Undoubtedly, a large part of the great civilization of Iran owes its foundation and strategic role to agriculture. The origins and foundations of changes and transformations in today’s advanced societies and the development of many countries also lie in agriculture. The most fundamental and essential input for producing agricultural products is the suitable seed. The latent genetic potential in seeds strongly affects all subsequent farmer activities (sowing, tending, and final harvesting). Improved seed is a tool for transferring modern production technology and a fundamental means to achieve food security and to ensure the sustainability of crop production, especially in critical regions and under adverse production conditions, and is therefore regarded as an effective technology for the rapid improvement of sustainable agriculture. Solving seed problems effectively means solving a large portion of the problems in the agricultural sector. Unfortunately, climate change and excessive use of natural resources over several decades have caused a sharp reduction in water resources and soil salinity, thereby intensifying environmental stresses (drought, salinity, heat, floods, etc.). This has negatively impacted agricultural production trends, so that in the near future the current varieties will not meet the country’s new conditions, and specific varieties must be developed for specific climate conditions. Moreover, in recent years there has been a focus on producing high-performing varieties for relatively normal environmental conditions, and varieties capable of growth under very harsh conditions have been very limited. The focus on using high-yielding varieties under optimal conditions in previous decades has led to a significant reduction in genetic diversity and the emergence of the Genetic Bottleneck phenomenon. One way to overcome this genetic bottleneck and enrich the genetic reservoir of strategic crops in the country is to return to and focus on wild gene banks. Wild relatives are rich in genes conferring tolerance to various stresses, and Iran is the origin of many of these species. In the past about 10 years, at Isfahan University of Technology, the genetic materials and the overall route for improving the country’s strategic crops have been prepared, and genetic and biotechnological studies in the Seed Engineering Group continue to pursue results.

Sixploid synthetic wheats hold promise for the Green Revolution. These lines have been artificially created by crossing durum wheat or emmer tetraploids with primitive ancestors (Aegilops tauschii with a diploid genome) and, due to the transfer of part of the genomes from diploid and tetraploid wheats, carry a broader genetic base. In this study, about 200 synthetic lines have been created and are being examined based on genotype sequencing technology. It is expected that the synthetic lines will possess important traits for improved performance and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, including drought tolerance, salinity tolerance, earliness, and resistance to pests and diseases, which are investigated in this study.

Barley is a multipurpose crop used in the animal feed industry, the food industry (malt and distillates), and the beverage industry (malt for beer). The barley plant, due to its low water requirement, is one of the most suitable agricultural crops for cultivation in Iran’s climate. Over the past one or two decades, climate change has intensified environmental stresses (drought, salinity, heat, etc.), which has affected the barley production trend and the need for imports. Focus on using high-yielding improved barley varieties has led to a significant decrease in genetic diversity, especially for abiotic stresses, and the emergence of the genetic bottleneck phenomenon. One way to overcome this genetic bottleneck and enrich the country’s barley gene pool is to return to wild gene banks and close relatives. Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum, a wild subspecies closely related to cultivated barley, is rich in genes conferring tolerance to biological and abiotic stresses, and there are reports of its malting quality being superior to that of cultivated barley. In this study, selection is performed on 450 recombinant inbred lines derived from crossing 21 diverse wild barley genotypes (collected from various origin locations worldwide) with cultivated barley (Rihan 03). Each wild barley genotype transfers chromosomal segments and specific genes to the cultivated barley genotype (a hygiene-like process), and thus the effects of different wild barley genome segments on the genetic traits of the cultivated variety can be studied, promising access to new varieties that, under stress conditions, have improved agronomic performance and yield.

Safflower is one of the most important indigenous plants in the country, with applications in the oil, medicinal, and even forage industries. Given that problems caused by global warming and droughts will worsen each year, it is necessary to increase safflower’s drought tolerance. To this end, plant geneticists must develop new varieties. One breeding approach is to introduce genes for tolerance to environmental stresses (especially drought) from wild species into cultivated safflower. Wild relatives of crop plants are highly adaptable to environmental stresses like drought. Although arid regions of Iran encompass a wide center of safflower diversity, with a substantial distribution of wild safflower species in Iran, the Iranian wild safflower germplasm has not had a prominent place in studies related to drought tolerance of this plant. Moreover, to address part of the water shortage problem, autumn sowing can be used, which consumes less water by leveraging winter rainfall resources and cooler temperatures. Exploiting the potential of wild species to create drought-tolerant lines adapted to autumn cultivation (cold) through interspecific crosses has led to notable successes in plant breeding; however, safflower has not yet utilized this potential. Advancing lines until obtaining ITER lines could pave the way for developing genetic and improvement studies in safflower.

