Export Response to the Reduction of Anti-Export Bias: Empirics from Bangladesh

The paper assesses the relationship between export growth of Bangladesh and trade liberalisation, the latter being proxied by the reduction of anti-export bias. In the empirical analysis, separate supply equations for total exports, (total) manufacturing exports, and textiles and readymade garment exports have been undertaken using quarterly time series data. The empirical results, based on vector error correction modelling (VECM), show that trade liberalisation has both long run and contemporaneous effects on total exports, manufacturing exports, and textiles and readymade garment exports supply. Besides, domestic price, export price, anti-export bias reduction, the degree of openness and production capacity all have either unidirectional or bi-directional causality between them.

Bioefficacy of Plant Extracts to Control Cercospora Leaf Spot of Mungbean (Vigna radiata)

The experiment was conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute farm, Joydebpur, Gazipur during March to July 2007 to evaluate the bioefficacy of some plant extracts in controlling Cercospora leaf spot of mungbean. Six indigenous plant species i.e. Neem leaves extract (1:4 w/v), Garlic cloves extract (1:5 w/v), Biskatali leaves extract (1:4 w/v), Alamanda leaves extract (1:6 w/v), Arjun leaves extract (1:4 w/v) and Debdaru leaves extract (1:5 w/v) were used in this experiment. The experiment was laid out in RCBD with seven treatments and four replications. Data on disease incidence, severity, yield contributing characters and yield of mungbean were recorded. Naturally, infection of the disease was considered in this experiment. The lowest disease incidence (7.33%) at 60 DAS was found in T1. Lowest and similar disease severity (PDI= 4.55) was found in T2 and T3 at the same DAS. Neem extract treated plots gave better response in yield (1.26 t ha-1) and all the yield contributing parameters like inflorescences plant-1 (13.45), tallest plant (51.44 cm), the maximum number of pods plant-1 (26.81), length of pod (8.56 cm), number of seeds pod-1 (12.64) and 1000 seeds weight (27.33 g) followed by T2 and T3. The highest disease incidence (26.50%) and disease index (13.65%) were recorded in treatment T7 at 60 DAS. Yield and all yield contributing factors were lowest in same treatment. The results of the experiment suggested that the use of neem leaves extracts are effective for minimizing Cercospora leaf spot incidence, severity and increasing yield of mungbean. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 3 (1): 60-65, June, 2013 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ijarit.v3i1.1609

Effect of different sowing dates on yield of tomato genotypes

The experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Thakurgaon, Bangladesh during October 2009 to March 2010 to observe the effect of sowing dates on yield of tomato genotypes. Three sowing dates viz. October 1, October 15 and October 30 were considered as factor A and tomato variety viz., BARI Tomato-2, BARI Tomato-3, BARI Tomato-4, BARI Tomato-9 and BARI Hybrid Tomato-4 considered as factor B. The experiment was laid out in RCBD (Factorial) with three replications. Early flowering (52.40 days) as well as early fruit harvesting (119.13 days) was occurred in October 1 sowing, where as sowing on October 30 resulted in delayed flowering (71.73 days) and fruit harvesting (140.67 days), respectively. Number of fruits per plant was also the highest (27.40) in October 1 sowing and the lowest (13.73) was in October 30 sowing. Seed sowing of October 1 was found better in respect of yield (74.75 tha-1) compared to October 15 (58.55 tha-1) and October 30 (24.60 tha-1) sowing. Among the variety, BARI Tomat-2 produced the highest (68.12 tha-1) marketable yield followed by BARI Tomato-9 (56.16 tha-1) and BARI Tomato-3 while BARI Tomato-4 gave the lowest (36.91 tha-1) marketable yield. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ijarit.v4i1.21090 Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 4 (1): 40-43, June, 201

Mitigating unbalance using distributed network reconfiguration techniques in distributed power generation grids with services for electric vehicles: A review

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd With rapid movement to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gases, there is an increasing trend to use more electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy sources (RES). With more EVs integration into electricity grid, this raises many challenges for the distribution service operators (DSOs) to integrate such RES-based, distributed generation (DG) and EV-like distributed loads into distribution grids. Effective management of distribution network imbalance is one of the challenges. The distribution network reconfiguration (DNR) techniques are promising to address the issue of imbalance along with other techniques such as the optimal distributed generation placement and allocation (OPDGA) method. This paper presents a systematic and thorough review of DNR techniques for mitigating unbalance of distribution networks, based on papers published in peer-reviewed journals in the last three decades. It puts more focus on how the DNR techniques have been used to manage network imbalance due to distributed loads and DG units. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to review the research works in the field using DNR techniques to mitigate unbalanced distribution networks. Therefore, this paper will serve as a prime source of the guidance for mitigating network imbalance using the DNR techniques to the new researchers in this field

