MYMENSINGH, Jan 06: Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) Vice-Chancellor Pro Dr Lutful Hassan has developed a high-yielding rice variety.
Sources said, the name of new rice variety is BAU Dhan-3. Prior to those BAU researchers developed BAU Dhan-1 and BAU Dhan-2 varieties.
The average yield of BAU Dhan-3 is around seven to eight tonnes per hectare which is one tonne to two tonnes higher than BRRI Dhan-28 variety.
Dr Lutful Hassan, who is also Genetics and Plant Breeding Department teacher, said the new variety is blast and leaf-blight resistant, which can be the alternative of the popular BRRI Dhan-28.
This new variety has recently been registered with the National Seed Board. The new rice variety has all the characteristics of advanced high-yielding paddy.
The VC said the variety is enriched in protein and the shape of the seed is similar to BRRI Dhan-28. A mature plant is up to 110 cm tall. The average life span of this variety is 140 to 145 days, which is similar to BRRI Dhan-28. One thousand mature seed weigh around 25 grams.
Stem of this rice variety is strong so that the plant does not bend. This type of paddy does not fall off easily in the ripe state, so the wastage is reduced. The new variety has straight, wide and long green leaves. Boiled rice is not sticky and very delicious to eat.
Researchers said about newly-developed variety that now rice paddy production is being severely damaged due to the intensification of the rice blast attack.
In the meantime, alternative varieties will be needed to keep the paddy production stable in the country.
For this purpose International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) with association Advanced Chemical Limited (ACI) conducted the research programme at Bangladesh Agricultural University as well as different places of the country. Blast and leaf blight resistant and the yield is higher than BRRI Dhan-28 which released as BAU Dhan-3.
