Feasibility of Introducing Four Crops Based Cropping Patterns in Kushtia Area of Bangladesh

The trial was conducted at Multi Location Testing (MLT) site under On-Farm Research Division, BARI, Kushtia during the last week of February, 2015 to second week of February, 2017 at farmers’ field condition to find out the productivity and profitability of three alternate cropping patterns, i.e. ACP1=Mustard (var: BARI Sarisha-15) - Mungbean (var: BARI Mung-6) - T. Aus rice (var: BRRI dhan48) - T. Aman rice (var: Binadhan-7), ACP2=Lentil (var: BARI Masur-6) - Mungbean (var: BARI Mung-6) - T. Aus rice (var: BRRI dhan48) - T. Aman rice (var:Binadhan-7), ACP3=Wheat (var: BARI Gom-28) - Mungbean (var: BARI Mung-6) - T. Aus rice (var: BRRI dhan48) - T. Aman rice (var:Binadhan-7) against the existing cropping pattern, i.e. ECP= Lentil (var: BARI Mashur-6) – Sesame (BARI Teel-3) - T. Aman (var: Binadhan-7). Findings revealed that the required mean crop durations ranged 340-356 days for one cycle in a year in four crops based cropping patterns against 293 days in existing cropping pattern. Total seed/grain yields in terms of REY of ACP1, ACP2, and ACP3 were 14.85, 16.06 and 14.92 t ha-1 year-1, respectively which were 44%, 56% and 45%, respectively higher than that of existing pattern (10.30 t ha-1 year-1). Mean production efficiency (32.53-40.43 kg ha-1day-1), land use efficiency (93.15-97.53%) and mean gross margin ( Tk. 109393 - Tk. 127834 ha-1) of all alternate cropping patterns were higher than that of existing cropping pattern (PE: 23.63 kg ha-1day-1, LUE: 80.28% and gross margin Tk. 94929 ha-1). As a result, all alternate cropping patterns were agronomically feasible and economically profitable. Among the alternate cropping patterns, ACP2=Lentil (var: BARI Masur-6) - Mungbean (var: BARI Mung-6) - T. Aus rice (var: BRRI dhan48) - T. Aman rice (var: Binadhan-7) performed the best. Therefore, farmers in Kushtia area of Bangladesh might follow the alternate cropping patterns in high and medium high land for higher crop productivity and profitability over existing cropping pattern. The Agriculturists 2020; 18(1) 94-102

Assessing the Participation of Indigenous Santals People in Chapainawabganj District of Bangladesh in Income Generating Activities

The study was conducted to determine the participation of indigenous people in different income generating activities (IGAs) and identify their problems. The study focused especially the Santal (an indigenous community of Bangladesh) peoples living in Chapainawabganj district. A pre-structured questionnaire was used to collect data through face to face interview from randomly selected sample size of 120 respondents. The Santals did not have recognizable access to education and income generating activities (IGAs). The main findings indicate that, most of the respondents were in between 29-50 years of age. About 60% of the respondents were illiterate with 80% belonged to medium sized family which consist of 4 to 6 members. Agriculture is the main occupation among of the respondents. Among them, only 3.33% people are involved with Government services. Most of the people are found without own land although they continue their livelihood mostly by crop production, livestock rearing, fish culture and day laboring. They take lease of cultivable land from others. The respondents had an average annual family income of about 71429BDT whereas about 80% of the respondents were under low income category. Lack of money was found the most important problem in the study area according to Focus Group Discussion (FGD). IGAs improved the overall livelihood status of the Santals in the study area. The Agriculturists 2020; 18(1) 137-143

Impact of Labor Migration on Rural Livelihood in Pakundia Upazila under Kishoregonj District of Bangladesh