Economic feasibility of intercropping of chili with sweet gourd

A field experiment was conducted at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Ishurdi, Pabna during two consecutive years of 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 to find out the suitable combination of intercropping of chili with sweet gourd for increasing the productivity and economic return. The treatments were T1=100% sweet gourd (2m x 2m) + 40% chili (50cm x 100cm) + 100% recommended fertilizer (RF) of chili, T2=100% sweet gourd (2m x 2m) + 40% chili (50cm x 100cm) + 75% RF of chili, T3=100% sweet gourd (2m x 2m) + 40% chili (50cm x 100cm) + 50% RF of chili, T4=100% sweet gourd (2m x 2m) + 50% chili (50cm x 80cm) + 100% RF of chili, T5=100% sweet gourd (2m x 2m) + 50% chili (50cm x 80cm) + 75% RF of chili, T6=100% sweet gourd (2m x 2m) + 50% chili (50cm x 80cm) + 50% RF of chili, T7=Sole sweet gourd, T8= Sole chili. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Fruit yield was calculated for sweet gourd and chili in ton per hectare considering the whole plot as harvested area. Results revealed that the yield of both sweet gourd and chili significantly affected by plant population and fertilizer dose in the intercropping systems. The highest equivalent yield of sweet gourd (21.21 t ha-1), land equivalent ratio (1.59), gross return (Tk. 318150.00 ha-1), gross margin (Tk. 237935.00 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (3.97) were obtained from 100% sweet gourd (2m x 2m) + 50% chili (50cm x 80cm) + 100% RF of chili (T4). Sole crop of chili (T8) gave the lowest equivalent yield of sweet gourd (7.38 t ha-1), gross return (Tk. 110700.00 ha-1), gross margin (Tk. 37455.00 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (1.51). Therefore, sweet gourd (100%) and chili (50%) with recommended fertilizer (100%) of chili might be economically profitable for chili with sweet gourd intercropping system.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 5 (2): 64-69, December, 201

Control of Phomopsis Blight of Egg Plant through Fertilizer and Fungicide Management

The experiments were conducted at Laboratory of the Department of Plant Pathology and in the farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh during Rabi season of the year 2007-2008. Four fungicides viz. Bavistin 50 WP (Carbendazim), Tilt 250 EC (Propiconazole), Cupravit 50 WP (Copperoxychloride) and Dithane M-45 (Mancozeb) and micronutrients (Gypsum, ZnO and Boric acid) were evaluated against Phomopsis vexans causing Phomopsis blight and fruit rot of eggplant. The fungicides and micronutrients either applied individually or in combination showed significant effect in terms of per cent leaf infection, fruit infection, leaf area diseased and fruit area diseased in comparison to control. Effect of each fungicide applied in combination with micronutrients always showed better performance in reducing disease incidence and disease severity than the fungicides applied alone. Among the fungicides, Bavistin 50 WP (0.1%) proved to be effective arresting the spore germination and mycelia growth of Phomopsis vexans assayed in in vitro test. Reduction of leaf area diseased caused by Bavistin 50 WP (0.1%) in combination with micronutrients were 58.17, 67.37, 78.41 and 85.25%, respectively at preflowering, post-flowering, fruiting and fruit ripening stages while Bavistin 50 WP (0.1%) alone reduced by 52.22, 58.67, 74.19 and 83.09%, respectively at those stages. Similarly reduction of fruit area diseased caused by Bavistin 50 WP (0.1%) in combination with micronutrients were 57.93 and 79.79%, respectively at fruiting and fruit ripening stages while Bavistin 50WP (0.1%) alone reduced by 56.93 and 76.14%, respectively at those stages. Micronutrients had little effect against the disease but significantly better than control.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 3 (1): 66-72, June, 2013 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ijarit.v3i1.1609

Changes in homestead biodiversity with modernization in the rural areas of Bangladesh

A study was carried out at selected villages in Gazipur district of Bangladesh during 2008- 2009 with a view to assess the changes in homestead biodiversity with degree of modernization in the rural areas. Three villages were selected purposively considering their degree of modernization e.g. traditional, semi-modern and modern village and biodiversity at 40 randomly selected homesteads from each of the three villages were studied. Species richness, interspecies diversity (Shannon-Wiener diversity index) and species evenness were considered for measuring the biodiversity. A total of 188 plant species belonging to 75 different families were identified in the homesteads of three study villages. The highest proportion (11%) of species found under the family Gramineae followed by Cucurbitaceae (6%), Compositae (5%), Solanaceae (5%), Leguminosae (4%), Amaranthaceae (4%), Rutaceae (3%), Euphorbiaceae (3%), Convolvulaceae (3%), and Cyperaceae (3%) and so on. Among the 188 plant species, 15% fruits species, 9% timber, 11% ornamental and medicinal, 14% vegetables, 4% spices and 47% weed species. The highest number (172) of species was found in traditional village and the lowest (126) in the modern village. Diversity index (H) value for traditional village (1.652) was statistically similar to semi-modern village (1.373) but significantly higher (t = 2.47*) than that of modern village (1.029). So, it can be said that plant biodiversity is decreasing with increase in modernization and/or urbanization. The diversity (H) decreased with decrease in farm size, in other words, species diversity increased with increase in farm size but there was no significant difference among the farm categories in this regard. The total evenness values against the three villages (0.741, 0.630 and 0.491 in Bhawal Gazipur, Hatiyabo and Mariali, respectively) indicate that the abundance of different species was very dissimilar and decreased with increase in modernization.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 7 (1): 32-37, June, 201

