• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2019

Wheat blast occurred in Bangladesh for the first time in Asia in 2016. It is caused by a fungal pathogen, Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum (MoT) pathotype. In this review, we focused on the current status of the wheat blast in regard to host, pathogen, and environment. Despite the many efforts to control the disease, it expanded to neighboring regions including India, the world's second largest wheat producer. However, the disease occurrence has definitely decreased in quantity, because of many farmers chose to grow alternate crops according to the government's directions. Bangladesh government planned to introduce blast resistant cultivars but knowledges about genetics of resistance is limited. The genome analyses of the pathogen population revealed that the isolates caused wheat blast in Bangladesh are genetically close to a South American lineage of Magnaporthe oryzae. Understanding the genomes of virulent strains would be important to find target resistance genes for wheat breeding. Although the drier winter weather in Bangladesh was not favorable for development of wheat blast before, recent global warming and climate change are posing an increasing risk of disease development. Bangladesh outbreak in 2016 was likely to be facilitated by an extraordinary warm and humid weather in the affected districts before the harvest season. Coordinated international collaboration and steady financial supports are needed to mitigate the fearsome wheat blast in South Asia before it becomes a catastrophe.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.5 s.162
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• pp.342-348
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• 2005

An exploratory survey was performed to assess the present status of distribution and production of coconut palm (Cocos nucifera Linn.) in the rural landscape of Meghna floodplain of Bangladesh. A multistage simple random sampling technique was adopted to identify the study area and respondents. A total of 50 households were selected randomly for the study. Traditional knowledge on cultivation, management, and production of coconut palm was emphasized. Marketing of coconut palm products and income derived from coconut palm cultivation was taken into consideration. Perceptions of farmers, traders and professionals were described in due context of opportunities and constraints of coconut palm cultivation. Coconut palm cultivation was found to play an important role in household economy in rural Bangladesh sharing considerable contribution to the total income. About 10% of their total annual income was reported to come from coconut husbandry. Highest number of the coconut palms, 24%, was found to grow in the homestead compounds and in the pond banks. About one-third lands of the households were found to be covered by the coconut palms. Maximum, 19%, coconut palms were found in the 16-20 years age-class. Production of coconut was found highest at the age-class 11-15 years. The study found some important opportunities and constraints of coconut farming in rural Meghna floodplain area of Bangladesh. The results of this study would be useful for the rural development practitioners in Bangladesh.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 1993

This study was conducted to determine the cost of production of semen and the rate of conception for artificial insemination in eight randomly selected districts of Bangladesh. A sample of 640 adopting farms were investigated. Results indicate that the cost of liquid semen per dose on full-cost and cash cast basis were Tk. 16.17 and Tk. 14.48, while the cost of locally produced exotic semen and imported semen were Tk. 31.25 and Tk. 110.00 respectively. The cost of liquid semen per insemination, per conception and per progeny on full-cost were Tk. 26.65, Tk. 50.64, and Tk. 56.27 respectively and on cash cost were Tk. 23.88, Tk. 45.37 and Tk. 50.41 respectively. The average cost of semen paid by the farmers was Tk. 14.00 and it was higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Out of the cost of A.I. centres, government had subsidized 92.16 percent and the rest 7.84 percent accrued as returns. About 40 percent of the produced semen was lost in the system which could not be used at all. The conception rate on first insemination was 53.6 percent. The rate increased to 73.2 percent upto the last insemination. The difference in conception rate between liquid semen (69.97%) and frozen semen (70.48%) was not statistically significant.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.287-292
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• 1990

