Agriculture sector sees new-found potential in 'Binadhan-14'

FE Team | Published: February 28, 2025 23:36:06

MYMENSINGH, Feb 28 (BSS): Binadhan-14, a short-lived, high-yielding and highly heat-tolerant Nabi Boro rice variety developed by the Bangladesh Atomic Agricultural Research Institute (BINA), has opened new possibilities in the country's agricultural sector.
It has already become popular as a variety that can be cultivated in the Rabi season, especially after the Rabi crop, among the farmers.
The genetic characteristics of the variety were permanently changed by applying carbon iron radiation to the seeds of Ashfal, a local variety in the salty areas of southern Bangladesh.
After long research and successful field results, the National Seed Board approved the variety as Binadhan-14 in 2013, said BINA Director General (acting) Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Azad.
He said the lack of suitable varieties for the cultivation of high-temperature-tolerant Boro rice has long been a major challenge for farmers after cultivating pulses, oil, wheat, potatoes, and vegetables on fallow land in the Rabi season.
To solve this problem, a programme for developing this high-temperature tolerant Nabi Boro rice variety was undertaken in 2010.
Regarding the characteristics of this variety, he said, the life span of the variety is 105-115 days and the number of pods per plant is 10-12.
The high temperature-tolerant (38 degrees Celsius) rice does not get scorched by heat during flowering, the colour of the rice is bright golden, the shape of the rice is long and thin, the average yield is 6.9 tonnes per hectare and the maximum yield is 8.0 tonnes per hectare.
He further said the seeds should be sown after the winter is over. The seeds cannot be sown in the seedbed until the winter is completely gone. In terms of fertilizer management, urea, TSP, MOP, gypsum and zinc sulfate should be applied at the right rate.
The Binadhan-14 variety is less affected by diseases and insects than the conventional variety, he added.