Al-Bayda – The 2025/2026 agricultural season for wheat and barley trials began, Wednesday, at the Al-Safsaf Station, part of the Al-Bayda Agricultural Research Center. The activities involved the planting of 120 experimental units to evaluate a set of promising grain varieties, in collaboration with the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) and CIMMYT.
Sheikha Salam, Director of the Extension and Information Department at the Agricultural Research Center, confirmed to a “WAL” correspondent that these trials are part of efforts to enhance national food security and to identify high-yielding varieties that are better able to adapt to the climatic conditions in Libya.
The three wheat trials included evaluating the productivity of soft wheat (D.WYY) and durum wheat (D.DYT),
in addition to a third trial for soft wheat aimed at comparison and improving production performance.
In the barley trials, six varieties, whose samples arrived from the Safit Station – Tripoli Branch, were propagated with the goal of multiplying high-performing seeds and supporting genetic improvement programs.
To ensure a strong start to the season, diammonium phosphate (DAP), an essential fertilizer that supports plant growth in the early stages, was applied directly during planting.
Salam indicated that the results of these trials will contribute to selecting the highest-yielding and most suitable varieties for the local agricultural environment, which will bolster the state’s efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in strategic grains in the coming years.