1.86 million (Indigenous river, swamp, and swamp X river type) buffaloes are distributed mainly in the plain land, sugarcane belt and coastal area of Bangladesh and are raised by the small farm holders. Buffaloes per house-hold ranges from 5.79 to 2.12. Height at wither is $123{\pm}3.09$ and $112.5{\pm}2.15cm$ for buffaloes of central and eastern region respectively. Growth rate of buffalo calves ranges from 360 to 340 g/day. Late maturity ($1411.58{\pm}43.01d$) along with long life span facilitates farmers to use buffaloes longer period. Average daily milk yield is $2.32{\pm}0.63L$ with average lactation yield of $730{\pm}90l$ for $328{\pm}28.76d$. Both male and female individuals are used for draught purpose. A pair of buffalo can prepared $0.23{\pm}0.06ha$ of land daily and can work for $6.1{\pm}0.78hr$.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.294-303
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the profitability of four selective mechanization systems in rice cultivation. Methods: Field experiments were conducted in the farmers' field during the wet season (June to November) of 2015 in Bangladesh. Mechanization systems were applied to evaluate four different selective levels (treatment) in eleven consequent operations. Seedlings were raised in a traditional seedbed and trays for manual and mechanical transplanting, respectively. Land preparation, irrigation, fertilizer, pesticide, carrying, and threshing and cleaning operations were performed using the same method in all the experimental plots. The mechanical options in the transplanting, weeding, and harvesting operations were changed. The mechanization systems were $S_1$ = hand transplanting + hand weeding + harvesting by sickle, $S_2$ = mechanical transplanting + Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) weeder + reaper, $S_3$ = mechanical transplanting + BRRI power weeder + reaper, and $S_4$ = mechanical transplanting + herbicide + reaper. This experiment was performed in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Power tiller, rice transplanter, BRRI weeder, BRRI power weeder, self-propelled reaper, BRRI open drum thresher, and BRRI winnower were used in the respective operations. Accordingly, the techno-economic performances of the different technologies were calculated and compared with those of the traditional system. Results: The mechanically transplanted plot produced 6-10% more yield than the hand transplanted plot because of the use of tender-aged seedlings. Mechanical transplanting reduced 61% labor and 18% cost compared to manual transplanting. The BRRI weeder, BRRI power weeder, and herbicide application reduced 74, 91, and 98% labor, respectively. The latter also saved 72, 63, and 82% cost, respectively, compared to hand weeding. Herbicide application reduced the substantial amount of labor and cost in the weeding operation. Mechanical harvesting also saved 96% labor and 72% cost compared to the traditional method of harvesting using sickle. Selective mechanization saved 15-17% input cost compared to the traditional method of rice cultivation. Conclusions: Mechanical transplanting with the safe use of herbicide and harvesting by reaper is the most cost- and labor-saving operation. The method might be the recommended set of selective mechanization for enhancing productivity.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.490-498
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• 2009

This study attempted to examine the profitability and marketing costs of seed potato under contract farming system of BADC (Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation) with the help of primary and secondary data. Total 45 contract farmers were randomly selected. Attempts were made to calculate costs, returns and profitability of seed potato production under contract farming system, and to identify marketing channels of seed potato. The field level data were collected by a farm survey during the months of April 2005 through direct interviews with contract farmers and registered dealers using a structure survey questionnaire. The results showed that the gross return per hectare was Tk. 252,464 for all categories of farms. Cost of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation and human labor were critical inputs for profitability of seed potato. Cobb-Douglas production function analysis was used to determine the effects of the key variables to seed potato production under contract farming system. The elasticity of seed potato production was at 0.727 for all categories of farms. The findings exhibited that the summation of elasticity of different inputs for seed potato production was less than one, implying that the production function exhibited decreasing returns to scale. Registered dealers and Upazila Sales Centers were involved in seed potato marketing formed a straightforward marketing channel. The total marketing costs of registered dealers were Tk. 759.49 per ton of seed potato. The net marketing margin of registered dealers was estimated at Tk. 465.51 per ton of seed potato. The selected contract farmers and registered dealers faced a number of problems and some of recommendations were suggested.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 1994

