Rice researchers identified advanced breeding lines suitable for various types of environment which could help in developing new breeding lines and varieties highly adapted to local ecosystems in Bangladesh to help farmers increase productivity, and in turn strengthen the country’s food security.
The outcomes of the trials were presented during the Annual Advancement Meeting of AGGRi Network Trials 2022 held on 10 May 2022 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The agricultural materials were tested for short-, medium-, to late maturity and stress tolerance (against cold, salinity, and submergence or flooding). They were tested to select the superior breeding lines under different environments in Bangladesh through on-farm field trials under the supervision of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Bangladesh Office and NARes partners.
The results were part of the various field tests conducted in Aman in 2021 conducted by researchers from IRRI Bangladesh in collaboration with Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU). The series of experiments were carried out in seven districts, including Gazipur, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Kushtia, Cumilla, Satkhira, and Barisal. During these tests, researchers studied various materials for short-, medium-, and long-term duration and identified whether they are suitable for drought, salinity, or if they are flood-tolerant.
The findings of the trials are valuable for IRRI and NARES partners like BRRI, BINA, public universities and private entities as these could help enrich their rice breeding research and development, and inform how they develop new varieties.
Dr. Md. Shahjahan Kabir, BRRI Director General was present as a chief guest and Dr. Mirza Mofazzal Islam, BINA Director General was present as a special guest at the meeting.
The event was chaired by Dr. Humnath Bhandari, IRRI Representative for Bangladesh. A wide range of…