The focal objective guided the present study was to investigate the impact of labor migration on rural livelihood. Pakundiaupazila under Kishoregonj district was purposively selected as the locale of the study. Three villages viz. Narandi, Hossendi and Patuabhanga were randomly selected. A sample consisting of 80 respondents, having at least one migrant agricultural labor was selected following stratified proportionate random sampling technique. Quantitative data were collected by the researchers using a structured interview schedule through face to face interview method. Qualitative data were collected through group discussion and direct observation methods. Statistics like range, mean, percentile and rank order were employed throughout the study. Majority (54.5%) of the household owners fell under old age group; 53.2 percent belonged to the group of primary level of education; 56.3 percent had medium family; 78.8 percent families were nuclear; more than half (51.0%) of them belonged to medium income category; greater part (55.2%) of them had medium contact with the sources of information; 50.1 percent of the respondents had low organizational participation; and 50.0 percent of them showed high cosmopoliteness. Majority of migrant workers (46.7%) migrated in Middle East and Dhaka city (25.3). Major causes of labor migration were higher income possibilities, job security, social status, major types of migration were rural-urban, migration to other country and seasonal migration. Vital negative impacts of labor migration on agriculture were: decreased family labor; dependency on remittance; and increased vulnerability difficult situation. Vibrant positive impacts of labor migration were observed on financial capital (increased remittance flow and total household income) followed by physical (enriched household gadgets and real properties possession), human (improved skills in agricultural practices and enhanced competency in managing farm production) and social capitals (enhanced social relation and developed social network)while negative impact was observed on natural capital (decreased agricultural land status and natural vegetation). Hiring labor, change in cropping pattern and agricultural transformation were the major ways of coping up with labor shortage in agricultural production. The Agriculturists 2020; 18(1) 66-80

Amelioration of Adverse Effect of Drought on Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Variety BRRI Dhan28 through Application of Poultry Litter Based Compost

An experiment was carried out at the research field of Crop Physiology and Ecology Department, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur during January 2017 to May 2017 to evaluate the effects of poultry litter based composts on morpho-physiological, yield and yield contributing characters of BRRI dhan28, a mega rice variety of Boro season in Bangladesh, under different water stress conditions. The plants were grown in pots, and the experiment was laid out in a factorial complete randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Factor A included three levels of fertilizer and compost amendments i.e. control (recommended inorganic fertilizer), compost (10 t ha-1) + inorganic fertilizer, compost (20 t ha-1) + without inorganic fertilizers, and factor B comprised of three water levels (continuous flooding, 100% field capacity and 75% field capacity). Different parameters such as plant height, tiller number, leaf number, leaf area, chlorophyll content, proline content and yield contributing characters were measured during the experiment. Most of the measured parameters were significantly influenced by irrigation levels with different fertilizer and compost amendments. The highest plant height and leaf number per hill were found in the treatment of compost (10 t ha-1) + inorganic fertilizer with 100% field capacity, though the maximum tiller number were produced by the interaction of control with flooding irrigation. The total chlorophyll was observed more in flag leaf by the interaction of control with 100% field capacity. The Proline content was observed more in flag leaf by the interaction of control with 75% field capacity. Relative water content was found more with the interaction of compost (10 t ha-1) + inorganic fertilizer with 75% field capacity. The highest effective tiller number hill-1 was found from control (19.33) at harvest. It was also observed that irrigation with 75% field capacity produced the lowest effective tiller (15.89) hill-1 at harvest. The longest panicle length (23.12 cm) was observed with the combined effect of compost (10 t ha-1) +inorganic with 75% field capacity. Thousand grain weight was found highest (18.83 g) in the interaction of compost (20 t ha-1 + without inorganic) with 75% field capacity. The interaction of compost (20 t ha-1 + without inorganic) and flooding irrigation gave the highest grain yield (33.17 g pot-1), which was statistically similar to the treatment of compost (10 t ha-1 + inorganic) with flooding irrigation. The highest harvest index was found from compost (20 t ha-1 + without inorganic) with flooding irrigation. The Agriculturists 2020; 18(1) 42-55

Millet-Jute-T. Aman Cropping Pattern for Increasing System Productivity in the Active Brahmaputra-Jamuna Floodplain Chars

