In the Mymensingh region, local Aman varieties planted this season have not yet reached the booting stage, but harvesting of the early variety BINA dhan17, developed by the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), has begun. Farmers are delighted with the bumper crop of this drought-tolerant, short-duration, high-yielding rice.

From above, a patch of golden BINA dhan17 stands out amid green fields. Other varieties planted at the same time show only a few panicles and need another month and a half to mature.

Farmer Helal Uddin of Konagaon Kejaikanda in Muktagachha took 10 kg of seed from BINA and planted 15 decimals, and got a bumper crop; he plans to plant all his land with it next time. Agriculturist A K M Azizul Haque Dudu grew it on 52 decimals and said many local farmers are seeking advice. Teacher Anwar Hossain was pleased to harvest in Ashwin rather than the usual Agrahayan; the panicles are larger and the colour good. Farmer Sirajul Islam admitted he had laughed at those who planted it, but they are harvesting while his crop has not headed, and he will plant it next time.

BINA Director General Dr Mirza Mofazzal Islam, who developed the variety, said it was bred through joint research by China, IRRI and BINA, combining many traits. It tolerates disease, saves a third of urea and half the water and is drought-tolerant, so it is called "green super rice", and he expects it to become a mega variety.

It yields 8 tonnes per hectare and can be harvested 110 days after transplanting, allowing three to four crops a year on the same land, including Boro, and raising farmers' incomes. With a goal of doubling farmers' incomes by 2030, BINA dhan17 is being spread across the country, he said.

Source: Samprotik Deshkal. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.