The International Wheat Yield Partnership, a funding and coordination partnership for stimulating wheat research and development to countries around the world has appointed Jeff Gwyn as director and will lead all aspects of IWYP’s program. IWYP brings together research funders, international aid agencies, foundations, companies and major wheat research organizations to help raise the genetic yield potential of wheat by up to 50 percent over the coming 20 years. IWYP was formally launched in Mexico at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in April 2014.
Gwyn, a plant breeder and research manager will create, coordinate and guide the multinational research program towards commercially relevant breakthroughs that result in current maximum yields being exceeded.
IWYP will launch its first competitive call for research proposals in early 2015. The call will invite applications that seek to address how wheat yield potential can be enhanced by: increasing carbon capture before flowering; optimizing plant architecture; modifying flowering time; increasing biomass; optimizing harvest index. Gwyns base of operations will be hosted by AgriLife at Texas A&M University.
