Journal of the Bangladesh Agricultural University

Genetic Variability, Character Association and Diversity Analysis in Bitter Gourd (Momordica Charantia L.) for Growth and Yield Attributing Traits in Bangladesh

2026-10-06T04:33:58+00:00

The goals of this study are to assess the field performance, character association, variability, and genetic diversity of 50 bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) accessions collected from various locations of Bangladesh. To evaluate the morphological and qualitative characteristics, as well as to assess the genotypic and phenotypic variability and correlation, the study employed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. MC022 exhibited the highest yield (2.50 kg/plant), MC080 in number of fruits per plant (35.67), and MC079 in average fruit weight (101.69 g) among all accessions. Numbers of flowers per plant (99.14), petiole (97.84), vine length (97.81), and yield per plant (94.08) exhibited high heritability with genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation. The maximum phenotypic variance (4676.60) and genotypic variance (4574.40) were both recorded at vine length. The average fruit weight was significantly positively correlated with the yield per plant at both the genotypic (r = 0.873**) and phenotypic (r = 0.861**) levels. Cluster I contained the most accessions (14). No limitations were detected. It can be concluded that bitter gourd accessions exhibit a diverse array of qualitative and morphological traits. In addition, the yield of different bitter gourd accessions was correlated with an assortment of yield-contributing attributes. The genotypic coefficient of variation was less than the phenotypic coefficient of variation in all of the traits. Fruit length, average fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, and yield per plant were found to have higher values and lower differences between phenotypic and genotypic co-efficient of variation, indicating a high potential for selecting superior accessions.

CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing for Enhancing Lentil Resistance to Fungal Diseases

2026-10-25T04:56:52+00:00

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a nutritionally and economically vital legume crop cultivated globally. However, its productivity is severely threatened by fungal diseases such as Stemphylium blight, Fusarium wilt, and Ascochyta blight. Traditional breeding and chemical control strategies have shown limited success in providing long-term resistance against these pathogens. The advent of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing offers a revolutionary and targeted approach to enhance disease resistance in lentils by enabling precise modification of key genes. This review highlights the mechanism of CRISPR/Cas9 and its application in lentil improvement, with particular focus on editing susceptibility (S) genes such as Lc07593, LcMLO, and LcSWEET13, which facilitate pathogen infection, and modulating genes in defense signaling pathways like LcNPR1, LcEDS1, and LcMYC2. Furthermore, the potential of engineering pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) like FLS2, EFR, and CERK1 for improved pathogen detection is discussed. The integration of CRISPR with speed breeding and marker-assisted selection further accelerates the development of resistant cultivars. Despite current challenges in transformation efficiency and regulatory barriers, CRISPR/Cas9 presents a promising tool for sustainable lentil disease management. Future directions include multiplex editing, base/prime editing, and epigenome modulation for fine-tuned resistance, all contributing to a resilient and high-yielding lentil crop

Effect of Reduced Rate of Post Emergence Herbicide with Aqueous Extracts of Lentil Crop Residues on Weed Management Indices and Yield of Transplanted Aman Rice

2026-10-06T04:49:50+00:00

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, from July to December 2023, to assess the effectiveness of integrating reduced doses of post-emergence herbicides with aqueous extracts of lentil crop residues on weed management indices and the yield of T. aman rice. The experimental design included two factors: rice variety (BRRI dhan49, BRRI dhan87, and Binadhan-7) and herbicide treatments combined with aqueous extracts of lentil residues (control, recommended dose of herbicide, various reduced herbicide doses plus extracts, and weed-free). The study followed a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results indicated that weed population, dry weight, and various weed management indices, such as Weed Control Index (WCI), Weed Control Efficiency (WCE), and Weed Index (WI), were significantly influenced by both variety and the use of crop residue extracts. The highest weed growth was observed in the Binadhan-7 variety, with the lowest in BRRI dhan87. The control treatment exhibited the highest weed growth, while the lowest was found in the weed-free treatment and the 80% recommended dose of post-emergence herbicide with lentil residue extract. The weed-free treatment achieved the highest WCI and WCE values, indicating superior weed control. In contrast, the lowest weed management indices were recorded in the weed free treatment. Grain yield (GY) was highest in BRRI dhan87 (5.34 t ha-1) and lowest in BRRI dhan49 (4.51 t ha-1). The maximum yield (5.83 t ha-1) was observed in the weed-free treatment, followed by the T4 treatment (5.40 t ha-1). The lowest GY (2.65 t ha-1) was found in the control. Thus, integrating 80% of the recommended herbicide dose with lentil residue extract is suggested for effective weed control and higher yield in transplanted aman rice.

