Success Stories

Varietal development

The major achievements of BRRI has been in developing high-yielding modern varieties (MVs) of rice. BRRI has so far released Sixty MVs (56 inbred and 4 hybrid):

• 13 for Boro

• 8 for Aus

• 25 for Aman

• 10 for Boro and Aus

• 1 for Boro, Aus and Aman

With appropriate management, and under favorable soil and environmental conditions, these MVs may yield 5-7 t/ha in the Boro, 3-4 t/ha in the Aus, and 4-5 t/ha in the transplant Aman seasons compared with no more than 2-3 t/ha of the traditional varieties. A few BRRI MVs are now widely grown in some other countries, such as, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Vietnam and West Africa. During the early years of research, BRRI followed IRRI in developing semi-dwarf photoperiod insensitive varieties. Over time, BRRI scientists deviated from the IRRI concept of dwarfism for high yield, and restructured the IR8 plant type to suit local agroecological and climatic conditions. Intermediate plant height  having relatively longer growth cycles and mild photo-period sensitivity.

The MVs developed in the 1980s and 1990s, are suitable for varying ecosystems and have a wide range of disease and insect resistance, for example, BR17, BR18 and BR19 have been developed for the Boro areas (depressed basins) in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh, BR20 and BR21 for the high rainfall upland situation (direct-seeded Aus), BR22 and BR23 with photoperiod sensitivity for late transplanting in the Aman season after the recession of the flood water, BRRI dhan27 for the non-saline tidal areas, and BRRI dhan30, BRRI dhan 31 and BRRI dhan 32 for rainfed lowland areas.

BRRI cereal chemists regularly evaluate the physical and chemical properties of rice in terms of taste, cooking quality, milling outturn, aroma, protein and amylose contents, etc, helping plant breeders develop varieties with desirable grain quality.

Very recently, eight varieties, of which two are aromatic, have been developed. These are awaiting final evaluation by the National Seed Board (NSB) for release as new cultivars. About 8,000 germplasms, most of which are local, have been collected and preserved in the BRRI gene bank. BRRI is now moving ahead with a radical idea, that of developing a new rice plant type with 'cluster grains' panicles. The new plants are expected to bring about 20-25% yield improvement over the existing MVs.

Crop-Soil-Water Management

 Water management engineers have developed technologies and cropping patterns that permit more efficient water use and increased crop production at the irrigated and rainfed environment. 

The Major Achievements of Soil Science Division, BRRI are:   

• Developed fertilizer recommendations for the different BRRI MVS.

• Identified S and Zn deficiency problems in wetland rice soils of Bangladesh and devolved technologies to manage these problems.

• Recommended site specific soil and plant test based fertilizer doses for high yield goals in rice-rice and rice wheat cropping systems.

• Developed integrated nutrient management practices combining chemical fertilizers and crop residues/animal dung/green manure for rice-rice and rice wheat cropping systems.

• Identified poultry manure as a potential source of organic matter and plant nutrients for wetland rice culture.

• Recommended minimum tillage instead of conventional puddling method of land preparation for wetland rice on the fine and medium fine textured soil.

• Identified chlorophyll meter (SPAD meter) and Leaf color chart (LCC) based N doses for convincingly higher grain yields with appreciably lower amounts of applied N than farmers N practices.

• Identified USG technology as a potential alternative of split application of urea for higher yield and efficient N use efficiency for tidal submergence prone area where it is often not possible to follow the recommended schedule of split application of urea and where the risk of losses of surface applied N exists.

• Developed participatory plant nutrient management concept for village level soil fertility mapping and field specific nutrient management packages with intimate participation of local farmers.

• Develop fertilizer management packages for hybrid rice on cropping pattern basis.

The major achievements of BRRI Plant Physiologist are:

• Many advance breeding lines have been screened to identify materials tolerant to different abiotic stresses like salinity, cold, high temperature, flash flood, etc.

• BRRI dhan40 and BRRI dhan41 show and reproductive phases with salinity levels of 8-10 dS/m.

• BR10 and BR23 have shown similar tolerance score at reduction division stage with the same salinity levels.

• Strongly photoperiod sensitive variety is more affected by flash flood submergence than weakly sensitive and insensitive variety.

