Performance of Purple rice cultivar under different hill density

Purple rice has become a fascinating source of nutritional value among healthy cereal grains. A field experiment was conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural University during the Rabi season (February to May) of 2021 to evaluate the effect of number of seedlings/hill on growth, yield attributes and yield of Purple rice. Three seedling densities, viz. 1, 2 and 3 seedlings/hill, and three rice cultivars, viz. Purple rice, Pahari rice and a check BRRI dhan67 were experimental treatments and the experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. Results revealed that seedling number/hill had significant effects on the growth, yield and yield attributes of rice cultivars. The tallest plant (136.31 cm) was observed from the transplanting of 1 seedling/hill followed by 2 seedlings/hill (133.35 cm) in Pahari rice. The maximum values of the number of effective tillers (13.47; Purple rice), flag leaf length and width (41.36 and 1.24 cm; Pahari rice) were recorded from the treatment 2 seedlings/hill. The longest panicle (26.58 cm; Pahari rice) was observed in 1 seedling/hill, statistically, a similar value was found with 2 seedlings/hill (24.44 cm). Among rice cultivars, BRRI dhan67 produced the heaviest grains (1000-seed weight 23.96 g) with 2 seedlings/hill and maximum grain yield (6.35 t/ha) with 1 seedling/hill. Single seedling/hill was found to be the best management practice to get a higher yield per unit area for Purple rice and other rice cultivars also

The application of data mining techniques for the regionalisation of hydrological variables

International audienceFlood quantile estimation for ungauged catchment areas continues to be a routine problem faced by the practising Engineering Hydrologist, yet the hydrometric networks in many countries are reducing rather than expanding. The result is an increasing reliance on methods for regionalising hydrological variables. Among the most widely applied techniques is the Method of Residuals, an iterative method of classifying catchment areas by their geographical proximity based upon the application of Multiple Linear Regression Analysis (MLRA). Alternative classification techniques, such as cluster analysis, have also been applied but not on a routine basis. However, hydrological regionalisation can also be regarded as a problem in data mining ? a search for useful knowledge and models embedded within large data sets. In particular, Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) can be applied both to classify catchments according to their geomorphological and climatic characteristics and to relate flow quantiles to those characteristics. This approach has been applied to three data sets from the south-west of England and Wales; to England, Wales and Scotland (EWS); and to the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. The results demonstrated that hydrologically plausible clusters can be obtained under contrasting conditions of climate. The four classes of catchment found in the EWS data set were found to be compatible with the three classes identified in the earlier study of a smaller data set from south-west England and Wales. Relationships for the parameters of the at-site distribution of annual floods can be developed that are superior to those based upon MLRA in terms of root mean square errors of validation data sets. Indeed, the results from Java and Sumatra demonstrate a clear advantage in reduced root mean square error of the dependent flow variable through recognising the presence of three classes of catchment. Wider evaluation of this methodology is recommended. Keywords: regionalisation, floods, catchment characteristics, data mining, artificial neural networks</p

RELEASE OF CLONE BT19 AND BT20 FOR POVERTY REDUCTION IN TEA SECTOR OF BANGLADESH

Bangladesh is a country of 140 million populations where poverty reduction is the prior challenge. With a low level of per capita income, Bangladesh needs to formulate a multi-sectorial strategy for poverty reduction. As Bangladesh is an agricultural based country poverty can be minimized by enhancing agricultural inputs to maximize our production. Tea is an important cash crop in our country. Vast population directly or indirectly depends on our tea industry. The present study was conducted to investigate yield, quality and drought performance of the two newly released variety named BT19 and BT20 by Bangladesh Tea Research Institute. The experiment was conducted at Bangladesh Tea Research Institute experimental farm where four test clones namely Sh/D/11/313, A/8/8, A/17/7, A/22/39 and a well renowned Indian clone TV1 used as a control. The experimental result revealed that amongst the four test clones A/17/7 and A/8/8 are statistically more high yielder and drought tolerant than the control. A/17/7 is more high yielding than A/8/8 but A/8/8 is more drought tolerant. So considering yield, quality and drought potentials, the test clone A/17/7 and A/8/8 have recently released as BT19 and BT20 respectively which can be used as improved planting material in our tea growing areas by small growers and small holders to increase our production, quality as well as job opportunities and national income to eradicate our poverty

Genetic diversity in grain quality and nutrition of aromatic rices

The study was conducted at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur in 2005 to assess the genetic divergence of aromatic rices for grain quality and nutrition aspects. Forty genotypes composedof 32 local aromatic, five exotic aromatic and three non-aromatic rice varieties were used. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done. Enormous variations were observed in majority of characters viz.grain length, breadth, kernel weight, milling yield, kernel length, L/B ratio of kernel, volume expansion ratio (VER), protein content, amylose content, elongation ratio (ER) and cooking time. In multivariateanalysis, genotypes were grouped into six clusters. In the discriminant function analysis (DFA), function 1 alone absorbed 61.7% of the total variance. The most contributing variables were kernel weight, kernel length and L/B ratio in function 1. The inter-cluster D2 value was maximum (26.53) between I and VI followed by 21.28 (between I and V). Minimum D2 value was found (5.90) between II and III. Majority of the local aromatic rice varieties with smaller kernels were included in the cluster I. The cluster III contains Elai, sarwati and sugandha-1 with long-slender kernel and ‘very good’ appearance. Thus, these varieties can be used in breeding programme for improvement of germplasms in cluster-I

Evaluation of chickpea lines/mutants for high growth and yield attributes.

