Wheat Production in Stressed Environments: Proceedings of the 7th International Wheat Conference, 27 November - 2 December 2005, Mar del Plata, Argentina (Developments in Plant Breeding, 12)

Wheat researchers have made unique contributions and excellent progress to the production increase over the past several decades, mainly in the less developed countries; however, there are many challenges that still lie ahead to make food more accessible than ever before in a sustainable manner and to meet the needs of a global growing population. Numerous biotic and abiotic stresses affect wheat in major production areas and its future growth will most likely come from marginal envir- ments where such stresses play even more important role. Developing countries are becoming increasingly urbanized. As urban populations grow, productive land disappears and this implies the need for more intensive cropping to keep pace. Water utilization for agriculture is also facing more competition from uses in urban areas. Focused efforts to improve wheat water-use efficiency are crucial to ensure sustainability of food production in water-constrained regions. Current crop management systems such as reduced or zero tillage, stubble retention and precision agriculture are vital to satisfy the increasing needs of food and maintain at the same time the sustainability of natural resources. The widespread adoption of conservation farming techniques requires the introduction of changes to wheat varieties in disease resistance, particularly stubble-born diseases.

Born 17 October 1919 in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, USSR. Graduated from Dnipropetrovsk State University (Physical Department) in 1941. Defended candidate dissertation (Ph.D thesis) in 1948. From 1945 till 1965 worked as researcher and then the head of department at P.L. Kapitza Institute of Physical Problems of the USSR Academy of Sciences. In 1952 defended Dr. Sci. dissertation. From 1965 till 1992 was director of L.D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences (now Russian Academy of Sciences), since 1993 honorary director of L.D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics. From 1994 till now President of Landau Network - Centro Volta (Como, Italy).Since 1954 professor at Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology (Phystech) and from 1993 till now professor at Tel Aviv University, School of Physics and Astronomy.In 1972 was elected the corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences and in 1984 became the full member (academician).Was also elected as foreign member of Royal Society in 1994, became Lorentz Professor at Leiden University in 1968.Decorated with USSR and Russian orders.Was awarded: State Prize of the USSR 1953, Landau Prize of the USSR Academy of Sciences 1974, Alexander-von-Humboldt Award 1989, Kiwanis Prize "For Science and Disarmament" 1999.I.M. Khalatnikov is the author of several hundreds papers and many books including: "Introduction to the Theory of Superfluidity" (W.A. Benjamin, Inc. New York, Amsterdam, 1965), "Landau: The Physicist and the Man "(Recollections of L.D. Landau edited by I.M. Khalatnikov) ( Pergamon Press, Oxford, New York, Beijing, Frankfurt, Sao Paulo, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, 1989), "The theory of superfluidity" (Nauka, Moscow, 1971).