Present status of lentil production and relay of lentil with T. aman rice shows glimpse of prospect in Bangladesh

Fig.1. Area and production of lentil in Bangladesh

Present status of lentil production and relay lentil with T. aman rice shows glimpse of prospect in Bangladesh

M.A.K. Mian, M.S. Islam and M.O. Ali

Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute

Lentil is an important pulse crop in Bangladesh covering an area of 162 thousands hectares of land with an annual production of 211 thousands metric tons (AIS, 2012). It occupies third position after lathyrus and mungbean in respect of area and production (AIS, 2012). Greater Faridpur, Jessore, Khustia, Pabna, and Rajshahi are the major lentil growing area in the country. Present status and trend of lentil production in the country is given in Fig 1. The area and production showed a decreasing trend from 1995-96 to 2008-2009, afterwards it exhibited an increasing trend (Fig. 1). The area and production of lentil increased as 37% and 88% in 2010-11 over 2008-2009. The increase of production is higher as compared to increase of land. This was possibly happened due to use of improved varieties of lentil associated with production technology. Relay lentil with T.aman rice is a suitable technology that can help in increasing production of lentil in the country. This technology is suitable for high and medium high land. Before (10-14 days) harvesting of T.aman rice lentil is relayed in moist soil after recession of stagnant water in the field. High seed rate of 50 kg ha^-1 is suggested to be used. Fungicide like Rovral 50 WP (2g L^-1 of water) should sprayed for controlling stemphylium blight if possibility of incidence. The field view (photograph) of relayed lentil with T.aman rice is located at Baoikhola village of Atghoria in Pabna district. The previous T. aman (cv. Sorna) was transplanted on 25-30 July and lentil (cv. BARI mosur-7) was relayed as broadcasting on 8-14 November 2011. The yield of sorna was 4.8-5.4 t ha^-1. The involved farmers were Altab Hossain, Abdul Hamid, Sherajul Hoque, Sheb Master, Jaher Ali, M. Liton and Afjal Hossain of the demonstration. An international team of pulse scientists visited the location on 26 January 2012. The visiting scientist were namely Dr. Kamel Shideed -ADG, ICARDA, Syria; Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad –DG., PARC, Pakistan; Dr. N P Adhikari -Director, NARC, Nepal; Dr. Ashutosh Sharker - ICARDA, India; Dr. G Sarkar –BCKV, West Bengal, India; Mr. Moshabbir- PARC, Pakistan; Dr. Kencho Wangdi- CORRB, Bhutan; Dr. N Nadarajan - Director, IIPR, Kanpur, India; Dr. M M Roy- CAZRI, Jodhpur, India; DR. R.I. Mondal-DG., BARI, Bangladesh; Dr. Renuka Shrestha - NARC, Nepal; Dr. Shiv Kumar Agrawal - ICARDA, Syria; Dr. M Imtiaz- ICARDA, Syria; Dr, Abdul Majid -ICARDA, Pakistan. They are very pleased by observing the technology in the farmers’ field. This technology needs to be disseminated widely for increasing lentil production in the country.

Visit of Potato Late Blight diseased field of Farmer

Visit of Potato Late Blight diseased field of Farmer at Sripur Village of Natore Soder Upa Zilla, Bangladesh.

On 17 January 2012, Dr. M. A. K. Mian and A. Alam have visited the farmers' Field of Potato at Sripur village of Natore Soder Upa Zilla in Bangladesh. The potato field is infested with late blight disease. Dr. Mian is suggesting about control measures of the disease and supplying leaflets among the present farmers.

Late blight disease of potato and its control measure

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Late blight disease of potato and its control measure

M.A. K. Mian, K.M. Khalequzzaman and N. Ara

Regional Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Ishurdi 6620, Pabna

Late blight is a serious disease of potato in Bangladesh. A huge yield loss occurred within very short time due to infestation of this disease. Experimental evidence indicated that yield loss was estimated about 25-50% due to infestation of this disease. Phytophthora infestans is the causal fungus for late blight disease of potato. At first water-soaked zigzag spots are appeared on tip and margin of leaves then spread to stem and tubers. Powdery white spores are visible under the infested leaves. Brownish ring spot are shown on the infested stem. Low temperature, fogy weather, high humidity and cloudy sky are favourable conditions for disease development.

