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.