New technology to boost rice yield

Paddy seed being sown in a filed at Sholna village using a Drum Seeder. The photo was taken last week. PHOTO: STAR

The method, innovated by Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), was displayed recently at a 'farmers' rally' held at Sholna village in Bagherpara upazila in Jessore district.

Dr Zainul Abedin, a senior researcher of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), who was present at the rally among others, highly appreciated the new technology. Boro crops raised using the method in the last sowing season were harvested and seeds were also sown during the rally, attended by many farmers from Jessore, Jhenidah and Magura districts.

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BRRI has so far distributed 80 Drum Seeder machines to farmers, sources said.

Dr Abedin told the rally that proper use of this technology would immensely benefit Bangladeshi farmers.

The technology is very simple and user-friendly. Seeds can be sown in lesser time and cost than in traditional transplantation method, farmers and BRRI officials said.

Paddy seeds are kept in water for a day or two. After germination, those are sown through the Drum Seeder on prepared muddy land.

Farmers Liakat Ali and Mizanur Rahman of Sholna village and many others from adjoining Rampur, Khanpur, Keshabpur and Keshtapur villages said they cultivated BRRI-29 in the current IRRI-Boro season using the method.

They said the production cost in Drum Seeder method was around Tk 900 per bigha against Tk 4,200 in traditional transplantation method.

The yield is 10 to 15 percent more, said Mizanur Rahman.

This is because seeds can be sown properly in the new method and all the plants get light, water and fertiliser equally, said Alauddin, Bagherpara upazila Agriculture Extension Department Block Supervisor.

Drum Seeder method takes 128 days from sowing to harvest while transplantation method takes at least 140 days, he said.