A Story of Bangladeshi indica Rice: New Evolution

A plant Breeder and Geneticist, Biotechnologist Dr. Md.Nazmul Hoque Shahin. He has developed 850 highyielding varieties from a local rice variety by hybridizationwith indica rice. In farmer’s field at Dohopara, Hatibandhavillage Gabtoli, Bogora district, Bangladesh Mr. Chan Miaharvested 30 to 54 mound paddy per Bigha (33 decimal)on experimental basis using the high yielding improvedlocal rice varieties, Dr. Hoque invented. During his M.S.and Doctoral studies at Bangladesh Agricultural Universityand M.S. at Kochi University, Japan and, he coined thetheory on origin and evolution of Bangladeshi Indica ricewhich is internationally recognized. He has taken specialtraining from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)Philippines on cultivation of rice and development of newrice variety which will be able to adopt with the adverseweather condition of South Asia and Asia. By this time hehas also worked as co-supervisor and supervisor of manyM.S. students of his relevant field at BangladeshAgricultural University.

Dola Aman: New Rice Idiotype; Whole plant and Panicle

When, How?While Mr. N. Hoque was engaged as research student ofMasters and Doctoral study at the Department of Geneticsand Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University hefound that local rice variety could be improve as highyielding variety by hybridization. In this case the thing tobe done is- “Transgressive Sagreegant Breeding”.Dr. Nazmul Hoque Shahin’s designed a new rice plantidiotype that increase the rice yield in improved localBangladeshi indica rice variety : Dola Aman up to 3 timeshigher than original yield, which has been long desired bythe rice scientist.

Dola Aman (New Type) in Comparison with Existing HYV

In “Transgressive Sagreegation Breeding” process afterhybridization researchers need to find out the“Transgressive Segregant” in F2 population and in otheradvance generation also (the population which are ofmuch better quality in terms of their parents in positivedirection). Which are heritable and usable for varietydevelopment. Due to ‘Transgressive Segregation’ manynew phenotypes are promptly created from therecombination among different ‘Loci’ after hybridization. Atthe initial stage of this part of his research Dr. N. Hoqueand Mrs. Hoshne Ara Nargis Dola selected and collected awild germplasm of ‘Aman rice” from Shushong Durgapur,Netrokon, Mymensingh. Dr. N. Hoque tried to characterizeaccording to plant taxonomy to find out similarity of thecollected rice germplasm (the wild rice germplasm ofAman rice) with other varieties of Aman. But thecharacteristics of the collected wild rice germplasm ofAman rice were different from others. Then Dr. N. Hoquenamed this wild rice of Aman as “Dola Aman” on the nameof female collector and growing season. At the next step ofDr. N. Hoque’s research he has gone through thehybridization of “Dola Aman” By selecting “Progeny” from“Dola Aman”. By this process he developed 850 new highyielding varieties which are the improved type of local ricevariety: Dola Aman.

Panicles of A Single Rice Plant: Dola Aman (New Type)

The success of Dr. N. Hoque’s research is now in the limelight of farmer’s choice after about 19 years of his devotionto rice science. Varieties invented by Dr. Hoque are veryyielding. On an average these varieties yielded about 9ton/hac to 16 ton/hac 33 to 40 mound per Bigha (33decimal). Dr. Hoque and his farmers recorded 54 moundyield from 1 Bigha (33 decimal) in one of his developedrice variety. This yield is more than three times than “DolaAman” which gave yield 11 mound per bigha. Theimportant characteristics of Dr. Hoque’s rice varieties are-

most of these varieties do not lodge in the field though theaverage height of the plants are 95 to 135 cm, even at thestorm (96 km/hr) with rain. These varieties are able towithstand due to its stout-strong stem and high biomass.About 10 to 28 effective tillers produce from singleseedling. The length of each panicle is on an average 25to 40cm. The no. of filled grain at each panicle is 250 to350.

Rice field at Ripening Stage: Dola Aman (New Type)

These new rice varieties could be cultivated with the onethird costs for fertilizer. These rice varieties are capable towithstand against disease and insect than other varieties.These varieties will be suitable for cultivation in Boro,Aman and Aus, too. These varieties can also be cultivatedboth at high and low lands. There are some varietiesamong these 850 varieties those could be cultivated evenin Haor Area. There are some aromatic type rice varietiesamong these 850 varieties which could be exported toother countries. The life span of the rice varieties are ofabout 105 to 145 days. Quality of the newly developed ricevariety after cooking is very tasty like local rice andamylose content are as like as other high yielding indicarice varieties.Experiments were conducted with some of the newlydeveloped rice varieties by Dr. Hoque at AgriculturalHealth Clinic, Bangladesh (Durgapur, Netrokona, KhulnaFarm), Dept. of Agronomy and Dept. of Genetics andPlant Breeding, BAU results showed that- no need to use“Nitrogen fertilizer” during cultivation of some of these ricevarieties; using only cow dung, MPO and TSP fertilizerinstead of “Nitrogen fertilizer” more than 1 ton rice can beharvested from some of these varieties than BRRIdhan-29in the same management condition. The varieties inventedwill be able to tolerate low/high temperature, salinity andwater submergence, mentioned by Dr. Hoque.

