The use of insecticides in rice cultivation does not give any yield advantage to farmers, rather increase production cost as well as environmental pollution, report agencies.
A new study of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) shows that preventive use of insecticides for rice pests management do not give any yield advantage, or those were at par compared to only perching (of branches of plants in rice fields to provide roosting for birds) or perching along with sweeping (with nets to catch insects) techniques.
Scientists of Entomology Division of BRRI conducted eight experiments in farmers' fields of Pirganj and Taraganj of Rangpur under the Integrated Agricultural Productivity Project (IAPP) during 2012-2014 in two T (Transplanted) Aman and Boro seasons.
During the trials, farmers who applied pesticides in their fields three to five times yielded lower compare to all other managements.
The findings of the BRRI study, which was published in the current issue of its journal shows that insecticide application also reduced the number natural enemies of insects that can damage the crop.
In some seasons and locations, some natural enemies were not found particularly where insecticide was used indiscriminately indicating that indiscriminate use of insecticide has a detrimental effect on the population of natural enemies
Report from Rangpur adds, agriculture experts have stressed for enhancing cultivation of zinc-enriched BRRI dhan62 rice to increase disease resistant capacity of the children for normal growth through meeting their nutritional demand.
They put emphasis on consumption of zinc-enriched rice to prevent deficiency of vital micro-nutrients like zinc, iron and vitamin-A of the children as well as pregnant women to increase disease resistant capacity and ensure normal growth of the babies.
They were addressing a farmers' training course organised by RDRS Bangladesh with the assistance of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) on "Zinc Rice Varieties and Benefit of Zinc" at its Training Centre here on Thursday.
The NGO has been expanding the technology for farming, seeds production, processing and storing of high zinc-enriched rice as a local implementing partner of The HarvestPlus Challenge Programme.
The International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have been coordinating the technology dissemination process for enshrining quality seed production, processing and storing of high zinc rice.
Assistant Coordinator (Agriculture) of RDRS Bangladesh Syeda Nuhara Begam presided over the training course participated by 25 male and female farmers of Mithapukur, Sadar and Kawnia upazilas in Rangpur district.
The NGO has been conducting the course for 1,100 farmers to set up 1,100 exhibition plots of zinc-enriched rice on 1,100 bigha lands in Rangpur, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon and Lalmonirhat during this Aman season.
Meanwhile news from Gaibandha adds, boro rice procurement drive of food department has been progressing fast in the district since May amid much enthusiasm to the millers.
Office sources said the government has fixed a target to procure a total of 29,433 tonnes of boiled rice from the millers through 11 purchasing centres of all the seven upazilas in the district during the current Boro season.
Price of per kg of boiled rice has also been fixed at Tk 32, the sources said.
To make the Boro rice procurement drive a grand success, the department of food has also entered into agreement with the 753 millers of the district.
Of the total, 18,817 tonnes of rice had already been purchased from the millers, said an official of the food department.
In Jamalpur farmers in the district have started Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) cultivation this season.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) already fixed the target of T- Aman cultivation on 1,04,002 hectares of land with a production target over 2.5 lakh tonnes rice in seven upazilas of the district.
