BRRI Dhan-118, a new rice variety developed by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), has brought new hope to haor farmers by offering a way to protect Boro rice crops from devastating pre-monsoon flash floods.
This climate-resilient variety addresses a longstanding agricultural challenge in the northeastern wetlands.
Dr Partha Sarathi Biswas, chief scientific officer at BRRI, said BRRI Dhan-118 is a short-duration, cold-tolerant Boro rice variety suitable for the haor region.
He said the variety’s cold tolerance during the reproductive stage allows farmers to sow seeds earlier and harvest their crops sooner, reducing the risk of flash-flood damage during the Boro season.
Almost every year, seven districts in the country’s northeastern region-Kishoreganj, Netrokona, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, Habiganj and Brahmanbaria experience early and flash floods caused by heavy rainfall and runoff from the hills.
As a result, farmers’ ripe or nearly ripe rice crops are often submerged before harvest, causing significant losses.
This longstanding problem may now be addressed with the development of BRRI Dhan-118, a new variety designed for cultivation during the Boro season in the haor region.
After several years of field research and yield trials, the breeding line was approved for cultivation in the haor region under the name BRRI Dhan-118 at the 115th meeting of the National Seed Board on February 5 this year.
According to sources, the variety can produce around six tonnes per hectare when sown early, between October 25 and November 1, even when the average temperature during the reproductive stage falls below 20 degrees Celsius. Early sowing also allows farmers to harvest their crops before the onset of flash floods.
When sown during the usual period, between November 15 and 20, the variety has produced up to 6.9 tonnes per hectare in 145 days. Its average yield is 6.77 tonnes per hectare, while production can reach up to 8.5 tonnes per hectare under suitable environmental conditions and with proper crop management.
The rice grains are medium-sized and relatively thick. The plants are strong and sturdy, making them less prone to lodging. The leaves also remain green even when the rice reaches maturity.