This project aims to address some safflower breeding challenges by focusing on three germplasm obtained from three interspecific crosses (two wild species and one cultivated species) in three studies. The interspecific crosses are (TP) C. tinctorius × C. palaestinus, × C. oxyacanthus; (TO) C. tinctorius × C. oxyacanthus; (PO) C. tinctorius × C. palaestinus, with the progenies advanced to later generations. Genotype screening for drought, salinity, and cold tolerance in the progenies from these interspecific safflower crosses enables the identification of drought-tolerant lines, discovery of novel and tolerant genetic variants, and the identification of the best lines.

Anise is one of the important medicinal plants, containing a variety of essential oil constituents and widely used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, kidney stones, women's health issues, and more. In Iran, anise is represented by four subspecies:

1. Foeniculum vulgare ssp. piperitum (Ucrial) Cout.

2. F. vulgare var. vulgare (Mill.) (bitter anise) — this subspecies is found only in Iran

3. F. vulgare var. dulce Batt. et Trab. (sweet anise)

4. F. vulgare var. azoricum (Mill.) Holub. (Florence fennel).

Studies have been conducted on the stability and compatibility of the germplasm consisting of ecotypes and Iranian and foreign samples of anise. Subsequently, the genetic diversity, phenotypic morphological traits, viability, longevity, and recoverability after a long period of reduced irrigation (at least 6 months) in the mentioned germplasm are analyzed. Polycross crosses to evaluate general combining ability of parents and to create new recombinant varieties for drought-stress conditions are among the other research objectives.

Lawns (grasses) have always held a special place in Iranian culture as one of the main components of green spaces, alongside flowers and trees, and they are used for environmental, recreational, sports, and decorative purposes. One of the challenges of the current green space in the country is the reliance on imported grass varieties that require very high water. Seed imports drain foreign exchange resources and contrast with the policies of a resilient economy. Moreover, imported varieties are adapted to the humid and water-rich conditions of their origin countries (primarily Europe), and maintaining them in dry and semi-dry areas involves substantial water use and losses, to the extent that a large portion of urban water use is allocated to their green spaces. Water consumption for these grasses has been reported to reach up to 12 millimeters per day. This daily water use exceeds even the annual natural rainfall. Imported grasses have shallow root systems genetically and very low drought resistance. Therefore, although these grasses may be suitable under high-water conditions, their use under drought conditions is not at all sensible. The water requirements of the currently used grass varieUndoubtedly, a large part of the great civilization of Iran owes its foundation and strategic role to agriculture. The origins and foundations of changes and transformations in today’s advanced societies and the development of many countries also lie in agriculture. The most fundamental and essential input for producing agricultural products is the suitable seed. The latent genetic potential in seeds strongly affects all subsequent farmer activities (sowing, tending, and final harvesting). Improved seed is a tool for transferring modern production technology and a fundamental means to achieve food security and to ensure the sustainability of crop production, especially in critical regions and under adverse production conditions, and is therefore regarded as an effective technology for the rapid improvement of sustainable agriculture. Solving seed problems effectively means solving a large portion of the problems in the agricultural sector. Unfortunately, climate change and excessive use of natural resources over several decades have caused a sharp reduction in water resources and soil salinity, thereby intensifying environmental stresses (drought, salinity, heat, floods, etc.). This has negatively impacted agricultural production trends, so that in the near future the current varieties will not meet the country’s new conditions, and specific varieties must be developed for specific climate conditions. Moreover, in recent years there has been a focus on producing high-performing varieties for relatively normal environmental conditions, and varieties capable of growth under very harsh conditions have been very limited. The focus on using high-yielding varieties under optimal conditions in previous decades has led to a significant reduction in genetic diversity and the emergence of the Genetic Bottleneck phenomenon. One way to overcome this genetic bottleneck and enrich the genetic reservoir of strategic crops in the country is to return to and focus on wild gene banks. Wild relatives are rich in genes conferring tolerance to various stresses, and Iran is the origin of many of these species. In the past about 10 years, at Isfahan University of Technology, the genetic materials and the overall route for improving the country’s strategic crops have been prepared, and genetic and biotechnological studies in the Seed Engineering Group continue to pursue results.

