Holistic approach stressed for boosting wheat yield

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RAJSHAHI, Dec 22, 2017 (BSS) – Speakers at a discussion underscored the need for a holistic approach of all government and non-government organisations for boosting wheat production.

They viewed that substantial and sustainable boosting of wheat is very important for food security in the present context of water-stressed condition.

The observation came in a daylong regional workshop styled “Wheat Blast Disease Management and Way Forward for Boosting Wheat Production” here yesterday.

Wheat Research Centre (WRC) under Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) organised the workshop at its conference hall in association with CRP and CIMMYT. The meeting discussed all possible ways and means on how to manage the wheat blast and to enhance the wheat yield.

Chairman of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority Dr Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension Monzurul Huda addressed the workshop as chief and special guests respectively with Director of WRC Dr Naresh Chandra Dev Barma in the chair.

During their keynote presentations, Dr Naresh Chandra Dev Barma and Chief Scientific Officer of WRC Dr Zahidul Islam Sarker put forward a set of recommendations so that the wheat production can be enhanced through managing the blast.

They said seven to eight bighas of wheat could be cultivated with the irrigated water of only one bigha of Boro rice through soil moisture utilization and the best uses of the modern technologies.

Dr Akram Chowdhury said wheat plays an important role in ensuring food security as its consumption is increasing day by day.

But, Bangladesh produces hardly 10 lakh metric tonnes of wheat against the demand of around 40 lakh tonnes annually, he stated.