Increasing system productivity in a planned way is an important base for attaining food security, where bringing marginal land like Charland under intensive crop cultivation is highly desirable. The field trial was conducted in the Charland of the Jamuna River under Saghataupazilla of Gaibandha during 2017- 18 & 2018-19 to increase the productivity and profitability through the development of three crops-based improved cropping patterns instead of the local practice (double-crop). Three crops based improved cropping pattern namely Millet (BARI Kaon-2)-Jute (O-9897)-T. Aman (Gainja) was compared with the existing cropping pattern of Millet (Local)-Fallow-T. Aman (Gainja). The experiment was laid out in six dispersed replications maintaining RCB design. The introduced improved cropping pattern produced the higher system productivity based on rice equivalent yield, REY (12.95 t ha-1), than the existing cropping pattern (4.20 t ha-1), which is three times higher than the existing pattern. Total field duration and turnaround time were 323 and 42 days, respectively in improved pattern and 215 and 150 days, respectively in the existing pattern, which revealed that 108 days more could be made productive through the introduction of improved cropping pattern. The alternate pattern increased production efficiency and land-use efficiency by 35% and 30%, respectively than that of the existing cropping system. The gross margin was also three times higher in the improved cropping pattern (1, 41,600 Tk ha-1 yr-1) compared to the farmers’ existing cropping pattern (38,350 Tk ha-1 yr-1). The marginal benefit-cost ratio (MBCR) was calculated 2.44 in an improved cropping pattern over the existing cropping pattern. The inclusion of an extra one crop (Jute) in the existing cropping pattern and replacement of the local millet variety by high yielding variety (BARI Kaon-2) could play a significant role to increase the system productivity as well as profitability in the Charland of Saghata, Gaibandha. The Agriculturists 2020; 18(1) 129-136

Inheritance of Yield Related Traits in a Half Diallel Crosses of Some Maize (Zea mays L.) Genotypes

Inheritance of grain yield, heterosis and combining ability were investigated in maize populations obtained from half-diallel crossing among six inbred parental lines. General (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability effects were significantly different among parental lines. The grain yield was under the partial gene effect. The parents P1, P3 and P5were considered suitable according to their yield contributing attributes couple with general combining ability effects. The midparentheterosis values ranged from -27.246 (P2 xP5) to 15.209% (P1 xP2) whereas the better parent heterosis values varied between 22.375(P2x P3) to 40.363% (P2 x P5) only seven crosses had higher grain yields. Of those crosses, P1×P2, P2×P5 and P1×P3 were considered most promising hybrids yielding heterosis as 15.880%, 20.363% and 40.363 respectively over their parents. The Agriculturists 2020; 18(1) 18-25

Isolation, Structural and Functional Characterization of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam) Seed Proteins

With increasing health awareness, the demand for concentrated proteins from plant sources has been rising for direct consumption or to use as an ingredient in food formulation. The characteristic information of any component is prerequisite for its efficient usage in food preparation. This study was undertaken to isolate the protein from jackfruit seeds and characterizing the physicochemical and functional properties of the isolated protein. The protein fraction from jackfruit seed flour was isolated using pH treatments and centrifugation process. The isolated protein was converted into powder form by a vacuum drying and grinding method. Total protein content in the isolate was determined by the Kjeldahl method. The functional properties such as solubility and gelling capacity and secondary structural elements of jackfruit seed protein isolate (JSPI) were studied. The crude JSPI contained 76.89% protein with 58.44% solubility in aquatic solvent. The conformational study by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that the β -sheet is the dominant secondary structure of JSPI that contained 50.28% β -sheet, 21.71% α -helix, 8.86% β -turn, and 19.15% unordered structure. The least gelation concentration of JSPI dissolved in 1.0 M NaCl solution was 12%. The pH of the solvent significantly affected the emulsifying and foaming properties (p<0.05). Based on the observed structural and functional features, JSPI has prospects to be used as a supplementary ingredient in future food formulations. The Agriculturists 2020; 18(1) 103-115

