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%)
  5. Excellent for polaw, biriani and muri
  6.  Early harvest (Monga mitigation)
02 GAU Dhan 4 (Aus rice)
  1. High yielding (5.0 to 5.5 t ha-1)
  2. Short duration (90 to 100 days)
  3. Long, slender and fine grains
  4. High amylose (24.58%) and protein (8.38%)
Wheat 03 GAU gom 1 1.      Approximately 4.5 tons per hectare in normal soils and 3.75 tons per hectare in saline soils.

2.      Matures quickly in 95 to 100 days

3.      Thrives in high salinity conditions up to 12–15 dS/m, making it ideal for coastal and southern regions of Bangladesh.

4.      Rich in protein and glutenin, with natural resistance to wheat blast and rust.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mungbean

 

 

 04 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
05 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
06 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
07 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
08 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
09 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

 10 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.
11 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.
12 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
13 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
  14 BU soybean5
  1. High yielding (3.5 t ha-1)
  2. Growth duration (75-85 days depending on the season)

3.      Produces the largest seeds among domestic soybean varieties in the country.

4.      Waterlogging tolerant
15 GAU soybean6
  1.  High yielding (2.7 to 3.8 t ha-1)
  2.  Growth duration (90-100 days)
  3. Large grain (230 mg)

8.      Drought tolerant
Chickpea 16 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 tolerant

 

*** 3 new soybean varieties (black soybean, vegetable soybean and normal soybean) will be released very soon.

  • 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.