On-farm Evaluation and System Productivity of Wheat-Jute-T. aman Rice Cropping Pattern in Char Area of Bangladesh

A study was conducted for two consecutive years to determine the yield and system productivity of two cropping patterns viz. IP: (Wheat - Jute - T. aman) improved pattern with improved management practices and FP: (Fallow - Fallow - T. aman) farmers’ pattern with farmers’ management practices in char (adjacent to the river) area of Netrakona region of Bangladesh. The experimentswere laid out in a randomized complete block design with 10 dispersed replications at a farmer’s field. The two years mean data showed that the total component crops of IP (wheat-jute-T. aman rice) gave higher yield as well as a by-product in both years. The higherrice equivalent yield (10.52 and 10.63 tha-1), production efficiency (30.13 and 30.43 kg ha-1 day-1) land-use efficiency (87.13 and 87.84%)and benefit cost ratio (2.15 and 2.11) pointed out the dominance of the improvedpattern over the farmer’s existing pattern. Higher rice equivalentyield signified that improved cropping pattern (Wheat - Jute -T. aman) could be appropriate in Netrakona region for rising crop productivity andcropping intensity.The higher production efficiency, land use efficiency and benefit cost ratio indicated the superiority of the improved pattern over the farmers’ practices.It can be concluded that farmers of the char area of the Netrakona region might follow wheat (var. BARI Gom-26) - jute (var. O-9897) - T. aman (var. BRRI dhan49) cropping system in char land for higher productivity and profitability

Reduction in use of herbicides by combining aqueous extract of grass pea for weed management and yield of wheat

Nowadays, the increasing costs in the agricultural sector, increasing public concern about the widespread use of herbicides and the development non-chemical methods of weed control programs are alerting management. In this regard, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of grass pea residues on weed management and crop performance of wheat. The experiment was comprised of three varieties of wheat viz., BARI Gom-30, BARI Gom-31, BARI Gom-32 and six different levels of treatments such as no weeding, recommended dose of herbicide, aqueous extraction of grass pea, 90% recommended dose + aqueous extraction of grass pea,80% recommended dose + aqueous extraction of grass pea, 70% recommended dose +aqueous extraction of grass pea, 60% recommended dose + aqueous extraction of grass pea. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Weed population, weed dry weight and weed control efficacy were significantly influenced by aqueous extract of grass pea crop residues and varieties. The highest numbers of tillers hill-1, numbers of grains spike-1, 1000 grain weight and grain yield were observed where recommended dose of herbicide was used followed by the application of 90% recommended dose +aqueous extraction of grass pea. BARI Gom-31along with 90% recommended dose +aqueous extraction of grass pea produced the highest grain and straw yield among the treatment combination. Therefore, aqueous extract of grass pea crop residues might be used as an alternative way for weed management in effective and sustainable crop production

Nitrogen management in boro rice using chlorophyll meter (SPAD) under sub-tropical condition

Nitrogen deficiency in rice has so far received limited attention in Bangladesh. Balanced fertilization is a pre-requisite for better rice production and it is necessary to determine optimum combination of fertilizer dose and varieties. The field experiment was carried out during the period from November 2020 to May 2021 at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh to study the SPAD value and yield performance of boro rice varieties at different nitrogen levels. The experiment comprised of four boro rice varieties viz., BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan58, BRRI dhan74, BRRI dhan81 and four level of nitrogenous fertilizers viz. 50 kg N ha-1, 100 kg N ha-1, 150 kg N ha-1 and 200kg N ha-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. SPAD value ranged from 34.01 to 42.12 for variety and 37.81 to 42.15 for nitrogen application, while leaf nitrogen ranged from 2.98 to 3.67 % for variety and 2.94 to 3.48%.  The yield contributing parameter varied significantly with variety and nitrogen rate. The highest grain yield (6.13 t ha-1) was found in BRRI dhan58 and the lowest (3.89 t ha-1) was observed in BRRI dhan28. In terms of fertilizer management, the highest grain yield (5.35 t ha-1) was obtained due to the application of 150 kg N ha-1 and the lowest grain yield (4.72 t ha-1) was recorded from50 kg N ha-1. The interactive effect of variety and fertilizer application exerted that the yield of BRRI dhan58 with 150 kg N ha-1 was the highest (6.59 tha-1) and the lowest performance (3.42 tha-1) in grain yield was found in BRRI dhan28 with 50 kg N ha-1. Thus, the variety BRRI dhan58 with 150 kg N ha-1 was superior for attaining the highest yield

