The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

The newly innovated hybrid Boro paddy- BRRI Hybrid Dhan-3-with shorter lifetime and lower production cost is expected to release very soon.

The authorities concerned is set give the final approval for releasing the variety for commercial production within next one or two months, director (administration) of the BRRI Dr A W Julfikar said while talking to BSS yesterday.

Since its inception in 1970, the BRRI has developed a total of 51 varieties of paddy, including two hybrid for Boro season.

He said both BRRI-hybrid dhan-1 and BRRI-hybrid dhan-2, being planted during the Boro season, have been making tremendous contribution toward increasing rice production. The lifetimes of the first two hybrids are ranging between 150 and 155 days, he said adding that lifetime of newly developed BRRI hybrid dhan-3, also for Boro season, is about 10 days less than that of the two.

Dr Julfiqar said the newly developed hybrid is a one step forward in the history of the country's hybrid technology. He said the variety is expected to make a significant boost in the production Boro rice ensuring further food security in the country.

He said the per hectare production of BRRI hybrid- 1 is over eight metric tons and BRRI hybrid-2 at 8.5 tons while the yield rate of newly innovated variety is slightly higher than that of the first two.

Director (research) of BRRI Dr MA Salam said, "We expect the BRRI hybrid-3 would be popularized to the farmers because of its short lifetime".

He said the shorter life span of the variety would reduce irrigation and other production costs.

On the other hand, the BRRI director said, the varieties with longer lifetimes are vulnerable to flash flood and other natural calamities inflicting frequent damage to cultivators. Dr Salam said the BRRI is working to develop new yielding of rice suiting ecology as well as tolerant to natural calamities. He said farmers could minimize their losses by cultivating of BRRI hybrid dhan-3 due to its short lifetime. Dr Salam said though Bangladesh is the fourth largest rice producing country of the world, the average production of rice in the country is 4.01 tonnes per hectare. The average production of rice in China, Japan and Korea is 5 to 6 tonnes per hectare. There is no alternative of developing high yielding modern varieties as well as modern technology for increasing production rate in the country to the meet growing demand for food, he added.

The hybrid rice technology was basically introduced in Bangladesh in 2001, the official sources said. The first hybrid-BRRI hybrid-1 was also released for commercial cultivation in the same year.