Barley in the Desert: Kuwait Progresses in the Development of a New Variety Using Nuclear Techniques

Kuwait has an arid climate, a hostile environment in which to grow crops. In recent years, the country’s scientists have used technology packages derived from nuclear techniques (irradiation to develop new barley varieties with improved traits, combined with water and nutrient management) to be able to grow food.
Habibah S. Al-Menaie, a senior research scientist in the Desert Agriculture and Ecosystems Program of the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) in the experimental field of a mutant barley population that was developed using gamma ray irradiation. Photo Credit: Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR)
The success in the development of novel barley lines in irradiating barley seeds to develop varieties more resilient to drought, salinity as well as limited water resource. Here, Habibah Al-Menaia is pictured during a fellowship programme in barley mutation breeding at the FAO/IAEA Plant Breeding and Genetics Laboratory in Seibersdorf, Austria. Photo Credit: Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR)
The Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture provided support to Kuwait in practical training on mutant identification and the selection of barley mutant population in the field, which also included a course on ‘Mutation Breeding Techniques for Crop Improvement” held in March 2017. Photo Credit: L. Jankulosk i/ IAEA
Experts from Kuwait conducted a workshop with IAEA support for specialists from the Gulf region to widen awareness of the benefits of using cosmic ray neutron sensors, which measure soil moisture. Since 2013, scientists at the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture have been working on the use, calibration and validation of cosmic ray neutron sensor to assess its suitability for irrigation management, as well as transfer of this technology to experts around the world.
The cosmic ray neutron sensor provided by the IAEA, under its technical cooperation programme, is set up at the KISR laboratory field study. Abdullah Salem Alshatti, the principal researcher at the KISR Desert Agriculture and Ecosystem Program, is checking the battery and the working condition of the cosmic ray neutron sensor.
On the spot, real time data on soil moisture level transmitted from drill and drop to a mobile phone. The same data is available from the cosmic ray neutron sensor.
Minimizing evaporation from soil is crucial in improving water use efficiency in this arid environment. Here, soil is collected the field and broken into small segments during a practical workshop conducted by an IAEA/FAO expert to determine the extent of evaporation using an isotopic technique.
<p> Special thanks to the staff of the Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR) </p> <p> Captions: Aabha Dixit, IAEA Office of Public Information and Communication </p> <p> Photos: Dean Calma, IAEA Office of Public Information and Communication </p>

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Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications Department of Technical Cooperation Technical cooperation programme Nuclear technology and applications Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Plant Breeding and Genetics Section Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section Food security and climate change Food and agriculture Development of smart agriculture practices Plant breeding Agricultural water management Land and water management Mutation breeding

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