• The biochemical aspects of submergence tolerance have been explored. Regrowth of a tolerant variety during post submergence period was found to be associated with the amount of residual carbohydrate content and higher stability of chlorophyll during submergence period. Submergence tolerance was also found to be related with higher PDC and ADH activity.

• Younger seedlings (30 day old) from October seeded bed produced very low yield while sixty day old seedlings produced more than 5 t grain yield but thirty and sixty day old seedlings from November seeded bed can produce more than 5 t grain yield.

• Seedbed covered by transparent polyethylene sheet after 4-6 hours of sunrise was found   to increase seedling height with higher dry matter content in Boro season.

• All the BRRI varieties have the potentiality to produce roots at 7-14 DAT even when the mean minimum temperature is 12⁰C. However, varieties differ in root growth.

• Grain yield of T.aman rice is affected by the amount and distribution of rainfall during lean period of October to November. Under such condition insensitive early maturing varieties can be harvested in early October, should be grown.

• Elongation of basal internodes with thinner culm made BRRI dhan32 vulnerable to lodging.

• The morphophysiological reasons for higher grain yield of BRRI dhan29 than BR3 and  of BRRI dhan28 than BR1 are probably due to a) better top 3 LAI during ripening  phase,  b) higher crop growth rate and panicle growth rate  and c) higher number of filled grain per panicle and filled grain per m².

• IR64580-8-1-2B-9-1-2-1 and IR66043-2B-R-3-2-3-3 were selected for ratooning ability.

Pest management

BRRI entomologists have identified 175 species of rice insect pests of which 20 are major, 99 species of parasites and 108 species of predators. Stem borers, hispa beetles, brown plant hoppers and rats have been identified as the most damaging insect and vertebrate pests of rice. Entomologists recommended measures for 20 major insect attacks. The magnitude of yield loss due to pest infestation in farmers' fields has been assessed. Sampling methods for determining the economic threshold levels of some of the major pests have been developed. Entomologists have helped plant breeders in developing twelve MVs with resistance/tolerance to five major insects, such as, brown plant hopper, rice stem borers, rice hispa, white-backed plant hopper, and green leafhopper. Ten technologies based on the integrated pest management (IPM) approach have been developed to control rice insects. Forty insecticides that are effective against different insects have been identified. Simple techniques for controlling rats by trapping have been devised. BRRI pest management group developed management packages consisting of cultural, mechanical, physical, biological and chemical measures (IPM) against major insect and diseases. To control the yellow stem borer, the sleeve trap (pheromone) is a very effective IPM tool.

BRRI Plant Pathologists

• Identified 31 rice diseases caused by viruses, mycoplasma, bacteria, fungi and nematodes.

• Listed ten diseases of major economic importance.

• Developed screening methods for major diseases.

• Identified more than 9000 sources of resistance against Bacterial blight, Blast, Tungro and Ufra diseases.

• Standardized quite a good number of chemicals and cultural control measures for major diseases.

• Developed integrated pest management packages combining chemical, cultural, mechanical practices and varietal resistance.

• Developed and adopted by farmers, technologies for improvement of farmers' saved seed.

• Assessed effectiveness of bio-control agents for disease management

Rice farming systems

BRRI rice farming systems scientists have been conducting on-farm cropping systems research since 1984 to develop improved systems to increase farmers' incomes. They have conducted site-specific research in different agroecological environments in partnership with farmers, agricultural extension department and NGOs for developing technologies. They developed (a) rice-fish farming system for the deepwater areas, (b) appropriate timing of crop establishment and suitable varieties and management practices for the rice-wheat cropping system, and (c) cropping system for incorporating short-duration pulses and oilseeds in between two MV rice crops for diversified farming and balanced human and livestock nutrition. BRRI Farming Systems scientists developed 31 improved cropping patterns for 30 agro ecological zones of Bangladesh.

Socioeconomics and Policy

Agricultural economists have conducted various studies to identify biophysical constraints to MV cultivation and assessed the impact of the MV rice technologies on rice production and productivity, its contribution to the national economy and, on farmers' incomes and alleviation of poverty. BRRI statisticians developed optimum plot size and sampling plan for field experiments with rice. They also developed, in collaboration with plant pathologists, the sampling techniques for disease assessment in rice fields. 

