nelissa Jamora, Mohammod Hossain, Lava Kumar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: CABI 2022-03-01
Series:CABI Agriculture and Bioscience
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-022-00084-9
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author Yuji Enriquez
Melinda Smale
Nelissa Jamora
Mohammod Hossain
Lava Kumar
author_facet Yuji Enriquez
Melinda Smale
Nelissa Jamora
Mohammod Hossain
Lava Kumar
author_sort Yuji Enriquez
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background One of the less known benefits of the CGIAR is the facilitation of international agricultural research for crop improvement by providing a continuous supply of breeding materials for the development of disease resistant varieties. The Germplasm Health Units (GHUs) of the CGIAR are phytosanitary mechanisms put in place to help ensure safe (from pests and diseases) and efficient international transfer of germplasm among genebanks and breeding programs around the world. To date, there is no systematic documentation of the pathways and extent to which GHUs contribute to economic impact in recipient countries. Methods We conducted interviews with key experts and reviewed secondary literature and data to trace the pathways through which the GHU of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) contributes to the impact of breeding for rice blast. We applied an ex ante economic surplus framework to the case of rice blast in Bangladesh, considering productivity maintenance and time saving factors from GHU facilitation. Data were drawn from a national panel dataset of farm households (from 2013 to 2016 with about 4490 households) and field surveys of blast incidence and severity (from 2011 to 2012 in 10 agroecological zones). We augmented our model with Monte Carlo sampling to simulate distributions of parameters. Results Our model predicts that, in the most probable scenario (modal values), the IRRI GHU contributed about US$ 5.9 million of the total US$ 295 million net benefits over a 20-year time frame of continuous blast resistance breeding and deployment. In the most optimistic conditions (maximum), the IRRI GHU contributed as much as US$ 62 million of the US$ 1.46 billion benefits. The modal benefit–cost ratio of the GHU in this breeding program alone was estimated at 112. The results are sensitive to the rate of yield savings, which is contingent on yield levels, timing of deployment, effectiveness of resistance, and lifespan of resistance to blast. Conclusions The study reinforces the important, and often overlooked, role of the GHUs in the international agricultural research that aims to enhance genetic gains in crops through efficient and timely access to clean and healthy germplasm.
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spelling doaj-art-7fe728ee97314139a12329d500874c5f2025-02-02T00:47:15ZengCABICABI Agriculture and Bioscience2662-40442022-03-013111310.1186/s43170-022-00084-9The role of CGIAR Germplasm Health Units in averting endemic crop diseases: the example of rice blast in BangladeshYuji Enriquez0Melinda Smale1Nelissa Jamora2Mohammod Hossain3Lava Kumar4Genebank Impacts Fellow, CGIAR Genebank PlatformMichigan State UniversityGlobal Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust)Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)Germplams Health Unit, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)Abstract Background One of the less known benefits of the CGIAR is the facilitation of international agricultural research for crop improvement by providing a continuous supply of breeding materials for the development of disease resistant varieties. The Germplasm Health Units (GHUs) of the CGIAR are phytosanitary mechanisms put in place to help ensure safe (from pests and diseases) and efficient international transfer of germplasm among genebanks and breeding programs around the world. To date, there is no systematic documentation of the pathways and extent to which GHUs contribute to economic impact in recipient countries. Methods We conducted interviews with key experts and reviewed secondary literature and data to trace the pathways through which the GHU of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) contributes to the impact of breeding for rice blast. We applied an ex ante economic surplus framework to the case of rice blast in Bangladesh, considering productivity maintenance and time saving factors from GHU facilitation. Data were drawn from a national panel dataset of farm households (from 2013 to 2016 with about 4490 households) and field surveys of blast incidence and severity (from 2011 to 2012 in 10 agroecological zones). We augmented our model with Monte Carlo sampling to simulate distributions of parameters. Results Our model predicts that, in the most probable scenario (modal values), the IRRI GHU contributed about US$ 5.9 million of the total US$ 295 million net benefits over a 20-year time frame of continuous blast resistance breeding and deployment. In the most optimistic conditions (maximum), the IRRI GHU contributed as much as US$ 62 million of the US$ 1.46 billion benefits. The modal benefit–cost ratio of the GHU in this breeding program alone was estimated at 112. The results are sensitive to the rate of yield savings, which is contingent on yield levels, timing of deployment, effectiveness of resistance, and lifespan of resistance to blast. Conclusions The study reinforces the important, and often overlooked, role of the GHUs in the international agricultural research that aims to enhance genetic gains in crops through efficient and timely access to clean and healthy germplasm.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-022-00084-9RiceGermplasm health unitsGermplasmGenebanksRice blastYield savings
spellingShingle Yuji Enriquez
Melinda Smale
Nelissa Jamora
Mohammod Hossain
Lava Kumar
The role of CGIAR Germplasm Health Units in averting endemic crop diseases: the example of rice blast in Bangladesh
CABI Agriculture and Bioscience
Rice
Germplasm health units
Germplasm
Genebanks
Rice blast
Yield savings
title The role of CGIAR Germplasm Health Units in averting endemic crop diseases: the example of rice blast in Bangladesh
title_full The role of CGIAR Germplasm Health Units in averting endemic crop diseases: the example of rice blast in Bangladesh
title_fullStr The role of CGIAR Germplasm Health Units in averting endemic crop diseases: the example of rice blast in Bangladesh
title_full_unstemmed The role of CGIAR Germplasm Health Units in averting endemic crop diseases: the example of rice blast in Bangladesh
title_short The role of CGIAR Germplasm Health Units in averting endemic crop diseases: the example of rice blast in Bangladesh
title_sort role of cgiar germplasm health units in averting endemic crop diseases the example of rice blast in bangladesh
topic Rice
Germplasm health units
Germplasm
Genebanks
Rice blast
Yield savings
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-022-00084-9
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