The Republic of Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Agriculture and the agro-industrial sector contribute more than 40% to Uzbekistan's GDP. Cotton is the dominant crop, accounting for roughly 45% of the country's exports. Uzbekistan also produces significant amounts of wheat, silk, fruit, and vegetables.

Plant breeding is carried out since more than 100 years ago and biotechnology is used in breeding since more than 20 years by both the public and the private sector. The number of plant breeders is relatively high; nevertheless only a few have a Ph.D.

With the transition towards the grain independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan, significant attention was addressed to breeding of grain crops. This investment decreased resources allocated to cotton and other crops such as rice, forage crops, corn and vegetable crops. The main resources were allocated to line development and evaluation. Biotic and abiotic stresses became high priorities in breeding these last few years due to the increased salinity of soils observed in many areas.

The lack of financial resources and knowledge about the use of molecular technique support are the two most important factors limiting the success of plant breeding programme in Uzbekistan.

Research and education institutes with activities in plant breeding

Public Institutes

	Gallyaaral Branch Institute of Grains No Website available Plant breeding work is carried out on bread and durum wheat for boghara and on irrigated conditions, triticale and maize breeding, breeding of barley, leguminous crops, soybean and peas. This branch has significant scientific potential.
	Uzbek Research Institute of Plant Industry (UzRIPI) No Website available UzRIPI was founded under the leadership of N.I.Vavilov in 1924 and nowadays it is one of the greatest scientific institutions in Central Asia, where an extensive genepool of agricultural plants is concentrated.
	Uzbek Research Institute of Vegetables, Melons and Potatoes No Website available This institute has a row of laboratory, hothouses, experimental fields and several branches in the region. It has different joint projects with various breeding institute worldwide.
	Institute of Genetics and Experimental Biology of Plants No Website available The main objective of this institute is the creation of new cotton and wheat varieties based on molecular genetics, biotechnologies and breeding. It has a unique collection of the cotton germplasm and of plant pathogens. It hosts 20 scientific laboratories.

Private Institutes

Private Company of Maize No Website available IBET is a private non-profit biotechnology research organization created with the specific purpose of being an interface between research and production activities. At present IBET is carrying on research in rice breeding (biotic and abiotic stresses), almond tree (molecular characterization of Portuguese varieties, studies concerning tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses). IBET is also working on molecular characterization of Portuguese varieties of grapevine, olive tree, forages and maize.

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Information by Saidmurot Baboev (2005). - Information based on the Uzbekistan's full report from the PBBC survey. Last revised 26-06-2010, GIPB.