Govt nods 10 new rice varieties

The government has registered and released 10 new varieties of rice for cultivation in the Boro season aiming to boost production. 

Of these, two inbreed varieties were developed by Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), one inbreed variety by Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), one by non-government organization BRAC, and six hybrid ones by other entities.

The National Seed Board gave the approval at its 106th meeting held at the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday with Agriculture Secretary and NSB Chairman Md Sayedul Islam in the chair. 

BSS adds: Speaking at the meeting, Sayedul Islam said the yield of hybrids is high and that is why the ministry is now focusing on innovation and cultivation of high-yielding varieties to increase production from less land.

He said 218 paddy varieties have already been registered and from now on, importance will be given to the registration of paddy varieties that will benefit the farmers for a longer period.

BRRI-101 variety, invented by BRRI, is resistant to burn disease caused by bacteria and BRRI-102 is a zinc-enriched variety, the agriculture secretary said.

In the trial, he said, the average yield of BRRI-101 was 7.72 metric tonnes per hectare, while BRRI-102 was 8.11 tonnes per hectare.

The amount of zinc in BRRI-102 rice was 25.5 mg per kg, Sayedul Islam said, adding that during trial, the average yield of BINA-25 was 7.64 tonnes per hectare.

He said the rice of BINA-25 is very long and thin, which is white, crisp and delicious, and its lifespan is 145 days.

Director general of the ministry (seed wing), Abdullah Sazzad, additional secretary Kamalaranjan Das, BARC executive chairman Dr Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar, chairman of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) AFM Hayatullah, BRRI director general Shahjahan Kabir and BINA director general Dr Mirza Mofazzal Islam were, among others, present at the meeting.

RMM/SU