Farmer, Block Supervisor and Researcher Observingand harvesting rice field of Dola Aman (New Type)

The results of rice grain micronutrient content (Fe and Zn)carried out on some of these rice varieties at BangladeshAgricultural Research Institute laboratory showed that- therice grain from some of these varieties contain 58.08 ppmiron which is seven (7) times higher than the other iron richrice varieties of the world. On the other hand the amountof zinc at the some of these varieties rice varieties of Dr.N. Hoque is 46.38 ppm which is more than double ofBRRIdhan 64 (Zn content 22 ppm).Dr. Hoque informed that- during Boro season 2013-14 heharvested about 7.5 ton to 13 ton/ha in the newlydeveloped rice varieties. This Boro season; 2014-15 untilnow the Mr. Chan Mia (farmer) of Hatibanda village,Gabtoli Upzila, Bogora have harvested 9 ton to 12 ton perhector (32 to 44 mound per Bigha) after crop cut of ricevarieties. Dr. Hoque and Mr. Chan Mia have harvestedeven 54 mound rice per bigha from one part of their onfarm trial, which is a record. Recently Deputy Director ofAgricultural Extension, Bogora Mr. Chandi das Kundu alsovisited the farmer’s plots and verified with Dr. N. Hoque’s.Mr. Kundu was present during crop cut of the rice varietyin 1 May, 2015 and he found 9 ton/ha paddy (Wet basis).In an interview Mr. Kunda replied- the results of Dr.Hoque’s research finding are very much impressive but itshould be done at larger scale and rechecked beforeextension of the newly developed rice varieties.

Deputy Director of DAE and Upazilla AgriculturalExtension officer in Dola Aman (New Type) rice field

Agricultural Extension officer of DAE Gabtoli Upazilla,Bogora Mr. Nazmul Hoque Mondol during his field visit in29 April 2015, found some promising rice lines which willbe suitable for variety release among these 850 advancerice lines or variety developed by Dr. Nazmul HoqueShahin of Agricultural Health Care Clinic Bangladesh.A team of journalists from different national news papersand a team of scientists from BRRI (After a call from the

Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Bangladesh ) havealready visited Dr. Hoque’s on farm research field tovariety his research activities at Dohopara, Hatibandha,Gabtoli, Bogora.

Head Plant Breeding Division Bangladesh Rice ResearchInstitute and representative of Director Research inricefield of Dola Aman (New Type)

At the end Dr. Hoque said- since 1999 he has been doingresearch with his own funding without taking any financialsupport from Govt. or donors. For the last two yearsBiotechnologist Mr. Anisar Rahman has been working withDr. N. Hoque as co-researcher and the villagers ofHatibanda, Gabtoli, Bogora have been assisting Dr.Hoque by giving opportunity to use their fields for researchand seed production, cultivation of newly invented ricevarieties. Dimensions of Dr. Hoque’s rice researchactivities have increased, now he needs the attention andco-operation from Bangladesh Govt. and other nationaland international organizations. Now it’s the time for Govt.of Bangladesh to give kind attention to these high yieldinginbreed rice varieties and take initiatives to release anddistribute these rice varieties among the farmer of wholecountry and abroad in cheaper prize, than the farmers willbe highly benefited. Which will bring “Food security” and“Improved Lively Hood” of the farmers will be ensured. IfGovt. take proper initiatives Govt. can export some ofthese high yielding inbreed rice varieties and earn muchmore amount of foreign currency. For protecting Bio-piracyof the newly developed Bangladeshi indica high yieldingrice varieties from Dola Aman, genome sequence andpatenting of this 850 rice varieties.When the results of the Dr. Hoque’s rice research flashedto public through Independent Television, WN.com, DailyNaya Digonto, BD News 24, Daily Kaler Kontho, RadioToday, Daily Ittefaq, Bangladesh Protidin, Comilla Barta,Amader Comilla, Ajkerpotrika, Bangladesh in differentmedia; viwers, reader, listener from different levels likeMinistry of Agriculture, Bangladesh Rice ResearchInstitute; Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture; ACI,Bangladesh, Bangladesh Agricultural University and otherprivate seed company showed profound interest on hisresearch. Farmers, seed growers, professors, Scientistand others persons are now wants to know about thepossibility and future of the new rice varieties fordissemination and rice production. Md. Khairul Anam,Nachol; ChapaiNawabgonj; Professor Sajeman, Godagari,Rajshahi, Akram Ali, Jahanbad Rajshai and MozahidulIslam and his colegues from Sirajgonj visited the farmersfield Hatibanda village, Gabtoli Upzila, Bogora andexpress their interest to these newly developed 850 ricevarieties.

Dr. Hoque wishes to patent and sequence these 850 ricevarieties with help of Bangladesh Govt., university orinternational research organizations. After completion ofresearch Bangladesh Government can use these 850 ricevarieties for future rice research and consider it as nationaltreasure. Developing rice varieties from Bangladeshi localrice variety is a great job for Dr. Hoque. By recognizing theresearch Bangladesh can achieve the honor of inventinghighest yielding rice variety, which is yet as a dream toother rice scientists of the world.

Dr. Hoque is the son of late Prof. Shahidul Hoque andMrs. Khadiza Hoque. His eldest sister is professor and hisyounger brother studying in abroad. He is married toHosne Ara Nargis Dola, who is a Head Teacher ofMatribhasha Vidhapith. Dr. Hoque father of a proud son:Sami, is a actor, short film maker and story writer. Dr.Hoque himself is a story writer, poet, photographer, shortfilm maker and an artist.Visit:http://wn.com/scientist_nazmul_invents_850_rice_varieties_https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yMiGWOUOrVAhttp://www.kalerkantho.com/print-edition/last-page/2015/05/27/226704http://ajkerpatrika.com/last-page/2015/06/15/38226Bangladesh Pratidin | Highest Circulated Newspaperhttp://www.alokitobangladesh.com/last-page/2015/06/11/140368উ ফলনশীল ধােনর জাত উা বন করেলন ি মা র ড. শািহনhttp://www.dailyinqilab.com/details/13886/http://www.dailynayadiganta.com/detail/news/24851