Two exotic hybrid rice varieties BB 01/18 & BB 02/18 were evaluated in the last Amon season i.e. in the Amon season of 2018 in 8 territories of Bangladesh to assess their yield performances as well as their adaptation potentiality using ‘BB 03/18’ as check variety. In all the territories transplanting method was followed for their cultivation while in Gopal ganj region ‘Broadcasting method’ was followed. Undoubtedly in all locations farmers liked these 2 exotic varieties due to their good plant architecture, excellent vigour, good tillering habit, first-class grain density in the panicle, tolerant to major diseases and insects, good crop exposure at the harvesting period, higher yield, shattering resistant and nice grain quality. Between the 2 varieties; on an average variety BB 02/18 gave yield of 5.96 Mt/ha and its highest yield 8.40 Mt/ha was recorded in Rangpur region while BB01/18 also gave highest yield in Rangpur district (8.20Mt/ha) exhibiting average yield 5.26Mt/ha. Between the 2 exotic varieties BB 02/18 was found to be superior to BB 01/18 and both of these varieties gave 46.79% and 30.04% increased yield than the check variety ‘BB 03/18’. In addition, our observations revealed that these 2 exotic hybrid rice varieties can also be cultivated through broadcasting method in the Amon season as they both gave satisfactory yield by this practice while the check variety failed to grow in ‘Broadcasting’ method. It was also found that there is a very good marketing opportunity of the varieties BB 01/18 & BB 02/18 in Bangladesh during the Amon season. And on an average the 3 hybrid varieties used in this adaptive trial exhibited almost 29.77 % higher yield than the traditionally grown inbred varieties for this Amon season of 2018.

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Performance trial of two exotic Amon rice varieties grown in Bangladeshi edapho climatic
condition
Sitesh C. Biswas*
BRAC Agricultural Research & Development Centre, BRRI, Joydebpur, Gazipur, Bangladesh
*Corresponding author: sitesh.cb@brac.net
Abstract
Two exotic hybrid rice varieties BB 01/18 & BB 02/18 were evaluated in the last Amon
season i.e. in the Amon season of 2018 in 8 territories of Bangladesh to assess their yield
performances as well as their adaptation potentiality using ‘BB 03/18’ as check variety. In all
the territories transplanting method was followed for their cultivation while in Gopal ganj
region ‘Broadcasting method’ was followed. Undoubtedly in all locations farmers liked these 2
exotic varieties due to their good plant architecture, excellent vigour, good tillering habit, first-
class grain density in the panicle, tolerant to major diseases and insects, good crop exposure at
the harvesting period, higher yield, shattering resistant and nice grain quality. Between the 2
varieties; on an average variety BB 02/18 gave yield of 5.96 Mt/ha and its highest yield 8.40
Mt/ha was recorded in Rangpur region while BB01/18 also gave highest yield in Rangpur
district (8.20Mt/ha) exhibiting average yield 5.26Mt/ha. Between the 2 exotic varieties BB 02/18
was found to be superior to BB 01/18 and both of these varieties gave 46.79% and 30.04%
increased yield than the check variety ‘BB 03/18’. In addition, our observations revealed that
these 2 exotic hybrid rice varieties can also be cultivated through broadcasting method in the
Amon season as they both gave satisfactory yield by this practice while the check variety failed
to grow in ‘Broadcasting’ method. It was also found that there is a very good marketing
opportunity of the varieties BB 01/18 & BB 02/18 in Bangladesh during the Amon season.
In recent years cultivation of hybrid rice varieties in Bangladesh has become very popular
as it gives considerably higher yield compared to non hybrid or inbred rice varieties. Hybrid rice
varieties have several benefits such as higher yield, more income to the farmers, wider
adaptability, better suitability for direct seeding, better nitrogen use efficiency, good water use
efficiency etc (Spielman 2012). In Bangladesh most of the hybrid rice varieties are now being
grown in the ‘Boro’ season i.e. in the dry season. And dry season rice cultivation brings little
profit to the growers compared to wet season rice cultivation. Moreover, in the dry season very
often the crop is suffered from hailstorm which is a natural phenomenon in Bangladesh despite
dry season rice cultivation has brought a significant positive impact in the socio-economic
situation of Bangladesh (Silalertruksa 2017). Again dry season rice cultivation seems not
ecologically sustainable for every regions of Bangladesh as huge volume of ground water are
exploited for rice cultivation during the dry period (Silalertruksa 2017)which is creating
environmental imbalance situation in some rice growing areas. On the other hand, rice
production in the monsoon season is more profitable as usually the Amon rice is cultivated under
rain-fed condition which is environmentally benign practice too. And before the introduction of
Boro season rice varieties in Bangladesh Amon season was the main rice growing season in
Bangladesh and for this reason several rice related festivals like, ‘Nabanno Utsob’, ‘Agla Ana’,
‘Itolaxmi Puja’, ‘Pitha Sankranti (Pushna)’ etc. are still celebrated in Bangladesh centering the
Amon season. It can be mentioned here that although in the monsoon season disease incidence is

