RAJSHAHI, Apr 26: Professor of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension Department of Rajshahi Department Dr. Aminul Haque innovated a new paddy variety named 'Rabi Dhan-1'.
The yield of the new variety will be 1.5 times more than the traditional ones. The plant is strong and contains bacterial wall resistant gene.
Mr Haque said the National Seed Board (NSB) and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) have already been recognised this innovation.
Besides, the paddy also displayed in a seminar organised at the BARC centre in Dhaka on April 18 where RU teacher Prof Aminul Haque announced about his innovation formally. But it will go to market after four months later as few experiments have remaining those suggested by the experts in the seminar.
"Firstly, I brought the origin of the paddy from Philippine in 2004. Since then I have been studying on the issue. Due to the hard work and more research, the seed of the paddy was innovated today. So, I hope that our peasants will face success with this variety," Mr. Haque added.
Asking about the paddy named as Rabi Dhan-1, Prof. Aminul said it is the first time of the history that discovered a new paddy from the Rajshahi University campus. This is possible of me being a professor of this university. So, as long as this paddy is exist, Rabi`s name will be associated with this paddy.
He claimed that Rabi variety is very closer to Aman paddy variety (Bri 39 Dhan). Slim and minicate type paddy will be produced from this paddy whose market is expecting equivalent to the improved minicate paddy.
The paddy of Rabi will grow 15 days before the Bri-39. It takes 145 days to grow in the cultivation of the Bri-39. But, The Rabi paddy cultivation will take 130 days to get yield.
Expert sources said, in order to invent a new variety of paddy, it is observed after sowing the seeds in different places of the country.
And the members of the National Seed Board and BARC will monitored closely the characteristics of the targeted paddy.
Recognition will come only if results and attributes are correct.
Accordingly, the seed of Raby-1 was sowed into three places in 2015 and four places in 2016 of the country experimentally. Twice the crop yields were more than Bri-39 during the Aman paddy season. It is also proven to be more useful in cultivation.
Prof. Aminul also said, the disease and insect attacks on Rabi variety would be much lower than the traditional varieties of paddy. This will save cost a lot for pesticide of the farmers.