Farm Mechanization

BRRI agricultural engineers have developed 20 agricultural machinery/prototypes:

1. BRRI Diaphragm Pump

2. BRRI Hydrotiller

3. BRRI Drum Seeder

4. BRRI Upland Seeder

5. BRRI Manual Transplanter

6. BRRI Weeder

7. BRRI Kishan Weeder

8. BRRI Rice Wheat Reaper

9. BRRI Open-Drum Thresher

10. BRRI Rice-Wheat Thresher

11. BRRI Power Winnower

12. BRRI Srr1 Drier

13. BRRI Propeller Pump

14. BRRI Rice-Hul Stove

15. BRRI Improved Chula

16. Fertilizer Applicator

17. Micro Rice-Mill

18. Power Tiller Mounted Rice Huller.

19. Micro Rice Flour Mill

20. BRRI Ground Nut Sheller .

Technology transfer  

BRRI effectively uses several tools for the transfer of newly developed rice varieties and production technologies to the farmers, either directly or through agricultural extension personnel and NGO's. One such tool is the annual BRRI-Extension workshop in which BRRI scientists and personnel of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) exchange information and ideas. BRRI scientists conduct adaptive research in farmers' fields in close collaboration with the farmers concerned, DAE and NGOs to test BRRI developed technologies are tested under a wide range of edaphic and climatic conditions.  

Training is an important mechanism to transfer technologies to the end users, i.e the farmers. Training offered by BRRI plays a key role in the transfer of rice production technologies. BRRI has so far trained more  than 10,000 extension officers that enhanced their capability to organize and execute short-term training programs at village level extension workers.  

BRRI scientists occasionally participate in Radio and TV programs for the farmers.

BRRI regularly publishes annual reports, workshop proceedings, Rice Journal and   technical bulletins. BRRI scientists publish research articles in journals, workshop proceedings, and popular articles in newspapers.

For outstanding contribution BRRI received
1.	Bangabandhu Award	1974
2.	President’s Gold Medal	1977
3.	Independence Day Gold Medal	1978
4.	President’s Gold Medal	1980
5.	FAO Bronze Plaque	1980
6.	President’s Gold Medal	1984
7.	Begum Zebunnesa and Kazi Mahbubullah Gold Medal	1986
8.	Muniruzzaman Foundation Gold Medal	1991
9	Independence Day Gold Medal	1992
10.	Independence Day Gold Medal	1997
11.	IRRI Plaque of Honour	2004
12.	Senadhira Award (IRRI)	2006
13.	6th Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad	2008
14.	Honoured by Bangladesh Manobadhikar Council, Gazipur	2008
15.	National Environmental Award	2009

Honorable Gold Medalist BRRI Scientists

Serial no	Award Description	Picture and Name
1	"Independence Day Award"1978 for Contribution to Science and Technology.	Dr. S M H Zaman
2	"Independence Day Award"1977 for Contribution to Science and Technology. And "Begum Zebunnesa and Kazi Mahbubullah gold Medal" in 1986 for Research and Development of Rice Varieties.	Dr M S Ahmad
3	"Begum Zebunnesa and Kazi Mahbubullah gold Medal" in 1986 for Research and Development of Rice Varieties.	Dr. Nur Mohammad Miah
4	"Begum Zebunnesa and Kazi Mahbubullah gold Medal" in 1986 for Research and Development of Rice Varieties.	Dr. M A Aziz Miah
5	"Begum Zebunnesa and Kazi Mahbubullah gold Medal" in 1986 for Research and Development of Rice Varieties.	Dr Md Nasir Uddin
6	"Begum Zebunnesa and Kazi Mahbubullah gold Medal" in 1986 for Research and Development of Rice Varieties.	Dr Tulsi Das
7	"Begum Zebunnesa and Kazi Mahbubullah gold Medal" in 1986 for Research and Development of Rice Varieties.	Dr Anwarul Islam
8	"Begum Zebunnesa and Kazi Mahbubullah gold Medal" in 1986 for Research and Development of Rice Varieties.	Dr Md Anwarul Kabir
9	"President's Gold Medal"in 1984 for contribution to Rice Development.	Dr S A Miah