ZCZC
BSS-06
BRRIDHAN-81-VARIETY (with picture)
Brridhan-81 plays vital role to ensure food security
RAJSHAHI, May 14, 2020 (BSS)- Brridhan-81 has started playing a vital role towards ensuring food security as it can give seven to eight mound better yield than many other varieties including the conventional ones.
Many other local varieties, especially Jirashail, which is low-yielding, can be replaced by the variety easily. The newly developed variety is high yielding, short duration, high proteins and disease resistant.
Dr Shahjahan Kabir, Director General of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), revealed this while addressing a crop-cutting ceremony of the variety at Sukrabari village under Gomastapur Upazila in Chapainawabgonj district Wednesday.
On the occasion, Mahbubul Alam Bubul, a farmer of the village, told the visiting team members that he has attained 30 mounds from per bigha of land after cultivating Brridhan-81 on two acres of land. He terms the yield as an over-expectation.
BRRI Chief Scientific Officer Dr Aminul Islam, Senior Scientific Officer Dr Harun-Or-Rashid, Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension Nazrul Islam, Upazila Agriculture Officer Masud Hossain and Union Parishad Chairman Shah Alam were present at the programme.
Dr Jahangir Kabir said BRRI has developed 14 Boro paddy varieties including BRRI dhan 36, 58, 81 and 86 which are appropriate for Rajshahi region including its vast Barind tract. Among these varieties, BRRI dhan81 is gradually becoming popular in the region.
Brridhan50 is export-oriented premium quality rice, Brridhan58 is comparatively high yielding and Brridhan84 is iron and zinc-enriched.
He added that the conventional varieties are being replaced by the modern varieties which are good signs for the region in terms of boosting yield.
Dr Kabir said there is no way but to enhance the rice production to mitigate adverse impact of Covid-19 pandemic side by side with the gradual declining of resources and agriculture manpower.
Need-based step has been taken to quickly extend the seed of the variety among the farmers that will help boost paddy production together with playing a bigger role towards ensuring food security in the country.
He also said the present government has been providing agriculture subsidies to the farmers regularly. Farmers are also getting subsidy support for seed, fertilizer and combined harvester in the pandemic time.
BRRI has been extending the newly developed high yielding paddy varieties side by side with the best agricultural management so that they can derive total benefits of those, Dr Kabir added.
BSS/AH/MMA/1130HRS