A study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of 23 advanced chickpea mutants/lines along with two check varieties Binasola-3 and Binasola-4 at the farmer’s field in Godagari under Rajshahi district during 2006-2007. There was a significant genotypic difference with respect to morphological, physiological, phenological characters, and yield and yield components. Seed yield was positively correlated with plant height, primary and secondary branches, total dry matter (TDM) and number of pods per plant but negatively correlated with days to flowering, days to maturity and protein content. Four mutants/lines viz., CPC-814, CPC-830, CPM-825 (gr) and CPM-834 showed early maturity, higher number of pods and seed yield per plant than all the studied entries, which might be selected for further trials. The highest seed yield (6.93 g plant-1) was recorded in CPC-830. The line CPC-814 produced the highest number of filled pods per plant and the mutant CPM-834 took the shortest days to maturity. Only the mutant CPM-825 (gr) had distinct greenish seed coat color, which could be a genetic marker for identification of developed chickpea genotypes. It was evident that taller plants with higher number of branches and TDM per plant produced higher number of pods per plant as well as seed yield

Genotypic and Seasonal Variation in Plant Development and Yield Attributes in Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) Cultivars

Morphological attributes and yield of eight genotypes of tomato namely, J-5, Binatomato-5, BARItomato-7, CLN-2026, CLN-2366, CLN-2413, CLN-2418 and CLN-2443 were studied over three seasons. Effects of seasonal and genotypic variations and their combination on plant height, number of primary branches per plant, number of flower clusters per plant, number of fruit clusters per plant, number of fruits per plant, individual fruit weight, fruit yield were significant. Fruit yield and almost all the morphological attributes of tomato genotypes were at peak in winter followed by pre-winter and summer season. Over three seasons, the genotype CLN-2413 produced the highest fruit yield followed by BARI tomato-7 producing the tallest plants with maximum number of primary branches and the highest number of fruits per plant. The genotypes Binatomato-5, CLN-2026 and CLN-2418 ranked 3rd and CLN-2366 and CLN-2443 ranked 4th with respect to yield performance. The genotype J-5 produced the lowest number of fruits per plant and fruit yield. In winter, fruits number and yield were highest in CLN-2413 while BARI tomato-7 carried the statistically same rank

Detection and quantification of pesticide residues in selected vegetables of Bangladesh

A survey was conducted in intensive vegetable growing area in the Narsingdi district of Bangladesh regarding pesticides used by farmers on three major vegetables like eggplant, cauliflower, and country bean. On the basis of questionnaires, 23 farmers were interviewed and it was noted that fourteen pesticides belonging to different groups were found to be commonly used on the selected vegetables by the respondent farmers to control the major pests. In two selected locations of Narsinghdi 8.33 to 45.00 percent farmers were recorded to apply different pesticides every day and in some cases even twice in a day on vegetables. A total of 42 samples were collected from fields and markets and multiple pesticide residue analysis was done by Gas Chromatography (GC) with Flame Thermionized Detector (FTD) and Electron Capture Detector (ECD). Out of 42 samples, 27 had pesticide residue. Among these 27 samples, 14 samples had pesticide residues above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL). The detected pesticides were Diazinon, Malathion, Quinalphos, Fenitrothion, Cypermethrin, Fenvalerate and Propiconazole.

Influence of Foliar Applied Gaba on Growth And Yield Contributing Characters of White Gourd (Benincasa Hispida)

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of GABA on growth, yield and yield attributes of white gourd. The concentrations of GABA were 0.5 mg L-1, 1.0 mg L-1, 1.5 mg L-1 and 2.0 mg L-1 along with the control (no hormone). GABA was applied as foliar spray at 60 days after planting. Result showed that GABA had positive regulatory effect on growth, yield and yield contributing characters of white gourd. GABA @ 1.0 mg L-1 was the best for vine length, leaf length, leaf breadth, number of internodes, number of nodes at which first male and female flower appeared, number of male and female flowers per plant, number of seeds per fruit, weight of 100 seeds, seed length, number of fruits per plant, weight of fruits per plant and total yield of fruits. It was concluded that GABA @ 1.0 mg L-1 as foliar spray could be the suitable concentration for enhancing growth and yield of white gourd