The study was conducted at low lying areas in Pabna Sirajgong districts of Bangladesh. To observe the potentiality of bio-mass production two trials were conducted. In first trial maize intercropped with Khesari taking 15 experimental plots of each size $5m{\times}5m$ were arranged in 5 blocks having homogenous soil characteristics. The study showed that the bio-mass yield of sole maize and sole Khesari were 35.25 t/ha. and 56.80 t/ha. respectively and there was a significant difference (p < 0.01) among them. The results also showed that bio-mass yield of maize and Kherasi was higher ($70.04{\pm}6.25t/ha$, $98.88{\pm}10.77t/ha$ and $80.56{\pm}9.5t/ha$) compared to sole maize and sole Khesari and land equivalent ratio was also lower. For second trial, one hectare of land was divided into 16 experimental plots with 4 replications in each plot. Four levels of urea (0 kg/ha, 30 kg/ha, 45 kg/ha, and 60 kg/ha.) were applied to experimental plot. The seed rates were 98.8 kg/ha (farmer's practice), 86.45 kg/ha, 74.1 kg/ha and 61.75 kg/ha. average bio-mass yield of matikalai at different seed rates along with urea fertilizer ranged from 38.49 t/ha, to 65.35 t/ha. the highest seed rate along with highest fertilizer also correspond to the peak production (65.35 t/ha) and the lowest seed rate (61.75 kg/ha) along with the lowest fertilizer rate (30 kg/ha.) showed lowest production (38.49 t/ha.). Here, it was found that the bio-mass yield of matikalai increased with the incremental amount of seed, indicating significant effect (p < 0.05) of seed rates on the bio-mass yield of matikalai. On the other hand, fertilizer doses in different treatment combinations had significant effect (p < 0.05) on bio-mass yield. Two levels of seed rates at zero level of fertilizer were recommended : 86.45 kg/ha for the resource rich farmers and 61.75 kg/ha for the resource poor farmers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.429-434
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• 1999

In this study the financial performance of small scale dairy farms participating in the government subsidy programme and the impact of this government intervention on the number of animals owned, production and consumption of milk and labour employment in the farm households have been examined. After receiving the subsidy, dairy farmers expanded their herd size. The major changes occurred in the ownership of calves, heifers and cows in all categories of farms. Significant increases in production and consumption of milk as well as in labour employment were observed. The rates of increase for all the parameters studied were much higher in farms adopting cross breeding compared to those in only local-breed farms. The analysis showed that dairying was a profitable business. However, profitability was greater with cross-bred than with local-bred animals.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.171-174
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• 2014

Agriculture in Bangladesh is slowly transforming to the production of high-value fruit and vegetable crops to satisfy the nutrient requirements of their large size population, and this transformation is creating new challenges as regards improving and maintaining the productivity and crop quality. The country has a declining trend of insect pollinators due to habitat loss, land use changes, monoculture-dominated agriculture, and the excessive and indiscriminate use of pesticides. Such pollinator deficiencies can cause reduced yields, thereby threatening the subsistence of marginal farmers. In Bangladesh, growers enjoy free pollination services from the naturally occurring insect populations. While honeybees pollinate mustard, onions, and melons, many other hymenopterans, coleopterans, hemipterans, dipterans, and thysanopterans also visit the crop fields, making these insects significant for the food security, environment, and economy of the nation. Therefore, attention should be given to public policy, research, and human resource development that promotes knowledge and appreciation of the conservation and utilization of insect pollinators.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 1994

This study was conducted to compare the of rearing native and cross-bred dairy cows and returns received from them. For this purpose, 144 cows of 132 household from 24 villages were randomly selected. of them, 96 were native cows and 48 were cross-bred cows. The study revealed that among the structure of cost components, labour charge occupied the major share in the total cost of milk production per litre. The total cost of rearing native and cross-bred cows was Tk. 14,155 and Tk. 19,854 per annum, respectively. The average net cost of milk production per litre was Tk. 14.12 for native cows and Tk. 0.52 and for cross-bred cows were Taka 3.40. The benefit-cost ratio of milk per litre was higher (1:1.33) in cross-bred cows than native ones (1:1.04). The study further showed that in comparing with bulk line cost, the price of milk per litre received by the farmers was higher in cross-bred cows than native cows. Therefore, the study recommends dairying with cross-bred cows as encouraging and viable commercial enterprise in Banfladesh.