Maragheh – Iranian researchers have made a significant breakthrough in agriculture by developing a new durum wheat variety named 'Dayan'.

This high-yielding variety is specifically designed for cultivation in diverse dryland regions of the country, including temperate, cold, and warm climates.

Moffazar Roostaei, director of the Arid and Rainfed Agriculture Research Institute, highlighted the superior performance of 'Dayan' compared to existing varieties like 'Saji' and 'Zahab' under dryland conditions.

“The new variety exhibits strong resistance to yellow rust, lodging, and shattering, while also boasting high protein content and semolina quality,” he said.

With the addition of 'Dayan', the institute's collection of durum wheat varieties suitable for various Iranian climates has expanded to 14. This increased variety offers farmers greater flexibility and adaptability to different environmental conditions.

Roostaei anticipates that widespread cultivation of 'Dayan' will lead to a substantial increase in durum wheat production and stability in dryland areas.