Factors affecting plant biodiversity in the homesteads of rural areas under process of modernization in Bangladesh

A study was carried out at selected villages in Gazipur district of Bangladesh during 2008- 2009 to assess the changes in biodiversity of rural homesteads with modernization and factors affecting the biodiversity. Three villages were selected purposively considering their degree of modernization e.g. traditional, semi-modern and modern village and biodiversity at 40 randomly selected homesteads from each of the three villages were studied. Shannon- Wiener diversity index (H) value for traditional village (1.652) was statistically similar to semi-modern village (1.373) but significantly higher (t = 2.47*) than that of modern village (1.029). It indicates that plant biodiversity is decreasing significantly with modernization and/or urbanization. For assessing factors affecting biodiversity in the homesteads, a total of 26 factors were considered of them 15 factors had significant relationship with biodiversity. Factors like, family size, establishment of homestead, agricultural knowledge, nutritional knowledge, primary health care knowledge, environmental awareness, innovativeness, homestead area, income from homestead, savings, access to credit, disturbance of theft and predators, and utilization of modern agro-technologies had significant positive relationship; while ‘fragmentation of homestead’ and ‘sanitation’ had significantly negative relationship with homestead biodiversity. Linear multiple regression analysis showed that eight factors such as, agricultural knowledge, nutritional knowledge, environmental awareness, homestead area, income from homestead, innovativeness, homestead fragmentation and sanitation had significant contribution to homestead biodiversity. These eight significant factors explained 75.2 percent (adjusted R2 = 0.752) of the total variation in the homestead biodiversity. However, stepwise regression analysis revealed that ‘homestead area’ had the largest possible contribution (55.7%) to variation in the homestead biodiversity, followed in descending order by agricultural knowledge (9.5%), income from homestead (5.0%), environmental awareness (2.9%), sanitation (2.3%), nutritional knowledge (1.6%), innovativeness (1.0%) and fragmentation of the homestead (1.0%).Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 8 (1): 44-54, June, 201

Multiobjective Optimization Technique for Mitigating Unbalance and Improving Voltage Considering Higher Penetration of Electric Vehicles and Distributed Generation

© 2007-2012 IEEE. The increasing penetration of distributed generations (DGs) and electric vehicles (EVs) offers not only several opportunities but also introduces many challenges for the distribution system operators (DSOs) regarding power quality. This article investigates the network performances due to uncoordinated DG and EV distribution. It also considers power quality-related performances such as the neutral current, energy loss, voltage imbalance, and bus voltage as a multiobjective optimization problem. The differential evolution optimization algorithm is employed to solve the multiobjective optimization problem to coordinate EV and DG in a distribution grid. This article proposed a method to coordinate EV and DG distribution. The proposed method allows DSOs to jointly optimize the phase sequence and optimal dispatch of DGs to improve the network's performance. If the network requires further improvement, the EV charging or discharging rate is coordinated for a particular location. The efficacy of the proposed method is tested in an Australian low-voltage distribution grid considering the amount of imbalance due to higher penetration of DG and EV. It is observed that the proposed method reduces voltage unbalance factor by up to 98.24%, neutral current up to 94%, and energy loss by 59.45%, and improve bus voltage by 10.42%

In vitro regeneration of popular tobacco varieties of Bangladesh from leaf disc

Regeneration ability of five Nicotiana varieties viz., Virginia, Jati, Motihari, CC Bengal and Sumatra were investigated via callus induction using leaf discs. Explants were cultured on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of plant growth regulators. Callus formation frequency was 67.20%. Among the varieties used, Motihari induced the highest percentage (97.50%) of callus followed by Jati (92.50%) in 2.0 rng/L Kinetin and 2.0 mg/L IAA. Shoots were induced from calli cultured on the same medium. Maximum shoot formation from leaf discs was 82.50% on medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/L Kinetin and 2.0 mg/L IAA. It was also revealed from this study that Motihari was the best variety for callus formation and subsequent plantlet regeneration which is a pre-requisite for vector mediated transformation for varietal improvement of Nicotiana species. The rooting response of regenerated shoots was observed by using 1 /2 MS medium with IBA (0.0, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/L). The highest root formation was found in Motihari (90%) with ½ MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L IBA. After that regenerated plantlets with plenty of roots were transferred successfully to pots and subsequently to the field