Sixploid synthetic wheats hold promise for the Green Revolution. These lines have been artificially created by crossing durum wheat or emmer tetraploids with primitive ancestors (Aegilops tauschii with a diploid genome) and, due to the transfer of part of the genomes from diploid and tetraploid wheats, carry a broader genetic base. In this study, about 200 synthetic lines have been created and are being examined based on genotype sequencing technology. It is expected that the synthetic lines will possess important traits for improved performance and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, including drought tolerance, salinity tolerance, earliness, and resistance to pests and diseases, which are investigated in this study.

Barley is a multipurpose crop used in the animal feed industry, the food industry (malt and distillates), and the beverage industry (malt for beer). The barley plant, due to its low water requirement, is one of the most suitable agricultural crops for cultivation in Iran’s climate. Over the past one or two decades, climate change has intensified environmental stresses (drought, salinity, heat, etc.), which has affected the barley production trend and the need for imports. Focus on using high-yielding improved barley varieties has led to a significant decrease in genetic diversity, especially for abiotic stresses, and the emergence of the genetic bottleneck phenomenon. One way to overcome this genetic bottleneck and enrich the country’s barley gene pool is to return to wild gene banks and close relatives. Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum, a wild subspecies closely related to cultivated barley, is rich in genes conferring tolerance to biological and abiotic stresses, and there are reports of its malting quality being superior to that of cultivated barley. In this study, selection is performed on 450 recombinant inbred lines derived from crossing 21 diverse wild barley genotypes (collected from various origin locations worldwide) with cultivated barley (Rihan 03). Each wild barley genotype transfers chromosomal segments and specific genes to the cultivated barley genotype (a hygiene-like process), and thus the effects of different wild barley genome segments on the genetic traits of the cultivated variety can be studied, promising access to new varieties that, under stress conditions, have improved agronomic performance and yield.

Safflower is one of the most important indigenous plants in the country, with applications in the oil, medicinal, and even forage industries. Given that problems caused by global warming and droughts will worsen each year, it is necessary to increase safflower’s drought tolerance. To this end, plant geneticists must develop new varieties. One breeding approach is to introduce genes for tolerance to environmental stresses (especially drought) from wild species into cultivated safflower. Wild relatives of crop plants are highly adaptable to environmental stresses like drought. Although arid regions of Iran encompass a wide center of safflower diversity, with a substantial distribution of wild safflower species in Iran, the Iranian wild safflower germplasm has not had a prominent place in studies related to drought tolerance of this plant. Moreover, to address part of the water shortage problem, autumn sowing can be used, which consumes less water by leveraging winter rainfall resources and cooler temperatures. Exploiting the potential of wild species to create drought-tolerant lines adapted to autumn cultivation (cold) through interspecific crosses has led to notable successes in plant breeding; however, safflower has not yet utilized this potential. Advancing lines until obtaining ITER lines could pave the way for developing genetic and improvement studies in safflower.

This project aims to address some safflower breeding challenges by focusing on three germplasm obtained from three interspecific crosses (two wild species and one cultivated species) in three studies. The interspecific crosses are (TP) C. tinctorius × C. palaestinus, × C. oxyacanthus; (TO) C. tinctorius × C. oxyacanthus; (PO) C. tinctorius × C. palaestinus, with the progenies advanced to later generations. Genotype screening for drought, salinity, and cold tolerance in the progenies from these interspecific safflower crosses enables the identification of drought-tolerant lines, discovery of novel and tolerant genetic variants, and the identification of the best lines.

