Salt and drought tolerant varieties of rice developed
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
FE Report
Two varieties of salt and two drought tolerant rice have been developed by BRRI and BINA considering the extreme weather conditions of Bangladesh, agricultural ministry officials revealed at a press conference Monday.
Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) is now on the last stage of inventing two salt tolerant rice and Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRII) two drought tolerant rice varieties, said officials.
One salt protected category, developed with the help of IRRI, is now being cultivated in a few places at southern part of the country on test.
The drought varieties will arrive within three months, they said.
New varieties of salt protected rice will be more salinity tolerable than the BRRI-47, the rice which can now survive about 14 days under water.
They were speaking at a press conference held at National Press Club on the occasion of celebrating the 50th anniversary of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Besides, a two-day rice fair and workshop is going to be held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre Dhaka from July 13 to14.
Prime Minister Saikh Hasina will be present as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony on July 13.
Anwar Faruque, additional secretary and director general, seed wing, agriculture ministry, Dr. M.A Mannan, director general, BRRI, Wais Kabir, executive chairman of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Dr. Robert S. Zeigler, director general, IRRI, Dr. Mohammed Zainul Abedin, IRRI representative, Bangladesh also spoke on the occasion.
Officials said that BRRI has invented 55 varieties of rice including 51 High Yielding Variety (HYV) and four hybrids and these are now cultivated in 70 per cent to 75 per cent of total cultivating land.
BINA has invented seven categories of rice, they said.
Two varieties of salt and two drought tolerant rice have been developed by BRRI and BINA considering the extreme weather conditions of Bangladesh, agricultural ministry officials revealed at a press conference Monday.
Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) is now on the last stage of inventing two salt tolerant rice and Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRII) two drought tolerant rice varieties, said officials.
One salt protected category, developed with the help of IRRI, is now being cultivated in a few places at southern part of the country on test.
The drought varieties will arrive within three months, they said.
New varieties of salt protected rice will be more salinity tolerable than the BRRI-47, the rice which can now survive about 14 days under water.
They were speaking at a press conference held at National Press Club on the occasion of celebrating the 50th anniversary of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Besides, a two-day rice fair and workshop is going to be held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre Dhaka from July 13 to14.
Prime Minister Saikh Hasina will be present as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony on July 13.
Anwar Faruque, additional secretary and director general, seed wing, agriculture ministry, Dr. M.A Mannan, director general, BRRI, Wais Kabir, executive chairman of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Dr. Robert S. Zeigler, director general, IRRI, Dr. Mohammed Zainul Abedin, IRRI representative, Bangladesh also spoke on the occasion.
Officials said that BRRI has invented 55 varieties of rice including 51 High Yielding Variety (HYV) and four hybrids and these are now cultivated in 70 per cent to 75 per cent of total cultivating land.
BINA has invented seven categories of rice, they said.