Farmers in Sirajganj growing high-yielding varieties from the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) have harvested one maund of paddy per decimal, and some have exceeded that depending on the variety. The newly developed BRRI dhan92 had less disease and pest attack than conventional varieties and yielded more paddy and straw per bigha.

A B M Anwar Uddin, principal scientific officer of BRRI's Sirajganj regional office, said BRRI dhan92 has all the traits of modern high-yielding rice. Its plant type differs from BRRI dhan87, with mature plants averaging 125 cm. The grain is long and slender, with 8.3 per cent protein and 24 per cent amylose. It averages 33 maunds per bigha and can reach 36 maunds with good care, with a life cycle of 156 days. Since BRRI dhan92 and Bangabandhu dhan100 were developed, the best yields are being obtained.

The line was developed by crossing with a BRRI variety and then anther culture. Homozygous lines were selected and yield-tested for three years on BRRI's fields, then tested in farmers' fields across the country in the 2022 Boro season. Because it outyielded BRRI dhan49, it was chosen as a proposed variety.

Scientific officer S M M Shahriar Tonmoy said the regional office researches rice in Sirajganj, Pabna, Bogura and Joypurhat, where this season it has 135 one-bigha demonstrations and 185 blocks of five to 20 bighas.

Farmer Ekram Ali of Dhopakandi, Kamarkhanda, got 67 maunds from 66 decimals in his first season. Rafiq Sheikh of Raidaulatpur grew BRRI dhan92 on three bighas and Bangabandhu dhan100 on two, and said both yielded more than other varieties. DAE sub-assistant agriculture officer Shaminur Islam said the variety had fewer pests and did not lodge in light wind.

BRRI senior scientific officer Dr Rezwan Bhuiyan said seed is being conserved and spread to farmers nationwide, which will raise production and reduce reliance on costly imported seed. Agriculturist Kamrul Hasan said farmland is shrinking while population grows, so high-yielding varieties are vital. Bablu Kumar Sutradhar, DAE deputy director in Sirajganj, said rising labour costs are pushing up production costs, so farmers are being helped with machines for planting and harvesting.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.