Anise is one of the important medicinal plants, containing a variety of essential oil constituents and widely used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, kidney stones, women's health issues, and more. In Iran, anise is represented by four subspecies:

1. Foeniculum vulgare ssp. piperitum (Ucrial) Cout.

2. F. vulgare var. vulgare (Mill.) (bitter anise) — this subspecies is found only in Iran

3. F. vulgare var. dulce Batt. et Trab. (sweet anise)

4. F. vulgare var. azoricum (Mill.) Holub. (Florence fennel).

Studies have been conducted on the stability and compatibility of the germplasm consisting of ecotypes and Iranian and foreign samples of anise. Subsequently, the genetic diversity, phenotypic morphological traits, viability, longevity, and recoverability after a long period of reduced irrigation (at least 6 months) in the mentioned germplasm are analyzed. Polycross crosses to evaluate general combining ability of parents and to create new recombinant varieties for drought-stress conditions are among the other research objectives.

Lawns (grasses) have always held a special place in Iranian culture as one of the main components of green spaces, alongside flowers and trees, and they are used for environmental, recreational, sports, and decorative purposes. One of the challenges of the current green space in the country is the reliance on imported grass varieties that require very high water. Seed imports drain foreign exchange resources and contrast with the policies of a resilient economy. Moreover, imported varieties are adapted to the humid and water-rich conditions of their origin countries (primarily Europe), and maintaining them in dry and semi-dry areas involves substantial water use and losses, to the extent that a large portion of urban water use is allocated to their green spaces. Water consumption for these grasses has been reported to reach up to 12 millimeters per day. This daily water use exceeds even the annual natural rainfall. Imported grasses have shallow root systems genetically and very low drought resistance. Therefore, although these grasses may be suitable under high-water conditions, their use under drought conditions is not at all sensible. The water requirements of the currently used grass varieties are such that during the warm seasons they need to be irrigated daily or several times per week, and on average, each irrigation cycle requires about 15 liters of water per square meter of grass. Few people have not observed the high daily water consumption of city lawns, and in such low-water conditions they do not feel guilty.

The understanding of this issue becomes clearer when we calculate the area of green space in the country or in a province and multiply it by the water consumption per square meter. Over the past 15 years, we have established relations with many international gene and seed banks, and their grass genetic materials have been made available (more than 300 samples from around the world) so that, while improving grasses for the inherent conditions of the dry and semi-arid regions of the country, we can also compare them with grasses from other parts of the world and take advantage of the benefits of integrating the genomes of grasses worldwide. The breeding objectives for these grasses are not limited to green spaces but also include preventing soil erosion, reducing floods, and forage use in rangelands. Identifying and genetically improving drought-tolerant grasses through leveraging the existing genetic diversity in the country (including genes for tolerance to abiotic stresses and a strong root system) and combining it with external diversity (to improve grass quality), and genetically improving grasses for salinity tolerance by performing interspecific crosses between the most suitable parents of drought-tolerant grasses and enhancing traits related to survivability, vigor, drought recovery, and summer and winter dormancy in grasses for seed varieties in harsh regions and national grass production are among the other aims of this project.ties are such that during the warm seasons they need to be irrigated daily or several times per week, and on average, each irrigation cycle requires about 15 liters of water per square meter of grass. Few people have not observed the high daily water consumption of city lawns, and in such low-water conditions they do not feel guilty.

The understanding of this issue becomes clearer when we calculate the area of green space in the country or in a province and multiply it by the water consumption per square meter. Over the past 15 years, we have established relations with many international gene and seed banks, and their grass genetic materials have been made available (more than 300 samples from around the world) so that, while improving grasses for the inherent conditions of the dry and semi-arid regions of the country, we can also compare them with grasses from other parts of the world and take advantage of the benefits of integrating the genomes of grasses worldwide. The breeding objectives for these grasses are not limited to green spaces but also include preventing soil erosion, reducing floods, and forage use in rangelands. Identifying and genetically improving drought-tolerant grasses through leveraging the existing genetic diversity in the country (including genes for tolerance to abiotic stresses and a strong root system) and combining it with external diversity (to improve grass quality), and genetically improving grasses for salinity tolerance by performing interspecific crosses between the most suitable parents of drought-tolerant grasses and enhancing traits related to survivability, vigor, drought recovery, and summer and winter dormancy in grasses for seed varieties in harsh regions and national grass production are among the other aims of this project.