Weed management and crop performance of rice as influenced by different crop residues

To investigate the effect of different plant residues on weed inhibition and yield of transplant aman rice, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during June 2017 to December, 2017. The experiment comprised of three rice cultivars i.e. BR11, BRRI dhan34 and BRRI dhan49 and five different plant residues treatment viz., no crop residues (control), soybean, wheat, bishkatali and sorghum crop residues @ 2.0 t ha-1 of each. The experiment was laid out following randomized complete block design with three replications. Weed population and weed dry weight were significantly affected by cultivars and crop residues treatment. The highest percent inhibition of 58.31%, 46.84%, 66.85%, 66.94% and 57.6% was in Panikachu (Monochoria vaginalis), Shama (Echinochloa crusgalli), Chesra (Scirpus juncoides), Sabujnakful (Cyperus difformis) and Amrul (Oxalis corniculata), respectively caused by sorghum crop residues. The grain yield, as well as the yield contributing characters produced by BR11,was the highest among the studied varieties. The highest number of effective tillers hill-1 (8.41), number of grains panicle-1(118.08) and 1000-grain weight (20.54 g) were observed in sorghum crop residues. BR11 under sorghum crop residues @ 2.0 t ha-1 produced the highest grain (5.76 t ha-1) and straw yield (6.39 t ha-1). So, to reduce herbicide use in the present situation of Bangladesh, natural herbicide or crop residues like sorghum might be used as an alternative way for weed management for effective and sustainable rice production

Combined allelopathic effect of buckwheat and marsh pepper residues on weed management and crop performance of transplant aman rice

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from June to December 2016 to evaluate the suppression of weed growth through combined application of buckwheat and marsh pepper residues in transplant aman rice. The experiment consisted of three cultivars i.e. BRRI dhan56, Binadhan-12 and Nizershail, and five different crop residues with their combination such as no residues, 2.0 t ha-1 buckwheat residues, 2.0 t ha-1 marsh pepper residues, combined 0.5 t ha-1 buckwheat and 1.0 t ha-1 marsh pepper residues, combined 1.0 t ha-1 buckwheat and 0.5 t ha-1 marsh pepper residues. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Weed population and weed dry weight were significantly affected by cultivars and crop residues treatment. The maximum weed growth was noticed with no residues treatment and the minimum was found in combined 0.5 t ha-1 buckwheat and 1.0 t ha-1 marsh pepper residues. The grain yield as well as the yield contributing characters produced at BRRI dhan 56 was the highest among the studied varieties. The highest reduction of grain yield was obtained in no residues) treatment and the lowest was obtained when combined 0.5 t ha-1 buckwheat and 1.0 t ha-1 marsh pepper residues were applied. The highest numbers of effective tillers hill-1, number of grains panicle-1, 1000-grain weight, and grain and straw yields were observed in W3 treatment. BRRI dhan56 under 0.5 t ha-1 buckwheat and 1.0 t ha-1 marsh pepper residues treatment produced the highest grain yield. Results of this study indicates that combination of 0.5 t ha-1 buckwheat and 1.0 t ha-1 marsh pepper residues showed potentiality to suppress weed growth. Therefore, crop residues could be used as an alternative tool for sustainable weed management

Effect of nitrogen fertilizer and weed management on the yield of transplant aman rice

