SPC GF named after A.I. Barayev and Kozybayev University agreed on a memorandum of scientific co-operation

The Scientific and Production Centre of Grain Farming named after A.I. Barayev continues to develop strategic partnerships, but this time with the North-Kazakhstan University named after M. Kozybayev (Kozybayev University), one of the leading regional universities in the country actively developing in the field of agro-technology and genomic research.

The signed memorandum covers a wide range of areas, from training and academic exchanges to joint scientific work, field experiments and development of new crop varieties.

Special attention will be paid to joint research in the field of genomic breeding of wheat. Already this year, two students of the dual educational programme of Kozybayev University - University of Arizona will go on a fully funded internship in KAUST (Saudi Arabia) in the laboratory of Professor Jesse Poland, one of the world’s leading experts in the field of genomic breeding. Professor Pohland is also a regular partner of the SPC GF named after A.I. Barayev. During the internship, the students will receive practical training in the use of markers and genomic breeding for variety development. The partnership with Kozybayev University also involves cooperation with international research centres, including the University of Arizona (USA), where at the Arizona Genomics Institute works Professor Rod Wing - director and one of the founders of the “Green Super Rice” concept, as well as scientific collaborator of a number of Kozybayev University projects.

We are confident that joining efforts of the leading Kazakhstani and foreign scientific institutions will bring wheat breeding to a qualitatively new level, create varieties adapted to the conditions of Kazakhstan and train a new generation of specialists in the field of agrogenomics.