The saline revolution?
Satkhira, April 27 (bdnews24.com) – Bangladeshi scientists have created two new salt-resistant hybrid paddies. The scientists say that cultivation of the new paddy in the coastal areas will increase production by 400,000 Mons yearly. These two types of paddy were cultivated at the Binerpota firm in Satkhira and harvested began on Monday.
Dr. Mirza Mofazzol Islam, scientific officer of Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) and the creator of the new paddies, said that these will yield 4.5 metric tons per hectare. He added that if these paddies were introduced in the 10,000 hectares of land in the southern region, production will increase by 4,000,000 metric tons.
BINA has proposed to name the paddies, 'BINA-8' and 'BINA-9'. Dr. Mofazzol said that the farmers of the coastal region have been dreaming of a paddy which could survive high levels of salinity The paddies will be able to withstand salinity of 10 desi Siemens, he added. Dr. M Roisul Haider, chief scientific officer of BINA said that there is 1,000,000 hectares in the country where the salt is higher than the normal level and during the Boro or dry season it ranges from 4 to 20 desi Siemen.
Officials of the agriculture extension department said that every year 65 hectares of land goes out of cultivation and 20 Sotangsos (100 Sotangso = 1 acre) land is lost in the southern region everyday. They hoped that innovation of salt-resistant paddy will help to minimize the loss.
Earlier Bangladesh Rice Research Institute had invented three types of paddies namely BRRI-40 and 41 for Aman season and BRRI-47 for Boro season but the yield of these kinds fall as salinity increases and crosses 6 desi Siemen per meter. Researchers of BINA said that the new paddies will yield 4.5 to 5 tons per hectare even if the salinity is 8 to 10 desi Siemen per meter and will yield 6 to 7 tons under normal condition.
The new paddies are 'light-sensitive' and so can be cultivated in Boro and Aman season. They will mature in 130 to 135 days in the Boro season and 120 to 125 days in Aman season.
Officials of the agricultural extension department estimated that if 30 percent of the salt affected agricultural land in southern region could be cultivated with these paddies more than 1,000,000 tons of rice will be produced. The researchers are expecting more than 2,000,000 tons of rice production in the salt-affected districts of Satkhira, Bagherhat and Khulna alone. They are also estimating more than 4,000,000 tons of rice production if these paddies are cultivated in the salt-affected regions of Barishal, Noakhali and Chittagong.
Dr. Mofazzol said that 2 tons of seed can be produced in the current Boro season and Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation will distribute this among the farmers.
Dr. Mirza Mofazzol Islam, scientific officer of Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) and the creator of the new paddies, said that these will yield 4.5 metric tons per hectare. He added that if these paddies were introduced in the 10,000 hectares of land in the southern region, production will increase by 4,000,000 metric tons.
BINA has proposed to name the paddies, 'BINA-8' and 'BINA-9'. Dr. Mofazzol said that the farmers of the coastal region have been dreaming of a paddy which could survive high levels of salinity The paddies will be able to withstand salinity of 10 desi Siemens, he added. Dr. M Roisul Haider, chief scientific officer of BINA said that there is 1,000,000 hectares in the country where the salt is higher than the normal level and during the Boro or dry season it ranges from 4 to 20 desi Siemen.
Officials of the agriculture extension department said that every year 65 hectares of land goes out of cultivation and 20 Sotangsos (100 Sotangso = 1 acre) land is lost in the southern region everyday. They hoped that innovation of salt-resistant paddy will help to minimize the loss.
Earlier Bangladesh Rice Research Institute had invented three types of paddies namely BRRI-40 and 41 for Aman season and BRRI-47 for Boro season but the yield of these kinds fall as salinity increases and crosses 6 desi Siemen per meter. Researchers of BINA said that the new paddies will yield 4.5 to 5 tons per hectare even if the salinity is 8 to 10 desi Siemen per meter and will yield 6 to 7 tons under normal condition.
The new paddies are 'light-sensitive' and so can be cultivated in Boro and Aman season. They will mature in 130 to 135 days in the Boro season and 120 to 125 days in Aman season.
Officials of the agricultural extension department estimated that if 30 percent of the salt affected agricultural land in southern region could be cultivated with these paddies more than 1,000,000 tons of rice will be produced. The researchers are expecting more than 2,000,000 tons of rice production in the salt-affected districts of Satkhira, Bagherhat and Khulna alone. They are also estimating more than 4,000,000 tons of rice production if these paddies are cultivated in the salt-affected regions of Barishal, Noakhali and Chittagong.
Dr. Mofazzol said that 2 tons of seed can be produced in the current Boro season and Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation will distribute this among the farmers.
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