Impact of industry on agricultural development in Sylhet region of Bangladesh: Farmer’s perception

The study targets at farmer’s perception and their cognition how they conceive that agricultural performance has been affected and devastated through industrial work. It reviews and investigates the opinion of 25% farmers of two villages from each upazila of two named Madhapur and Habiganj sadar upazila in Sylhet division where Charu Ceramic Industry Limited and Olipur industry are located respectively from mid-September to mid-October, 2021 through survey of questionnaire, interview and group discussion. According to 85% farmers, the industry shades agriculture by imposing an adverse and toxic impact on agricultural exposure and development. Among them, (41.6% and 48.4%) of farmers realize that the industry creates high propensity of losing standard quality of soil and water, respectively. They (40.2%) notice that invasion of several dangerous insects on crops has become prominent and unmanageable near the industrial area. The study represents such kind of realization of farmers to show a salient feature in view of their finding causes and intuition with significant numerical data. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 11(2): 133-138, Dec 2021

Achieving sustainable development goals at local levels

Purpose: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of open budget meeting as a means of ensuring public participation in the budget making process at local government bodies in Bangladesh’s Sylhet region, and also compares the extent of public participation among urban local government and rural local government bodies.Methodology: This study followed both quantitative and qualitative approach conducting a social survey. Among 13 Upazilas of Sylhet district in Bangladesh, Kanaighat upazila was selected randomly. The study was conducted at Kanaighat paurashava and Satbak union. Findings: This study reveals that the most of the people participate in open budget meeting with a motive to get some personal benefits. Moreover, a few elected officials prefer not to involve the general public in the OBM, considering public participation as a source of disruption.Research limitations: Sample size is a limitation of this study. Due to Covid-19 situation, a larger sample could not be collected. Additionally, the study covers only one district, out of 64 districts in Bangladesh.Practical implications: This study suggests that the government and local bodies may take appropriate measures to enhance citizen’s capacity as well as access to information regarding budget making process for the purpose of ensuring inclusive and participatory decision making at OBM in Bangladesh’s local government bodies, leading to achieving SDG 16.7 declared by the United Nations. Originality/value: This is an original study conducted in Sylhet district of Bangladesh. The study findings confirm similar findings elsewhere in the world.

Mitigation of Biotic and Abiotic Stresses in Mat Type Seedlings Raised for Mechanical Rice Transplanter

Cold mitigation mechanism at seedling stage is a primary requirement during Boro season as seedlings are raised during months of November and December. This study was conducted at the Sylhet Agricultural University's Agricultural and Biosystem Engineering lab in Sylhet during the 2018-19 academic year. The focus of this study is to mitigate the biotic and abiotic effect on germination and mat-type seedling growing during the Boro season. A two-factor design with three replications was used in the experiment. As abiotic stress control factors, six treatments were taken under two different thicknesses (0.04 mm and 0.08 mm) of white polythene sheds that covered day time only (12 hours) and day and night time (24 hours). Along with that two fungicides (Atavo and Autostin) and MoP fertilizer were used to control biotic stress on young seedlings raised in a plastic tray. Agronomical characteristics were measured in two intervals (after 15 and 30 days). The combined effect of 0.08 mm thick polythene shed and MoP treatment showed the highest value for seedling height (167.3 mm), a number of leaves (4), leaf length (99.8 mm), stem length (73.5 mm), and seedling density (18/cm2). Fungal infection was found lowest in 0.08 mm polythene covered day and night time. Seedling raised plastic trays are much more effective than the conventional way in terms of germination and quality. So, 0.08 mm thick white polythene was recommended as a covering mechanism and MoP as a treating mechanism for seedlings rising in cold weather of the Sylhet region.

Documenting the Constraints and Its Allied Factors in Agar (Aquilaria malaccensis Roxb.) Tree Cultivation at Farm Level: A Case Study in Bangladesh

The study was conducted to investigate the socio-economic characteristics of the agar farmers, the extent of constraints in agar wood cultivation; and the factors allied with constraints in agar tree farming. Despite the enormous potential of agar (Aquilaria malaccensis Roxb.) production in Bangladesh, it has yet to gain traction due to socioeconomic, technical, and marketing challenges. The cultivation of agar trees is largely centered in the Sylhet region, where a large number of agar farmers engage. This research was carried out in Maulvibazar district's Barlekha upazila (sub-district) to better understand and assess the restrictions and factors that affect agar tree cultivation. A survey was conducted with 120 households during September 2018 to March 2019. Descriptive statistics, rank order, coefficient of correlation, and multiple linear regression were used to examine the data. Out of 12 constraints, the most significant barrier was a lack of funds to engage in agar farming (2.81), which was followed by a lack of technical guidance (2.71). The lack of labor was the least important constraint faced by the farmers (1.43). It was revealed that education, household size, farm size, number of trees per farmer, annual income, experience in agar farming, agar wood cultivation under trees and knowledge of agar cultivation of the farmers were shown to be realized to agar plantation constraints. However, education, farm size, annual revenue, and agar growing experience were identified as major drivers of the degree of agar farming constraints. The study identified various policymakers' potential to address the influencing variables (education, farm size, annual revenue, and agar farming experience) in establishing agar farming. Furthermore, finance facilities, adequate agar farming instruction, and forest department introspection could all help to reduce agar farming obstacles.

