Experts urge cultivators to farm late blight-resistant potatoes

RANGPUR, Feb 18 (BSS): Experts at a farmers' field-day have said cultivation of the late blight-resistant potato variety gives 40 per cent higher production than the traditional ones.

They disclosed the information at the event styled "Validation and Dissemination of Newly Released High Yielding and Climate Smart Potato Varieties at Farmers' Level" held at village Dakshin Habu under Gangachara upazila on Saturday.

The Tuber Crops Research Centre of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) in association with Regional Agriculture Research Centre of BARI at Burirhat here organised the field day participated by a large number of local farmers.

On the occasion, farmers Mostafizur Rahman, Kamal Roy and Abdus Sobhan narrated the cultivation technologies and benefits of the high yielding, climate smart and LBR varieties of BARI-46 and BARI-53 potatoes while visiting their exhibition plots.

Director (Research) of BARI at Joydebpur in Gazipur Dr Md Lutfar Rahman attended the field day as the chief guest with Chief Scientific Officer of Rangpur Regional Agriculture Research Centre at Burirhat Md Rais Uddin Chowdhury in the chair.

Principal Scientific Officer (PSO) of BARI at its Rangpur Regional Station Dr Md Mazharul Anwar and PSO at Burirhat Regional Agriculture Research Centre Dr Ashish Kumar Saha addressed as special guests.

Dr Ashish said the fungal infection of late blight disease reduces potato production by 40 percent on an average annually forcing the farmers to indiscriminate use of costly fungicides for controlling the disease to produce the crop.

"The nation will not need to import 500 tonnes of fungicides at Taka 500-crore annually if the farmers cultivate LBR variety of potatoes to increase output by 40 percent side by side with saving huge foreign exchange, biodiversity and environment," he added.

The chief guest called for expanded cultivation of the LBR variety potatoes having yield potential of 35-40 tonnes per hectare, which is over 40 percent higher than the traditional varieties, to earn more profits side by side with improving environment.