If raspberries can grow in Edinburgh, Scotland, will they grow in Bogotá, Colombia? A farmer asks "What crops can I plant on this field?" A plant breeder has just improved a new variety and wonders, "Where else would it grow as well as in site X?" The answers to these questions can be found through Homologue™, a computer program created at Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT).

"Homologue allows us to find different sites where a variety or crop will respond well," affirms William Díaz, of CIAT's Land Use Project, who worked on the program. "It also produces a map of probabilities where good results can be expected. This is useful for making decisions on introducing new species, conserving germplasm banks, or conducting participatory research in sites with similar conditions."

For the breeder, Homologue will produce a map of probable sites around the world where the variety will grow well.

Although directed at agricultural technicians and researchers, the program is very user-friendly, needing only a few basic data such as longitude, latitude, and, optionally, soil characteristics. It is the product of research begun more than two decades ago by Peter Jones, agricultural geographer; James Cock, genetic resources specialist; and other colleagues at CIAT's Land Use Project.

Dr Jones has already created two programs—FloraMap® and MarkSim®. The former locates sites of possible adaptation and helps in decision-making to conserve plant species and other useful organisms in the wild. The latter program simulates climates. The new program—Homologue—combines the two.

Homologue is already being applied in Colombia to locate sites where organic coffee with certain characteristics for the international market can be planted.

More information: http://gisweb.ciat.cgiar.org/homologue/