Leyla Uzeyir Hasanova is a Senior Researcher at the Plant Breeding and Seed Production Laboratory of the Research Institute of Crop Husbandry under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan. She has also worked at the Primary Seed Production and Seed Quality Laboratory, where she actively participated in the organization of primary seed production programs and the implementation of laboratory analyses for seed quality assessment of cereal and legume crops cultivated across various regions of the country and at the institute’s regional experimental farms.

Genetic Resources and Breeding Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture in Azerbaijan: Implications for Aquatic Ecosystem Resilience                                                                               Azerbaijan, with its diverse agro-ecological zones and rich biodiversity, is a significant center for crop genetic resources. The Research Institute of Crop Husbandry plays a crucial role in the conservation, characterization, and utilization of these resources, with a particular focus on breeding programs for cereals, legumes, and forage crops. Our ongoing research aims to develop high-yielding, stress-tolerant varieties adapted to the region's changing climatic conditions, employing both classical and molecular breeding techniques. These efforts contribute not only to national food security but also to the sustainable management of agricultural landscapes, which are intrinsically linked to the health of adjacent aquatic ecosystems. The development of resilient crop varieties reduces the need for chemical inputs, thereby mitigating the negative impacts of agricultural runoff on water bodies and supporting the long-term sustainability of fisheries and aquatic systems. This presentation will highlight our institute's key breeding achievements, discuss the integration of genetic resource conservation with sustainable agricultural practices, and explore potential collaborative opportunities for enhancing the resilience of both terrestrial and aquatic food production systems in the South Caucasus region.