Effect of rice bran application for eco- friendly weed control, growth and yield of lowland rice in Bangladesh

Experiments were conducted during dry season of 2006 and 2007 at BRRI farm Gazipur and Bhanga,Faridpur to determine the effectiveness of rice bran against weed suppression, rice growth and its impact on rice yield.Treatments comprise of rice bran applied at the rate of 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 tha-1 and compared with unweeded, weed free and two hand weeding in RCBD design with three replications. Different rates of rice bran significantly controlled the number and drymatter weight of weeds. Weed control efficiency was increased by increased application rate of rice bran in both years. Application of 5.0 tha-1 rice bran reduced weed number and weight about 65% in 2006 and about 61% in 2007 compared with unweeded condition. Leaf area index varied due to different rates of rice bran application and at panicle initiation stage. 

Rice bran applied at the rate of 5.0 tha-1 observed optimum leaf area index of 3.35 and 3.37 during 2006 and 2007 years. Panicle number, grainspanicle-1 and grain yield were significantly higher in weed free and two hand weeded plots followed by rice bran application at the rate of 0 and 4.0 tha-1 in both years. Grain yield of rice increased by the application of 4.0 and 5.0 tha-1 rice bran over unweeded plot and it appear 27% and 37% increased in 2006 and also shown 26% and 35% yield increased in 2007. This research finding indicates rice bran suppressed weed growth and increased grain yield of rice which have the potential of being used as pre emergence organic herbicides.

Author(s):  M.K.A. Bhuiyan*, A.J. Mridha, G.J.U. Ahmed, S.A. Islam, M.A.A. Mamun

• Agronomy Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Reference: Volume 5, Number 3, September 2014 – IJAAR

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Carbon sequestration and soil quality under organic system of local rice (Oryza sativaL.) variety in Tabanan, Bali Indonesia

I. Wayan Diara, I. Made Adnyana, I.B. Putra Manuaba, I.G.A. Mas Sri Agung* 

• Udayana University, Bukit Jimbaran-Badung, Bali, Indonesia

Soil organic carbon (SOC) storage has been widely considered as a measure for mitigating global climate change through C sequestration (SOCS) in soils. A study was conducted by evaluating  SOC, total N, available P, K, bulk density, and total soil microbes under organic system and conventional of Local rice variety at the same time in two farmer fields (subak Jatiluwih and Wangaya Betan at Mangesta village in Penebel district,Tabanan regency, Bali Indonesia. Half of farmers in those two locations have been managing certified organic system with Red local rice variety for two years (2010-2012), while the other half maintaining conventional system. Composite soil samples were taken at three points at depth of 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm in three replications at each location. Results showed that after two years, organic system resulted in better soil quality and higher SOCS only in Jatiluwih. Significantly higher SOC (3.338%), total N (0.252%), available P (15.84 ppm), K (133.63 ppm), bulk density (0.510 Mg m-3) and higher SOCS (81.354 Mg ha-1) were recorded under organic compared to conventional system. In Wangaya Betan, those components, except bulk density, were not different under two systems. The yield of Red local rice variety under organic was 6.44.t ha-1 compared to 5.12 t ha-1 under conventional system.

Reference: Volume 5, Number 3, September 2014 – IJAAR

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Participatory plant breeding approach for identifying the superior rainfed barley genotypes in Egypt

Mahmoud Gomaa1, Fathy Radwan1, Naiim Moselhy2, Ashraf El-Sadek2*, SafwatAbdelkader2

• 1.Plant Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba basha) ,Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
• 2.Plant Production Department, Ecology and Dryland Cultivation Division. Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

The participatory plant breeding (PPB) approach, in which the selection process is performed in the farmers’ fields, is not a widely known strategy in Egyptian agriculture. The objective of this study is to assess the efficiency of farmers’, researchers’ and engineers’ selection in a participatory plant breeding program.

Two field experiments have been conducted during 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 seasons to evaluate the performance of six genotypes under rainfed conditions in four locations (Ras El Hekma, Matrouh, El Neguilla and Barrani) in the North Western Coastal Zone of Egypt. For all of the studied locations, the selectors gave the highest score at the Matrouh location in the first season; however, two out of the three selectors (farmers and engineers) gave the highest score at the Barrani location in the second season. Overall, the ICA1 genotype was the one most liked by farmers and researchers in both of the growing seasons and by the engineers in the second season only because of its high yield potential. The results show that the farmers in all the studied locations were as efficient, or more efficient, than the researchers and the engineers in selecting high yielding genotypes. This was evident by the high positive correlation between the farmers’ score and the grain yield at all locations (r2 > 0.6). The findings illustrate the importance of farmers’ participation in the breeding programs to increase the probability and speed of the adoption of new genotypes and maintain the genetic diversity.

Reference: - Volume 5, Number 3, September 2014 – IJAAR (Page:52-61)

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