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Potato farming through net house system is increasing gradually in Rajshahi region including its vast Barind for multiplying the tissue-culture based seed-potato successfully.
Abu Hena Mostofa Kamal, a commercial farmer of Mollikpur village under Paba upazila, said number and acreage of the modern farming method has been enhanced significantly for the last couple of years due to its better output.
He has transplanted 4,000 plantlets while Mustafiz of Ghipara village 2,000 plantlets and they were very busy nurturing their growing plantlets.
Nur Alam of Khanpur and Masum of Parjunpara under Mohanpur upazila and Ali Afzal of Jamalpur village under Bagmara upazila said that they are very happy with the present farming condition.
Mijanur Rahman Kazi, general secretary of Seed Potato Growers Cooperative Society, told that around 500 seed growing farmers were very happy with their satisfactory yield achieved through using the net-house farming method last year.
He said the farming of foundation seed of potato through using tissue culture technology and net-house system has gradually been gaining popularity everywhere in the region for the last couple of years.
The private entrepreneurs are showing interest in boosting the mother potato-seed production locally after using the modern technology instead of depending on the local seed.
BSS said besides, the potato growers are also showing their interest in cultivating potato through using the foundation seed as they have been reaping more yields.
He said the existing crisis of breeder seed could be solved easily through successful expansion of tissue culture technology at the grassroots as there was a bright prospect of enhancing the production of breeder seed through best uses of the innovated technology.
In addition to comparatively higher production and hygienic, the tissue culture seed was 100 per cent virus and disease free, healthy, high quality and environment-friendly, he informed.
Potato production could be enhanced at least 50 per cent on the existing acreage if only the quality seed were ensured among the growers.
Mustafizur Rahman, Additional Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), said there has been a tremendous demand for tissue cultured plantlets in the region.