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relatively higher than dry season crop yet Amon season rice cultivation is still very much popular
practice of rice cultivation and various types of Amon rice varieties including the aromatic
premium quality rice varieties are cultivated in Bangladesh only during the Amon season. Under
Bangladesh perspective, rice variety having slender grain with above 25% amylose content is
desirable as Bangladeshi people do not like sticky type rice. Although a good no. of hybrid
varieties are being cultivated in Bangladesh but only a few have higher amylose content and taste
of rice is also a factor based on which Bangladeshi people usually purchase rice. Side by side to
combat the adverse effect of climate change, climate resilient rice varieties are also need of the
hour for Bangladesh as Bangladesh is the most climate change vulnerable country in the world.
The introduction of Super hybrid rice variety is also desirable to meet the ever increasing high
demand of rice in Bangladesh. Moreover, rice bran oil is also becoming a popular consumer
product in Bangladesh and now a days a good no. of oil industries are producing health
promoting rice bran oil. Thus, increased volume of rice will also facilitate the production of rice
bran oil for the food loving people of Bangladesh.
Therefore, an attempt was made to introduce more hybrid Amon rice variety/varieties in
Bangladesh during the wet season and as a part of that plan in an effort to assess the yield levels,
adaptation pattern as well as the degree of stability of 2 exotic Amon rice varieties were grown
in 8 different regions (Rangpur, Gaibandha, Bogura, Chuadanga, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Feni
and Gopalganj region) with their characteristically diverse edapho-climatic features during the
Amon season of 2018 using BB 03/18 as hybrid check variety. In all the 7 regions 22-23 days
old seedlings were transplanted in the main plot but as the practice of rice cultivation in
‘Shibchar’ area of Gopalganj territory in the Amon season is ‘Broadcasting’- this is why in this
particular area, the crop was raised through broadcasting method. In every location each of the
varieties was cultivated in 8-10 decimal of land. Germination as well as seedling vigour was
found to be excellent in all the 3 varieties across the 8 locations but as the check variety BB
03/18 failed to show satisfactory performance at pre-flowering stage in the Gopalganj territory
i.e. in the Shibchar area (where broadcasting method was followed) only this particular variety
was damaged by the farmer for raising new crop in that sub plot keeping BB 01/18 and BB 02/18
grown sub plot intact.
In all the selected seven locations, the plants of each of the 3 varieties grew normally
although the plants of BB 03/18 i.e. check variety matured much earlier than the exotic varieties
(almost 15-16 days earlier) although its no. of effective tillers per plant were also found to be
lower compared to exotic varieties (Table.1). Phenotypically both BB 01/18 & BB 02/18 were
very much similar to each other but BB 02/18 plants were found to be relatively shorter in height
than BB 01/18 and could be harvested 3-4 days earlier than BB 01/18 in all the growing areas
(Fig.1, Fig. 2, Table.1). No. of tillers/ plant was also found to be higher in BB02/18 than other 2
varieties (Table.1). It can be mentioned here that at harvesting period as the droopy type panicles
of BB01/18 remained more exposed this is why this variety looked more showy than BB02/18.

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Fig.1. Rice field of BB 01/18 at Gaibandha.
Table.1. Mean values of morphological and yield related characters of BB 01/18, BB 02/18
& BB 03/18.
Variety Plant
height
(cm)
No. of
effec-
tive
tillers/
hill
Panicle
length
(cm)
No. of
grains/
panicle
Spike-
let
fertility
(%)
Disease &
pest
incidence
(%)
Yield
(Mt/ha)
Crop
dura-
tion
Grain
type
Taste
BB 01/18 111.80 13.10 24.72 210.75 86.27 False smut
disease 5%
& no pest
5.28 118-120 Moderate
slender
Good taste but
rice’s become
slightly sticky
after cooking
BB02/18 102.30 14.29 25.26 236.50 86.67 False smut
disease 5%
& no pest
5.96 115-117 Moderate
slender
Good taste but
after cooking
rice’s become
slightly sticky.
BB 03/18 110.00 8.50 28.25 232.50 86.36 False smut
disease 1%
& no pest
4.06 105- 110 Moderate
slender
Good but after
cooking rice’s
become slightly
sticky.