Molecular Diagnosis and Evolutionary Relationship Analysis Of Plant Parasitic Tea Garden Nematodes From Different Tea Estates In Sylhet Region of Bangladesh

Nematodes from plant-parasitic sources are ever-present and incidental to plant growth as well as crop production. The damage of tea gardens caused by nematode is often non-specific and easily confused with symptoms. The present study determined the parasitic and non-parasitic nematodes population in different tea gardens of the Sylhet region by their morphological and partial molecular characterization. Out of 13 tea gardens, it was observed that BTRI, Karimpur, Mathiura, and Tarapur tea garden has the highest number of parasitic and non-parasitic nematodes. After PCR amplification, DNA bands with desired amplicon size were detected by gel electrophoresis. Among thirteen soil samples, nematodes from Malnichara, Karimpur, BTRI, Mathiura , and Finlay had partially confirmed the presence of rootknot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.), root-lesion nematode (Pratylenchus brachyurus), burrowing nematode (Radopholus similis), reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis) and lance nematode (Hoplolaimus columbus) consequently based on approximately base pair of 1.7, 1.1 and 0.52 kb (different Meloidogyne spp.) 0.52, 0.52, 0.25 and 2.3 kb of specific genes. From evolutionary analysis, it might be said that Meloidogyne species are strongly related with each other making clusters except Meloidogyne natalie where this one is closely related with Hoplolaimus columbus in their evolutionary relationship as remaining others (Rotylenchulus reniformis, Radopholus similis, Pratylenchus brachyurus) are in different clusters in the same clade and this result could be confirmed after sequencing. J. Bio-Sci. 29(1): 101-109, 2021 (June)

Women's Contribution to Sustainable Development on Patipata (Schumannianthus dichotoma) Based Cottage Industries in Sylhet Region, Bangladesh

The role of women in sustainable development is very crucial in society. This study was intended to investigate women’s contribution to sustainable development on patipata based cottage industries evaluating its productivity & profitability and also mentioning challenges & further recommendations at Angarzur village of Gowainghat Upazilla in Sylhet region, Bangladesh. The study area and 125 respondents were selected by purposive sampling because of its nature and subject matter in where survey research was carried out with a semi-structured questionnaire. Middle aged female are highly involved in patipata-based cottage industries in this area. Women produce different types of patipata-based articles that require 2- 7 days from where women earn annually about 77,965/=Tk. Women play a major part in the production process and around 333 numbers of articles are sold per year. For different types of articles, the net average cost ranges from 45 Tk. to 270 Tk. and net average profit ranges from 30 Tk. to 410 Tk. The demand of patipata based articles has found a significant distinction in rural-urban areas. However, the sustainability of women’s contribution to this business faces some challenges that should be reduced through the collaboration of concerned authorities.

Assessment of High-yielding Rapeseed-mustard Varieties in Haor (Wetland) Ecosystem for Development of Mustard-Boro Rice-Fallow Pattern in Sylhet Region of Bangladesh

Aims: To assess the suitability of short duration high yielding rapeseed-mustard variety(s) cultivation in the haor (wetland) areas. Study Design: Randomized complete block (RCB). Place and Duration of Study: Farmers’ field of Lalakhal, Jaintapur Upazila of Sylhet, Bangladesh during November 2014 to February 2015. Methodology: The treatments included in the experiment were seven rapeseed-mustard varieties viz. i. Tori-7, ii. BARI sarisha-13, iii. BARI sarisha-14, iv. BARI sarisha-15, v. BARI sarisha-16, vi. advanced line Nap-205 and vii. BINA sarisha-4. Design of the experiment was randomized complete block (RCB) with three replications. Results: The results revealed that BARI sarisha-16 produced the highest seed yield (1.99 t ha-1), but it took the maximum days (92) to maturity. The variety BARI sarisha-15 produced the second highest seed yield (1.78 t ha-1) closely followed by BINA sarisha-4 (1.75 t ha-1) and BARI sarisha-13 (1.68 t ha-1). The lowest seed yield (1.53 t ha-1) was obtained from the variety Tori-7 which was statistically similar to that of BARI sarisha-14 (1.59 t ha-1) and Nap-205 (1.68 t ha-1). Tori-7 took the minimum days (74.7) to maturity while BARI sarisha-15 took 77.7 days. Conclusion: Variety BARI sarisha-15 could be a good option for haor areas for cultivation in medium low land before Boro rice after recession of rainwater, as it took less duration to maturity (77.7 days) with good seed yield (1.78 t ha-1).