The National Plant Protection Centre is conducting a three-day Wheat Genomics and Bioinformatics Training Workshop (8-10 June, 2026) to strengthen national capacity in the use of modern genomic and bioinformatics tools for agricultural research and plant health.

Wheat is one of the world’s most important food crops, providing a significant share of the calories and protein consumed globally. Ensuring its productivity and resilience is critical to food security, particularly in the face of climate change, emerging diseases, and growing food demand.

Despite the importance of wheat, very little genomic information is currently available on Bhutanese wheat landraces. These traditional varieties represent valuable genetic resources that may possess unique traits for disease resistance, climate adaptation, and crop improvement. Understanding their genetic diversity is therefore important for both conservation and future breeding efforts.

The workshop provides participants with practical knowledge and skills in genomics and bioinformatics, which are increasingly important for characterizing crop genetic resources, identifying disease-resistance traits, and supporting evidence-based agricultural research. The training will also support future research on Bhutanese wheat landraces and wheat diseases, contributing to stronger national research and plant health systems.

The programme is supported through the WISER Project under International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in collaboration with the John Innes Centre and The Sainsbury Laboratory, United Kingdom. Additional support is provided through the GetGenome (Genomics for All) initiative, the Gates Foundation, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the UK government, and the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council .

NPPC extends its sincere appreciation to all partner institutions and funding organizations for their continued support in advancing genomics research and capacity building in Bhutan.