Scientists focus on expansion of BARI-released potato farming

Our Correspondent
GAIBANDHA, Mar 04: Agricultural scientists, researchers and extension officials in a function recently laid emphasis on the need for expansion and popularising of BARI released late blight resistance potato in farmers' level to meet its gradually increased demand.
"In this context, the cultivation of BARI Alu-46 and BARI Alu-53 can help the farmers get better yield without any fungicide spray and earn economical benefit to change their socio-economic condition gradually", they said.
They came up with the comments while addressing a farmers' field day on styled 'Dissemination of Newly Released Late Blight Resistance Potato Varieties for Adoptability Study and Dessimination' at Nabanidas area under Gangachara upazila in Rangpur district at noon.
On-Farm Research Division (OFRD) of BARI under the Ministry of Agriculture organized the event in association with International Potato Centre (CIP), Lima, Peru and Tuber Crops Research Centre (TCRC) of BARI, Gazipur and DAE, Rangpur.
Dr. Abdullah-Al-Mahmud, former Potato Breeder, CIP, Bangladesh and Senior Scientific officer (SSO) of OFRD, Gaibandha attended the function and addressed it as the chief guest and upazila agriculture officer M. Abdullah-Al-Mamun was present at the event as the special guest while chief scientific officer of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Burirhat, Rangpur Dr. Badruzzaman presided over the ceremony.
Earlier, an address of welcome was delivered by additional upazila agriculture officer M. Afzal Hossain and the function was conducted by scientific officer of OFRD Khairul Islam as moderator.
The speakers said due to the adverse impact of climate change farming of different crops like potato is being infested with various diseases including late blight, so promotion of innovated varieties have become the demand of time to boost the cropping yield.
Dr. Abdullah-Al-Mahmud, former potato breeder of CIP, Bangladesh, in his speeches elaborately narrated the breeding aspects, development of these varieties, farming methods and their post-harvest quality and management to the farmers.
Its farming cost is lower by at least Tk 5000 per bigha (33 decimals) than other traditional varieties and got 35 tonnes of yield rate per hectare this time, he also said.
Cultivation of these varieties are highly profitable and growing plants of these potato are resistant to various diseases like late blight and viruses and yield rates are higher than the other varieties, he added.
He also called upon the farmers to bring more lands under the developed varieties to boost the potato production during the years to come.
Taking part in the discussion, some farmers shared their farming experience of late blight resistance potato varieties in the area and said they are saving cost of production Tk 6000 to Tk 8000 per bigha by cultivating these two varieties in 15 hectares of land.
The entire produce would be kept in the cold store and then, it would be used as seed in next year farming, they opined.
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