RANGPUR, Dec 15, 2019 (BSS) – Agriculturists at a farmers’ field day event
have stressed popularising quadruple cropping patterns to produce four crops
on the same land annually for boosting food production to make farm
activities more profitable.
They expressed the view at the event arranged to demonstrate four quadruple
cropping patterns on the 1.35 acre exhibition plot of six farmers and harvest
potato as the pattern’s first crop in village Ranochondi of Kishoreganj
upazila in Nilphamari on Saturday afternoon.
Quadruple cropping patterns mean cultivating four crops on a piece of land
yearly. The instance of such cropping pattern can be — ‘early potato-potato-
mungbean-T Aman rice’, ‘early potato-potato-T-Aush rice-T-Aman rice’, ‘early
potato-potato relay with maize-T-Aman rice’ and ‘early potato-onion-mungbean-
T-Aman rice’.
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI)’s Regional Agricultural
Research Station (RARS) at Burirhat of Rangpur organised the event
participated by 100 male and female farmers. Principal Scientific Officer of
BARI at the RARS Agriculturist Dr. Ashish Kumar Saha addressed the event as
the chief guest with its Senior Scientific Officer (SSO) Agriculturist Dr.
Sarker Md. Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal in the chair.
SSO of BARI at the RARS Agriculturist Dr. Md Obaidul Haque, Agriculturists
Md. Armanul Islam Sarker, Md. Mostahed Hossain and Dr. Md. Harun-Ar-Rashid
spoke.
The agriculturists said farmers are cultivating early varieties of potato
on high and medium high land in Kishoreganj region of Nilphamari and reaping
lucrative profits in last few years.
After harvesting early potato, farmers generally cultivate maize and T-Aman
rice or only maize on the same land without proper agronomic management which
deprive them of more profits, they observed.
The RARS has set up exhibition plot involving farmers in the village
demonstrating proper fertiliser, pesticide and disease management, selection
of right crops and varieties to produce four crops annually adopting
quadruple cropping patterns.
On the occasion, farmers Rashid, Abu, Rashidul, Shahadul, Lebu and Azizul,
owners of the 1.35 acre exhibition plot, harvested early potato as the first
crop and got excellent yield rate.
Dr. Saha said farmers will reap more profits by farming four crops like
high yielding varieties of potato, onion, mungbean, maize and less irrigation
water consuming T Aush rice evolved by BARI and Bangladesh Rice Research
Institute on same land annually.
“Farming four crops annually adopting quadruple cropping patterns by
ensuing proper agronomic management will ensure maximum use of cultivable
land, protect soil health, environment and ensure food security,” Saha added.