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Fig.2. Rice field of BB 02/18 at Dhunot, Bogura.
Fig.3. Rice field of BB 03/18 at Gaibandha.

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Table.2. Yield Performance of exotic varieties at different locations (Mt/ha)
Sl. No Locations BB 01/18 BB 02/18 BB 03/18 Cultivation method Comments
1 Laksham 5.4 5.8 5 Transplanting BB02/18 gave
highest yield among
the 3 varieties which
is 46.79% higher
than BB03/18
variety and 12.87%
higher than BB
01/18.
2 *Rajshahi 2.47 2.72 2.77 Transplanting
3 Rangpur 8.2 8.4 1.73 Transplanting
4 Gopalganj 4.4 4.6 Damaged Broadcasting
5 Mymensingh 5.75 5.52 4.2 Transplanting
6 Chuadanga 5.37 5.72 5.03 Transplanting
7 Bogura 5.3 6.9 6.1 Transplanting
8 Gaibandha 5.35 8.06 7.65 Transplanting
Mean 5.28 5.96 4.06
Range (2.47-8.20) (2.72 - 8.40) (1.73-7.65)
S.D. ± 1.58 ± 1.85 ± 2.46
*In Rajshahi region all the varieties exhibited relatively poor performances due to irrigation problem at the grain
filling stage and also insect attack in BB 01/18 & BB 02/18 plot at the grain ripening stage.
Fig. 4. BB 02/18 in the farmer’s field of Bogura.
Among the 3 varieties longest panicle was observed in BB 03/18 (28.25 cm) while
shortest panicle was recorded in BB 01/18 but increased no. of grains/panicle was observed in
BB02/18 (Table.1). In all the locations BB 02/18 exhibited highest yield performance (average

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yield = 5.96 Mt/ha) except in Rajshahi region while BB 01/18 gave relatively moderate yield in
all locations exhibiting its highest average yield = 8.20 Mt/ha in Mithapukur, Rangpur still which
is 2.43% lower than BB 02/18 grown in that region (Fig. 2,4; Table.2). As high as 8.40 Mt/ha of
BB 02/18 was recorded in the Mithapukur area of Rangpur region and its 2nd
highest yield 8.06
Mt/ha has been recorded from Gaibandha region which indicates that soil quality as well as
climatic factors of the Rangpur territory and the type of land selected has made a positive impact
in increasing the production of BB 02/18 in that region. On an average this BB 02/18 variety
gave 46.79% increased yield than BB 03/18 (Fig. 4, 5 ).
Fig.5. Exotic variety BB 02/18 in the farmer’s field of Laksham.

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Table.3. Yield Comparison of 2 Exotic Varieties at Different Locations (Mt/ha)
Table. 3. revealed that in most of the locations BB 02/18 exhibited better yield than BB 01/18. Among
the 7 different locations on an average BB 02/18 gave 15.97% higher yield than BB 01/18 while only in 1
location (Mymensingh) BB 01/18 gave 4.16% increased yield than BB 02/18. And the yield difference
between the 2 exotic varieties across the locations is highest in Gaibandha region followed by
Bogura (Table.3). Practically, on an average 30.04 (BB 01/18) – 46.79% (BB 02/18) increased
yield was observed in exotic varieties than the existing marketed check variety ‘BB 01/18’
variety (Fig. 3, Table.2). From the Table. 2. it is also clear that there was a distinct difference in
the degree of yield variations across the 8 locations among the 3 varieties and relatively higher
degree of yield variation was recorded in BB 03/18 (Table.2) and this amount of variation is
32.97% higher than BB 02/18 and 55.69% higher than BB 01/18. Side by side, between the two
Exotic varieties relatively lower yield variation across the location was recorded in BB 01/18
variety (Table.2) and this yield variation is 17.08% less than BB 02/18. From this observation it
may be concluded that phenotypical plasticity is relatively higher in BB 01/18 and due to this
plasticity nature it reduced its yield variation across the different environments.
Sl. No Locations BB 01/18 BB 02/18 Difference of
yield in BB
01/18 than
BB 02/18
(%)
Comments
1 Laksham 5.4 5.8 -7.40 In 7 locations on an average BB
02 gave 15.97% higher yield
while only in 1 location
(Mymensingh) BB 01/18 gave
4.16% increased yield than BB
02.
2 Rajshahi 2.47 2.72 -10.12
3 Rangpur 8.2 8.4 -2.43
4 Gopalganj 4.4 4.6 -4.54
5 Mymensingh 5.75 5.52 + 4.16
6 Chuadanga 5.37 5.72 -6.51
7 Bogura 5.3 6.9 -30.18
8 Gaibandha 5.35 8.06 -50.65
Mean 5.28 5.96
Range
(2.47-
8.20) (2.72 - 8.40)
S.D. ± 1.58 ± 1.85