The following measures can be applied for prevention and control of the disease:

1. Preventive measures:

a). Healthy seed should be used.

b) Irrigation must be stopped when disease incidence occurred.

c). Infested potato tubers should be removed during storage.

d). Harvesting of potato should be avoided at wet soil and after rains.

e). Harvested potato tubers should not covered with infested potato plants in the field.

f).Should cut and remove the potato plants at 85-90 days aged before harvesting.

2. Dithane M 45/Indofil (2 g/L of water) should be sprayed at 7 days intervals for preventive measure.

3. Prevailing of favourable weather for disease development:

a). Secure @ 2 g/L of water OR

b). Melodidew @ 2 g/L of water +Secure @1 g/L of water OR

c). Acrobat MZ @ 2 g + Secure @1 g /L OR

d). Acrobat MZ @ 2 g + Melodidew @1 g /L

Sodium chloride (NaCl) use in potato as fertilizer

Survey and identification of causes of sodium chloride use in potato in northerner of parts of Bangladesh

M.A.K. Mian, M.R. Islam and J. Hossain

Agronomy Division, Regional Agricultural Research Station

Ishurdi 6620, Pabna

Photograph: Dr. M.A.K.Mian is interviewing with farmer on NaCl use in potato at Baroipara village of Paba upa zilla of Rajshahi.

A diagnostic survey on sodium chloride (NaCl) use in potato was carried out on 28 December 2011, 29 December 2011 and 2 January at Bogra, Rajshahi and Pabna districts respectively. The selected locations were Valta village of Kahalur Upa Zilla, Pertakur village of Shajahanpur Upa Zilla at Bogra district, Baroipara village of Paba Upa zilla and Jeolmari village of Godagari Upa zilla at Rajshahi district and Gangmatal village of Ishurdi Upa zilla at Pabna district. Thirty farmers were interviewed at leach location. Information on sodium chloride use on potato has been given in Table 1.

Table 1. Farmers’ opinion on sodium chloride use in potato at different locations

Sl. No.	Location	Opinions of farmers (no.) on sodium chloride use on crops
		Potato		Other crops
		Yes	No	Yes	Crops
1	Valta village of Kahalur Upa Zilla		30
2	Pertakur village of Shajahanpur Upa Zilla		30
3	Baroipara village of Paba Upa zilla	30		yes	wheat and rice
4	Jeolmari village of Godagari Upa zilla		30	yes	wheat and rice
5	Ganmatal village of Ishurdi Upa zilla	10	20	yes	Litchi

Farmers of Valta village of Kahalur Upa Zilla and Pertakur village of Shajahanpur Upa Zilla at Bogra district do not use sodium chloride in potato and other crops. But the farmers of Baroipara village of Paba Upa zilla at Rajshahi district use sodium chloride in potato. Moreover, the farmers of Rajshahi district use sodium chloride in rice and wheat in some cases. The farmers of Ganmatal of Ishurdi Upa zilla at Pabna district use sodium chloride in litchi. The farmers opined that those who lend lands from others farmers, then they use sodium chloride in crops in hidden condition, especially at night. Moreover, they said, use of sodium chloride helps to suck up the nutrients from soil by the crops. But the soil becomes unfertile for the following years. One farmer opined that NaCl is used as a substitute of Muriate of Potash (KCl). The crop performance is good producing better yield when NaCl is used in potato. The scientific reason behind that there probably occurs cation exchange by Na⁺ replacing K⁺ in the soil. Reserved or unavailable (Adsorbed) K+ in soil is replaced by adding Na+ (Na⁺Cl^-). Thus available K⁺ is useful for K loving of potato crop.