A wheat variety developed by Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad, named QUAID-2026, has been approved for cultivation, marking a significant achievement in the University’s agricultural research and innovation efforts.

Developed by Dr. Awais Rasheed and Dr. Tariq Mahmood of the Department of Plant Sciences, QUAID-2026 is a high-yielding, cold-tolerant, and disease-resistant wheat variety. The new variety also possesses excellent chapati-making quality and enhanced zinc content, making it a nutritionally valuable crop for consumers while offering improved productivity and resilience for farmers.

The approval was granted during the 47th Provincial Seed Council (PSC) Meeting, held under the chairmanship of the Honorable Minister for Agriculture, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mian Muhammad Umar, and co-chaired by the Honorable Secretary Agriculture, Dr. Muhammad Bakhtiar.

The Council reviewed proposals for new crop varieties that had undergone rigorous scientific evaluation during the Pre-Provincial Seed Council Meeting held in 2025. A total of 21 varietal proposals were initially assessed by technical experts before being presented to the Council for consideration.

The approval of QUAID-2026 represents an important milestone for Quaid-i-Azam University, demonstrating the practical impact of its research on national agricultural development. The variety is expected to contribute to enhanced wheat productivity, improved nutritional security, and greater resilience of farming systems in wheat-growing regions.