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The government Tuesday released two new varieties of rice and jute seeds prospecting high yields.
The National Seed Board (NSB) has approved high zinc enriched ‘Brri dhan-100’ variety invented by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).
New jute seed variety BJRI desi jute-10, developed by Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) has also been approved on the day, said a release.
Those varieties will be given to farm level soon.
The decision was taken at the 104th meeting of the NSB, held at the conference room of the agriculture ministry on the day.
Agriculture Senior Secretary Md Mesbahul Islam presided over the meeting, Additional Secretary (Research) Kamala Ranjan Das, Additional Secretary and Director General of Seeds Balai Krishna Hazra, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) Chairman Md Sayedul Islam, Director General of BRRI Dr Md Shahjahan Kabir, Director General of BJRI Ashom Anwarul Haque, spoke among others.
Md Mesbahul Islam, also chairman of NSB said, “It is a great pleasure for us that such a developed rice variety is being released during the occasion of the 'Mujib Year'.”
BRRI officials said it is the release of their 100th rice variety dedicated to 'Mujib Year'.
The new rice variety Brri dhan-100 contains 25.60 mg of zinc at per kg.
The average yield per hectare has been found 7.69 tonnes after trials in 10 places in the country, said BRRI.
The life span of the variety is 148 days and it has been approved for Boro season.
The variety will give more production than that of Brri dhan-29 while its lifespan will be that of Brri dhan-28.
BJRI's latest jute seed variety is moderately salinity tolerant and short term.
It is suitable for saline-prone areas of the southern coastal districts.
Farmers could cultivate another two crops after collecting jute from the field as it takes only 105-115 days.
Average production has been found 2.56 tonnes per hectare while volume of jute stick will be 8.21 tonnes, said the agriculture ministry release.