Photo : BSS

MYMENSINGH, March 1, 2025 (BSS) - A group of researchers from the Department 
of Agronomy of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), a leading 
institution in agricultural education and research, is conducting research in 
the Jamuna Char keeping in mind its soil, climate and technological 
limitations.

The research work is going on in Char Gujimari area of Dewanganj upazila of 
Jamalpur district. 

As part of the research, they have achieved initial success by cultivating 
three types of crops throughout the year on the same land in the Jamuna Char 
through crop rotation method.

This has increased crop productivity and created the possibility of economic 
profitability for the people of the Jamuna Char. 

The research is being conducted under the project titled "Examining the 
impact of climate change on crop production and improving crop productivity 
in the char area of Bangladesh through adaptation of climate-tolerant 
cropping systems". 

This project is being conducted under the leadership of Dr. Ahmed Khairul 
Hasan, professor of the Department of Agronomy of BAU. 

Paresh Chandra Das, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural 
Extension and PhD researcher at BAU, and postgraduate student Ikramul Haque 
are associated with this research. 

The main objective of the research is to identify existing crops and farming 
methods in the char areas, develop climate-tolerant and economically 
profitable cropping systems, invent effective strategies to combat the 
effects of drought, and find climate-smart production methods. 

Researcher Paresh Chandra Das said farmers in the char areas generally 
cultivate various vegetables including maize, chilli, coriander, jute, 
potato, garlic, and seedling of Aman separately without following a specific 
cropping pattern. 

As a result, crop production is low and farmers suffer huge losses in flash 
floods. 

Three types of profitable cropping patterns have been determined under the 
research. One of which is the maize-jute-aman seedling cropping pattern.

 The 
other is the potato-jute-aman seedling cropping pattern and the other is the 
chilli-peanut-aman seedling cropping pattern.

Following the cropping systems, the most profitable method will be identified 
and recommended for the farmers of the char areas through modern varieties, 
advanced technology and agronomic management. 

Dr. Ahmed Khairul Hasan said, "Research over the last two years has shown 
that inundated tolerant Binadhan-11 and seedlings have given good yields in 
dealing with flash floods."

Cultivating potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, black cumin, fenugreek, 
coriander and peas as intercrops (companion crops) with maize and chilli has 
been more profitable than single crops, he said.

The study also showed that potato production has increased by using mulching 
and vermicompost.

 The germination rate has increased by priming jute seeds. 
Good yields have been obtained by the combined use of herbicides and hand 
weeding to control weeds.

In addition, the yield of Bari mustard-14, colorful cauliflower, cabbage, 
peas, wheat, garlic, kaun and sunflower was also satisfactory.

With the help of researchers and local agricultural officials Nasima Khatun, 
a farmer from Char Gujimari area of Dewanganj upazila of Jamalpur district 
who is associated with the research, cultivated sunflower, corn and sapling 
aman on one bigha of land. 

She got good yield from this and plans to cultivate this cropping system on 
more land in the future.

Dr. Md Abdus Salam, another professor of the Department of Agricultural 
Science who is supervising the research, said following a specific cropping 
system reduces the effect of weeds by growing multiple crops on the same 
land, preserves soil nutrients and increases production. 

Already, examples of potato production of up to 76 kilograms per 15 decimal 
of land have been found in this research field, which is very promising for 
farmers.