Bangladesh introduces high-yielding Boro, salt-tolerant, blast-resistant rice varieties

The National Seed Board (NSB) has approved three new rice varieties developed by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), which are salt-tolerant, high-yielding Boro, and resistant to blast disease.

The announcement was made in a press release from BRRI today (18 June).

Among the newly developed varieties, BRRI dhan112 is a salt-tolerant transplanted Aman variety with a medium growth duration. Depending on salinity levels, it can yield between 4.14 and 6.12 tonnes per hectare – 1.0 to 1.5 tonnes more than its parent line BRRI dhan73.

The variety matures in 120–125 days and grows to a height of 103–105 cm. The plant has strong stems and is lodging-tolerant. Each panicle contains around 210 filled grains – 80 to 90 more than BRRI dhan73. The grains are medium-slender, white, and cook into fluffy rice.

A key feature of BRRI dhan112 is that it can tolerate salinity up to 12 dS/m at the seedling stage (for up to three weeks). Due to its relatively short growth duration, farmers in coastal saline regions will be able to grow sunflowers and salt-tolerant mustard on medium to high lands after harvest.

According to BRRI sources, the new varieties were approved at the 144th meeting of the NSB. With these additions, BRRI has now developed a total of 121 rice varieties, including eight hybrids.

BRRI dhan113 has been released as an alternative to the popular Boro season variety BRRI dhan29. It is a high-yielding, medium-slender grain variety. Mature plants are 102–105 cm tall with strong stems that resist lodging.

It matures in 143 days. The average weight of 1,000 grains is 19.4 grams. The grain is medium-slender and white, resembling Najirshail rice. It contains 8.4% protein. In yield trials, it produced 11.5% more than BRRI dhan88, with an average yield of 8.15 tonnes per hectare. Under ideal conditions and good management, yields can reach up to 10.1 tonnes per hectare.

BRRI dhan114 is a long-duration Boro season variety that is resistant to blast disease. Its average yield is 7.76 tonnes per hectare, but with proper care, it can yield up to 10.23 tonnes per hectare. The grain is medium-bold and golden in colour.

It matures in 149 days, the same as the popular BRRI dhan89. The average weight of 1,000 mature grains is 17.4 grams. The cooked rice is fluffy. Its key characteristic is its resistance to blast disease.

The approval of the new rice varieties came at a meeting of the National Seed Board held on 14 May, chaired by Dr Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, secretary of the agriculture ministry. BRRI Director General Dr Mohammad Khalequzzaman and senior officials from relevant ministries and departments were also present.