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Fig. 6. Broadcasting Amon of BB 01/18 in Shibchar area.
It is interesting to note that although through broadcasting method BB 03/18 could not be
grown in the ‘Shibchar’ area but BB 01/18 and BB 02/18 gave relatively better yield (4.4 & 4.6
Mt /ha) in that area and the farmer was found to be satisfied with the performance of the exotic
varieties as his production cost was very much lower than the transplanting method (Fig. 6).
Possibly almost similar effective tiller no. per hill (tiller no./hill & panicle length in BB 01/18 &
BB 02/18 were 13.60 & 15.16; 24.60 cm. and 22.25 cm) and slight difference of panicle length
between the ‘Broadcasting’& ‘Transplanting’ method contributed significantly to the satisfactory
production of exotic varieties in the Shibchar area of Gopalganj region. Spielman (2012)
reported that hybrid rice varieties usually performs better than inbreds in direct seeding method.
It can be mentioned here that although exotic varieties gave higher yield than existing marketed
variety ‘BB 02/18’; but these two varieties were found to be more susceptible to ‘false smut
disease’ at the grain ripening stage compared to marketed check variety. Again no lodging and
shattering were observed in any of the exotic variety plots of 8 locations and their spikelet
fertility was also recorded within the range of 86.27% - 86.67% respectively. It can be mentioned
here that across the 7 transplanting cultivation locations, relatively lower yield of exotic varieties
was recorded in the Rajshahi region and here their performance is noticeably lower (BB
01/18=2.47 Mt/ha and BB 02/18=2.77 Mt/ha) even than the ‘Broadcasting’ method (Table.2).
Irrigation problem at grain filling stage might have reduced the yield in all the 3 varieties in that
particular region. It was also observed that these two exotic rice varieties exhibited better
performances than the traditionally grown Amon inbred rice varieties {Guti Swarna (yield =2.16

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Mt/ha), BRRIdhan 39 ( yield =3.94 Mt/ha), BRRIdhan 72 ( yield =4.69 Mt/ha) Swarna ( yield
=4.94 Mt/ha) etc.} in the target areas as well. And on an average the 3 hybrid varieties used in
this adaptive trial exhibited almost 29.77 % higher yield than the traditionally grown inbred
varieties for this Amon season of 2018.
Recommendation: From our observation it appeared that these 2 exotic rice varieties are well
adapted variety compared to BB 03/18 and will give better yield if they are planted in medium
low to relatively low lands in the appropriate season and improved production technology is
ensured. Our observation also revealed the fact that these 2 exotic varieties not only have a very
good market in normal T. Amon growing areas; they can also be sold in areas where Amon rice
is cultivated through broadcasting as well. Among the 2 exotic varieties BB 02/18 is better than
BB 01/18 as BB 02/18 matures a little bit earlier (3-4 days) than BB 01/18 and its average yield
has been found to be 15.97% higher than BB 01/18 in 7 locations out of 8 locations. Across the 8
different locations, Rangpur and Gaibandha region was found to be very much suitable for the
cultivation of BB 02/18 therefore, cultivating BB 02/18 in the Rangpur as well as in the adjacent
regions will give more yield to the rice growers.
References
1. Spielman, D. J. et al. 2012. Public Expenditures, Private Incentives and Technology
Adoption: The Economics of Hybrid Rice in South Asia, IFPRI Discussion Paper
01233.December 2012.
2. Silalertruksa, T., Ghewala, S. H., Mungkung, R., Nisalab, P., Lecksiwilai, N. and
Sawaengsak, W. 2017. Implications of water scarcity foot print for sustainable rice
cultivation. Sustainability 9 (12): 2283.
Prepared by:
Dr. Sitesh Chandra Biswas
Manager (PDS)
BRAC Agricultural Research & Development Centre (BARDC)
Jogitola, BRRI, Joydebpur, Gazipur
BANGLADESH
Phone: 9294208
Mobile Phone: +8801730349845
E-mail: sitesh.cb@brac.net
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