Establishment of the first speed breeding facility in Central Asia: development of an accessible bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) protocol for resource-limited research institutions

Kanat Yermekbayev, Aibek Abduakassov, Madi Shoken, Zhuldyz Sartbayeva, Kuat Baimyrzayev, Makpal Bauyrzhan, Сауле Абугалиева, Yerlan Turuspekov, Zahid Mahmood

2026

Full text Open access: Gold Metadata (CSL-JSON)
DOI 10.3389/fpls.2026.1876304
Data confidence 70 medium
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Abstract

Introduction Speed Breeding (SB) has become an essential tool for rapid breeding pipeline. However, the practical implementation of existing wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) SB protocols is largely constrained by a dependence on specialized plant care facilities. This study provides detailed instructions for growing wheat under SB conditions that can be implemented by institutions lacking dedicated technical support departments. Methods The first Central Asian SB facility was established at Zhetysu University named after Iliyas Zhansugurov. For the identification of an effective plant growing substrate, sixteen treatments were developed. The nutrient management of the most suitable potting mix included two steps: i) identification of the importance of Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (NPK) supplementation, and ii) identification of optimal timing and nutrient dosage. Fertilizers were supplied at 4 different time intervals. Plants were supplemented with a foliar spray of calcium nitrate and copper and were hand-watered once a day. The plant material included seven wheat genotypes. Developmental dynamics and grain yield were evaluated under two, 1.5-and 2.0-meter, light-to-bench distances. A germination test was conducted at different time points after flowering. Results In this study, we report the establishment of the first SB facility in Central Asia. The developed cost-effective potting mix contained 65% FFPM, 18% perlite, 12% sand, and 7% bio humus per L -1 . An additional NPK supplementation under the 21d_L time interval significantly increased effective tiller number (ETN, p=1x10 -5 ), number of kernels per plant (NKP, p=1x10 -8 ) and grain weight per plant (GWP, p=2x10 -5 ) compared to non-fertilized control (NF). The ETN of plants grown under the 1.5 m treatment was significantly higher (p=3x10 -4 ) than that of in 2.0 m condition. This resulted in an 83.3% increase in ETN (p=2x10 -4 ), 145% in NKP (p=8x10 -3 ) and 127% in GWP (p=6x10 -3 ) without compromising thousand grain weight (TGW, p=8x10 -1 ), highlighting a potential positive effect of proximity to a 1.5 m light-bench under SB conditions. The light intensities in the range of 500–700, depending on the developmental stage, supported healthy wheat growth under SB conditions. Discussion This study findings support sustainable regional and global wheat breeding programs aiming to incorporate the speed breeding technique into their breeding schemes, specifically in underrepresented regions.