The research work was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during aman season from July to December 2015 to study the effect of nitrogen fertilizer and weed management on the growth and yield of transplant aman rice cv. BRRI dhan46. The experiment consisted of four fertilizer treatments viz. 0 kg N ha−1 (N0), 40 kg N ha−1(N1), 80 kg N ha−1(N2) and 120 kg N ha−1(N3) and four weeding treatments viz. one hand weeding at 20 DAT (W1), two hand weedings at 20 and 35 DAT (W2), three hand weedings at 20, 35 and 50 DAT (W3), weeding by Japanese rice weeder twice at 20 and 35 DAT (W4) and unweeded control (W5). The experiment was laid out in the randomized complete block design with three replications. The highest plant height (113.00 cm), number of total tillers hill−1 (8.74), number of effective tillers hill−1 (6.18), panicle length (21.98 cm), number of grains panicle−1 (114.20), grain yield (4.00 t ha−1), straw yield (5.25 t ha−1) and biological yield (9.25 t ha−1) were recorded in N2 (80 kg N ha−1) treatment. The lowest plant height (106.00 cm), number of total tillers hill-1 (7.20), number of effective tillers hill−1 (5.00), panicle length (20.70 cm), number of grains panicle−1 (97.60), grain yield (3.52 t ha−1), straw yield (4.46 t ha−1) and biological yield (7.97 t ha−1) were recorded from N0 (No nitrogen fertilizer control) treatment. On the other hand, the highest grain yield 4.23 t ha−1 was observed in three weedings condition because of the highest number of effective tillers hill−1 (6.81), number of grains panicle−1(111.10). The highest straw yield (5.51 t ha−1) was also found in three weeding condition. The lowest grain yield (3.40 t ha−1) was recorded in W5 (unweeded control) treatment. The lowest straw yield (4.31 t ha−1) was also observed in W5 (unweeded control) treatment because of the smallest plant (106.97 cm) and lower number of total tillers hill−1 (7.20). Therefore, 80 kg N ha−1along with three hand weedings at 20, 35 and 50 DAT may be used for obtaining the highest grain and straw yields of BRRI dhan4

Weed control efficacy of combined application of grass pea and mustard crop residues in T. aman rice

Among different methods of weed control, allelopathy could lead to reduced labor costs and increased efficiency, without any adverse effects on the environment. In this regard, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to evaluate the allelopathic potential of grass pea and mustard crop residues on weed suppression and crop performance of transplanted aman rice. The experiment consisted of three cultivars of T. aman rice viz., Binadhan-7, BRRI dhan49 and BR11 and five different level of crop residues such as no use of crop residues, grass pea crop residues @ 2.5 t ha-1, mustard crop residues @ 2.5 t ha-1, combined use of grass pea and mustard crop residues @ 1 t ha-1 of each and hand weeding. All crop residues applied in the experiment suppressed weed growth and inhibition at satisfactory level. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Weed population, weed dry weight and percent inhibition of weed were not significantly influenced by the interaction effect of crop residues (grass pea and mustard) and cultivars. BR11 produced the highest grain and straw yield among the treatment combination. The highest numbers of tillers hill-1, numbers of grains panicle-1, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, straw yield were observed in hand weeding, followed by combined application of grass pea and mustard crop residues @ 1 t ha-1 of each treatment. The highest grain and straw yield (4.81 t ha-1 and 7.65 t ha-1) was observed in hand weeding along with variety BR11 and the second highest (4.19 t ha-1 and 7.36 t ha-1) was obtained from combined use of grass pea and mustard crop residues @ 1 t ha-1 of each. The results of this study indicate that hand weeding followed by combined application of grass pea and mustard crop residues @ 1 t ha-1 of each showed potential activity to suppress weed growth

Exploring relationship among nitrogen fertilizer, yield and nitrogen use efficiency in modern wheat varieties under subtropical condition

Due to variations in the length of crop growth and the dynamics of soil nitrogen, the nitrogen (N) requirements of different wheat varieties may change. In this relation, during two successive wheat-growing seasons in 2018 and 2019, pot experiments were conducted to assess relationship among N fertilizer, yield and efficiency of N use in contemporary wheat varieties. Ten varieties of wheat viz. BARI Gom -24, BARI Gom -25, BARI Gom -26, BARI Gom -27, BARI Gom -28, BARI Gom -29, BARI Gom-30, BARI Gom-31, BARI Gom-32, and BARI Gom-33 and four N levels e.g. N 0, N 45 kg ha−1, N 90 kg ha−1 and N 135 kg ha−1 were used in the study. Completely randomized design (CRD) was followed with three replications. Wheat yield and yield-contributing elements like spike length, 1000- grain weight, and grain yield enhanced at N levels up to N 90 kg ha−1. The principal component analysis illustrated that the range BARI -32 had the most grain manufacturing and N use efficiency with N 90 kg ha−1 application. Correlation depicted that there is a robust relation amongst N use, yield and N use efficiency. Dendrogram organized primarily based totally at the resemblance via way of means of Euclidean distance among wheat varieties and it was confirmed that varieties allocated in clusters II had been greater diverse. The end consequence found out big hereditary difference in wheat which could doubtlessly be used for the wide range cultivation and breeding plan