Phenology and Yield Performances of HYV and Local Rice Cultivars during Boro and Aman Seasons in Haor Ecology of Sylhet

2026-10-07T05:19:35+00:00

Rice is the principal staple crop, securing nutritional demand for more than half of the world's population. Due to unpredictable rainfall patterns, frequent flash floods, and higher acidity, rice production challenges are increasing day by day in Sylhet region of Bangladesh. A study was conducted in the haor area of Sylhet with 51 local and high yielding rice varieties (HYVs) in the Boro and Aman seasons. The experiment was arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications to observe phenology, yield characteristics, and yield of rice varieties. BRRI dhan85 (145.82 days), BRRI dhan84 (148.32 days), BRRI dhan81 (148.38 days), and local cultivars Tepi (128 days) and Rata (129 days) were short-duration Boro rice varieties. In contrast, BRRI dhan75 (117 days), BRRI dhan33 (122 days), BRRI dhan39 (126 days), and local cultivars Lalbinni (119.66 days) and Nazirshail (121 days) were short-duration Aman rice varieties. BRRI dhan29 (6.11 t ha-1 ), BRRI dhan28 (5.50 t ha-1 ), and BRRI dhan92 (5.50 t ha-1 ) showed maximum yield in Boro season, while BRRI dhan49 (4.59 t ha-1 ), BR22 (4.47 t ha-1 ), and BR11 (4.41 t ha-1 ) showed maximum yield in Aman season. BRRI Dhan85, Tepi, BRRI dhan39, and Nazirshail are short-duration and high-yielding rice varieties/cultivars among Boro HYVs, Boro local, Aman HYVs, and Aman local rice cultivars respectively. PCA revealed significant genetic variation where first three PCs accounted for 60% of total cumulative variability. PC1 and PC2 exhibited most of the variation (33% and 47% of the total cumulative variability). Cultivating these high yielding and short-duration rice could help to escape the impact of flash floods and increase the ultimate rice production in this region.

Effects of Municipal Solid Waste Landfill on Agricultural Land

2026-10-07T05:26:19+00:00

The study was under taken to identify the effect of municipal solid waste landfill of Shambhuganj, Mymensingh, on agricultural land. Soil samples were collected from landfill, from the adjacent side of the landfill and from 20m, 40m and 60m away from the landfill. Collected samples were analyzed to determine Soil texture, pH, Electrical conductivity, Organic matter, Total nitrogen, C/N ratio and Exchangeable potassium. The results showed that the texture of the collected soil samples is mainly clay loam and soils were acidic in reaction (average pH is found 4.174). The Electrical conductivity ranged from 2.1 to 6.4 mS/cm. Organic matter, Total nitrogen, C/N ratio ranged from 4.52% to 6.81%, 0.44% to 0.20% and 7.56:1 to 14.4:1 respectively. Exchangeable potassium of the soil ranged from and 1369.87 ppm to 4052.66 ppm. Considering the investigated parameters, the land around the landfill site of Shambhuganj, Mymensingh, is not suitable for crop production. The different soil properties are way above the optimum level except the organic matter, which eventually make the land unsuitable for crop production.