Reactive Nitrogen in Crop, Fishery and Livestock Sectors of Bangladesh

Agriculture in Bangladesh is characterized by crop, fishery and livestock sectors. Urea-N is used in all three sectors. Crop sector plays a dominant role in urea consumption to supply of food for ever burgeoning population. Application of inorganic N fertilizer definitely increased agricultural productivity. This however playing a significant role in altering global nutrient budget, water quality, greenhouse gas emission, and ultimately affecting the global climate. Though cropping intensity and use of N fertilizer have increased, yield plateauing is a concern for food security. Recovery efficiency of N rarely exceeds 30% in both crop and fish culture, while remaining reactive N is a global concern. Different industries have emerged in the last decade producing huge amounts of effluents discharging to the environment without treatment which appeared as a potential threat in damaging and disintegrating the environment. Resultant negative effect from application of large amount of organic and inorganic fertilizers and feeds in fishponds is a matter of boundless anxiety as it might act as a source of reactive N. Livestock sector comprising poultry and dairy produce huge amount of manure annually which is equivalent to 0.30 million tons of N and because of poor manure management reactive N is spreading in the environment. Reluctant attitudes on these crucial issues might bring a disaster through stopping natural ecosystem functions of the environment from where ‘U’ turn will rather be impossible. Adoption of resource conservation strategies, judicial and optimum use of N fertilizers in all agricultural sectors, improved management of livestock manure and industrial effluents are strongly recommended for environmental sustainability. The Agriculturists 2020; 18(1) 144-163

Variability and Character Association Study in Morphological Traits of Tossa Jute (Corchorus olitorius L.)

Tossa jute (CorchorusolitoriusL.) is the most important commercial crop of Bangladesh. Fifty-six genotypes of F2 generation were raised at Breeding Research Farm, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur from April 2018 to August 2019 from the parental lines O-9897, O-795, JRO-524, Acc. 2381, Acc. 3423, Acc. 3438, Acc. 3533 and Acc. 3860. The parameters, plant height (m), base diameter (mm), green bark thickness (mm), green bark weight without leaves (g), stick weight (g), fiber strength (MPa), days to flowering, days to maturity and fiber weight/stick varied significantly among the genotypes. Significant productivity was found from Acc. 3860. Green bark weight without leaves exhibited highest genotypic and phenotypic co-efficient of variation followed by fiber weight and stick weight. The highest genetic advance as percentage of mean (44.38%) was estimated against green bark weight without leaves suggest it as a prime character that enhanced fiber and stick yields. The Acc. 3860 resulted high production of fiber in hybrids. Considering the studied characters, the F2-generation of Acc. 3860 is comparatively batter than others. The research findings suggested that the F2-generation of Accession Acc. 3860 may produce desired segregates and therefore demands farther research in different environmental conditions and field trail. The Agriculturists 2020; 18(1) 116-128

Germination and Seedling Leaf Chlorophyll Content of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Grown under Industrial Wastewater Condition

The tobacco industry is one of the biggest industries in the world generates and disposes large quantities of wastewater in the environment which may be toxic to the plant, animal, public health as well as environment. Therefore, an experiment was conducted during November, 2019 at Crop Physiology and Ecology Laboratory, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh to observe the effects of tobacco industry wastewater on germination, early seedling growth and seedling leaf chlorophyll content of wheat (TriticumaestivumL.). Three wheat genotypes (BARI Gom 28, BARI Gom 29 and BAW 1177) and two growing conditions (normal tap water and tobacco industry wastewater) were assigned in a completely randomized design with three replications in germination test. Results showed that germination characteristics, seedling growth and chlorophyll content in leaf of seedling significantly influenced by wheat genotype, growing condition and their interaction. Irrigation with tobacco industry wastewater lowered the germination percentage, rate of germination, co-efficient of germination and vigor index. However, seedlings irrigated with tobacco industry wastewater produced longer shoot and root as compared to seedlings irrigated with tap water. Similarly, tobacco industry wastewater increased the shoot and root dry weight but reduced the chlorophyll content in leaf of seedling. Among the three wheat genotypes, BAW 1177 performed better under both tap water and wastewater conditions regarding germination, early growth and chlorophyll content in leaf of seedling. The Agriculturists 2020; 18(1) 10-17