Research achievements

The faculty members published more than 550 scientific papers in national and international journals.

The major research achievements of the department are

  • Germplasm collection and evaluation:  More than 1000 genotypes of Rice, Mungbean, Chickpea, Soybean, Bushbean, Pigeonpea, Sorghum, lentil, Cotton  and cowpea were collected and evaluated against flooding, drought and salinity.
  • Variety released: The list of release varieties in different crops and their characteristics are:
Crop SL. No Variety Characteristics
Rice 01

BU dhan1
  1. High yielding (4.0 to 4.5 t ha-1)
  2. Short duration (110 to 120 days)
  3. Long grain (7.1 mm)
  4. High amylose (27.5%0
  5. Excellent for polaw, biriany and muri
  6.  Early harvest (Monga mitigation)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mungbean

 

 

 02

BU mug1
  1. High yielding (1.4 to 1.6 t ha-1)
  2. Short duration (55 to 60 days)
  3. Large grain (50 to 55 mg)
  4. Tolerant to yellow mosaic       virus
  5. Almost synchronous maturity
03

BU mug2
  1. High yielding (1.5 to 1.7 t ha-1)
  2. Short duration (55 to 60 days)
  3. Large grain (50 to 55 mg)
  4. Tolerant to yellow mosaic virus
  5. Almost synchronous maturity
04

BU mug3
  1. Used as fodder and grain
  2.  Duration: Fodder 60-90 days; grain 180-220 days
  3. Tolerant to insect and disease
  4. Small seed (30 to 35 mg)
  5. Yield: Fodder 15 to 20 t ha-1; grain 1.0 to 1.5 t ha-1
05

BU mug4
  1. High yielding (1.8 to 2.0 t ha-1)
  2.  Short duration (55 to 60 days)
  3. Large grain (50 to 55 mg)
  4. Tolerant to yellow mosaic virus and cercospora leaf spot disease
  5. Almost synchronous maturity
06

BU mug5
  1. High yielding (1.5 to 1.8 t ha-1)
  2. Short duration (50 to 5 days)
  3. Large grain (50 to 55 mg)
  4. Tolerant to yellow mosaic and cercospora leaf spot disease
  5. Almost synchronous maturity
07

BU mug6
  1. High yielding (2.0 to 2.3 t ha-1)
  2.  Short duration (60 to 65 days)
  3. Large grain (60 to 65 mg)
  4. Tolerant to mosaic virus and cercospora leaf spot disease
  5. Almost synchronous maturity
 

 

 

 

 

Soybean

 08

BU soybean1
  1. BU Soybean 1 matures at least 15 days earlier than other varieties, depending on the region and sowing time.
  2. There is less chance of drought damage during grain formation.
  3. Plant height of BU Soybean 1 is 35 cm – 42 cm
  4. The variety requires less water and fertilizer than conventional varieties.
  5.  BU Soybean 1 variety can be cultivated as an intercrop with crops such as sugarcane, maize, sunflower, banana, papaya etc.
09

BU soybean2
  1. BU soybean-2 will be much less affected than other varieties due to waterlogging and wind damage caused by cyclones in the southern part of the country.
  2. Its lifespan is 100 days in the Rabi season and matures in 90 days in the Kharif season.
  3. The flower color is white, the seed shape is oval and relatively large
  4. The weight of each 1,000 seeds is 220 grams, which is more than any other variety in the country.
  5. The average yield is 3.5 tons per hectare.
10

BU soybean3
  1. High yielding (3.0 to 3.8 t ha-1)
  2. ·Growth duration (kharif-II: 80 to 85 days and rabi: 90 to 95 days)
  3. Large grain (210 to 220 mg)
  4.  Saline tolerant
11

BU soybean4
  1.  High yielding (3.0 to 3.8 t ha-1)
  2.  Growth duration (kharif-II: 85 to 90 days and rabi: 95-100 days)
  3. Large grain (220-230 mg)
  4.   Saline tolerant
Chickpea 12

BU chola1
  1. High yielding (1.5 to 2.3 t ha-1)
  2.  Short duration (100 to 130 days)
  3.  Large grain (180 to 200 mg)
  4.  Deep rooted
  5. Drought toleran

***Two Soybean variety (BU soybean5 & BU soybean6), One wheat variety and One Aus rice variety are proposed to be released from the Agronomy department.

  • Notable research findings
  1. Elevated CO2 enhanced growth and yield of C3 plants;
  2. Field crops showed variation in their response to elevated CO2, drought, flooding and salinity;
  3. High temperature did not favor any physiological process and grain formation of rice cultivars; High temperature hinders the positive effect of elevated CO2;
  4. The genotypes BU chola-1, BB 024 (bush bean), BU soybean-2, BU mug-2, and G00056 (soybean) were found tolerant against drought stress;
  5. GK 48 and VC 3945A (mungbean), BD 3859 and BD 3867 (lentil) were tolerant against flood
  • Technology developed:
  1. Technology Developed: Four crops in sequence viz. T. aman rice (BU dhan1) – potato or mustard – Mungbean (BU mug4) – T. aus rice (Pariza)
  2. Drought and climate change mitigation using biochar and seaweed
  • Ongoing Research Activities
  • The department of agronomy deals with the science of crop-soil-environment relationship with the aim of improving crop productivity. It works for the improvement of cereals, pulses, oilseeds and industrial crops in a sustainable manner to ensure sufficient supply of foods for the increasing population, and for supply of raw materials for emerging agro-industries of country. Research facilities available in the department for field and laboratory research in the areas of stand establishment, crop physiology, eco-physiology, crop management, cropping system, climate change, environmental stresses, GIS and remote sensing, seed science and technology, weed science and weed management aspects.
  • The present activities include following areas:
  • Exploring physiological traits of cereal, oilseed and pulse crops for high yield potential and adaptation to climate change.
  • Collection and evaluation of plant genetic resources for their tolerance to drought, water logging and salinity.
  • Evaluation of herbicides on different field crops and also soil health.
  • Nutrient management and source-sink manipulation in cereal, oilseed and pulse crops.
  • Development change of phyllochron in HYV and land races of rice in relation to various agronomic management practices.
  • Breeder seed production of released varieties from the department
  • Effects of puddling intensity and crop establishment techniques on the growth and yield of field crops.
  • Impact of rice-wheat/potato mungbean cropping system on farmers’ employment opportunity, food security and livelihood in selected ‘Monga’ prone areas in northern districts of Bangladesh.
  • Development of climate smart production technology of field crops in Bangladesh.
  • Future research plan
  • Crop physiological research on varietal improvement for unfavorable ecosystems
  • Collection, evaluation and conservation of germplasm and inbred lines of field crops from local and exotic sources
  • Research on climate smart production technology of different field crops
  • Integrated crop management practices and development of resource conserving technologies for sustainable crop productivity.
  • Development of short-duration crop variety for intensification and diversification of cropping systems.
  • Identification of crop genotypes tolerant to salinity, drought, heat stress and water logging
  • Herbicidal research in relation to environmental issues
  • Research on crop modeling, GIS and remote sensing