The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

A newly invented variety of salinity- tolerant rice will be placed before the National Seed Board to get nod from the authorities for taking it to field level cultivation in the next Boro season.

Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) is at the final stage of developing the variety to cultivate in the lands with high salinity in the coastal belts of the country. The probable name of the variety would be BINA dhan-8.

Dr Mirza Mofazzal Islam, principal scientific officer of BINA said that the vast tract of coastal lands with high salinity of the region remained fallow in absence of salinity tolerant variety of rice.

At present the falling rate of mature paddy of BR- 47, which has less tolerance level of salinity, is very high in the harvesting time that may affect total production rate of the farmers, Dr Mirza added.

But falling rate of the BINA-8, the newly developed variety, is very low, he said the variety will create good prospect for some good qualities in lands with salinity in the country's coastal region.

Dr Mirza, who is developing the variety under the initiative of BINA, said the development of BINA dhan- 8 was started in 2000 and now it is at final stage and ready to be cultivated.