%0 Journal Article
%T Plant breeding in the semiarid region of Brazil: examples of success
%A Manoel Ab¨ªlio de Queiroz
%A Levi de Moura Barros
%A Luiz Paulo de Carvalho
%A Jonas de Ara¨²jo Candeia
%J Crop Breeding and Applied Biotechnology
%D 2012
%I Brazilian Society of Plant Breeding
%X The Northeastern region of Brazil comprises the Caatinga biome (900,000 km2) part of which is a semiarid region with rainfed and irrigated production systems. Among the successful breeding programs are cashew and cotton. The first led to a substantial increase in nut production in Cear¨¢, Rio Grande do Norte and Piau¨ª and the second bred a naturally colored cotton fiber, now processed in small clothing industries in Paraiba, exporting to 11 countries. In the lower-middle S o Francisco valley, the previously grown onion was replaced by improved varieties, on 90% of the production area, and by industrial tomato, introduced by research in 1972, which came to be used on more than 80% of the area at the time. The participation of the private sector and continuity of breeding programs were crucial for the success. More examples of success are expected with the establishment of postgraduate courses in Agricultural Sciences in the Semiarid region.
%K Anacardium occidentale
%K Gossypium hirsutum
%K Allium cepa
%K Lycopersicum esculentum.
%U http://www.sbmp.org.br/cbab/siscbab/uploads/b14235ce-3fc7-4093.pdf