Four lentil genotypes/varieties BLX-010014-9, ILI-5143, BARI Mosur-3 and BARI Mosur-2 were given irrigation regimes (with and without irrigation) to evaluate the physiological indices of genotypes against drought stress. The experiment was conducted during rabi (winter) season of 2017-18 under pot culture at the Plant Physiology Division of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI). The experimental design was randomized completed block (RCBD) with six replications. Irrespective of genotypes/varieties, physiological parameters as well as seed yield were greatly affected due to irrigation regimes. Based on physiological parameters like accumulation of chlorophyll, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidantthe genotype BLX-010014-9 was found to be drought tolerant due to its higher and lower values of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant indices (greater CAT, POD, APX and lower MDA) across the irrigation levels treatment. This genotype may be further explored to characterize its genes and mechanisms against drought stress for increased lentil production and way to developing the drought tolerant variety/varieties. Bangladesh Agron. J. 2020, 23(2): 97-102

A laboratory experiment with three replicates was conducted at Plant Physiology Division research laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) during November, 2015 to observe the seed quality of rapeseed-mustard by harvesting at different maturity stages of siliqua. Seeds were collected from siliqua of different rapeseed-mustard varieties and harvesting was made at different maturity stages based on their external color i.e., Green, pale yellow, Golden yellow and full maturity stage of siliqua. After harvesting of siliqua as per external color seeds were dried naturally about 48 hours and were packed in polythene and stored at laboratory environment for next season uses. Under laboratory condition seeds were evaluated in terms of moisture and germination percentage, speed of germination, root and shoot length, vigor index etc. Moisture content was found significantly at elevated level in respect of mustard varieties of BARI Sarisha-14 (V2), BARI Sarisha-6 (V3) and Tori-7 (V4).  The variety Tori-7 and BARI Sarisha-14 showed  the highest vigor index-II & vigor index-I, respectively. Among the harvesting stages, most of the parameters showed the highest standards in seeds harvesting at full maturity of siliqua stage (H4) followed by the golden yellow siliqua stage (H3) and pale yellow siliqua stages seeds (H2).Irrespective of rapeseed-mustard varieties seed collected from golden yellow and pale yellow siliqua stages could  be stored up to twelve month for next season without significant loss in terms of germination percentage and vigor followed by full maturity stages of siliqua harvested seeds (H4). Bangladesh Agron. J. 2019, 22(1): 121-130

Field experiment on sowing dates was carried out with BARI Mung-6 during pre-monsoon (kharif-I) season of 2021 for the evaluation of Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) crop model. The APSIM model was parameterized using data from March 10 sowing, while validation was done with other sowing dates and data from literatures. Simulation was done with elevated temperatures (1-, 2- and 3-°C) to find out the adaptation option against future temperature stress situations. The model was run for different sowing dates using long-term (1981–2021) historical weather data. The evaluations showed that the model performance was satisfactory in predicting crop phenology, total biomass and grain yields of BARI Mung-6. Simulated grain yields during March 10 to March 25 sowings were very similar to attainable grain yields while, very early or late sowing gave comparatively lower grain yields. The best simulated planting window was from 15 to 25 March having the highest mean grain yields with less variability over the years. Increase in temperature by 1°C increase exhibited no significant influence on grain yields across the sowing dates, but significant yield reductions were observed with the rise of temperatures by 2 and 3°C on March 20, March 30 and April 10 sowings. Elevated temperatures showed positive impact on grain yield of March 10 sowing only. Results revealed that optimum sowing window for mungbean is from 15 to 25 March with existing weather conditions. In future temperature rises situations, sowing of seeds by the first week of March would be one of the options to combat climate change impact on mungbean grain yield in Bangladesh.

Aim: To find out the optimum harvesting stage of high yielding rapeseed-mustard varieties to fit in rice based cropping pattern. Study Design: The field study was arranged following RCB (factorial) design with three replications. Place and Duration of the Study: Agronomy field of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Jamalpur (located between 24°34ʹ and 25°26ʹ North latitude and 89°40ʹ and 90°12ʹ East longitude), Bangladesh during 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. Methodology: Seeds of mustard varieties viz. BARI Sarisha-11, BARI Sarisha-14, BARI Sarisha-15, Binasarisha-4 & Tori-7 were sown in line maintaining 30cm spacing on 02 November, 2015 and 06 November, 2016. This varieties were harvested at four different harvesting stages viz. H1= Green stage of siliquae, H2= Pale yellow stage of siliquae, H3= Golden yellow stage of siliquae and H4= Full maturity stage of siliquae. Green stage of siliquae was determined just at seven to ten days after all flower droppings of crop while the pale and golden yellow stage of siliquae was determined when 40%-50% and 70%-80% bearing turned into light yellow and deep yellow in color respectively. Full maturity stage of siliqua was determined when lower bearing just brust out. Results: BARI Sarisha-14, BARI Sarisha-15 (B. campestris) and Binasarisha 4 (B. napus) may be harvested at pale yellow stage of siliquae at 73, 82 and 78 DAS (average of two years) considering 11.0% seed and 3.15% oil yield; 10.0% seed and 1.56% oil yield; 6.60% seed and 3.90% oil yield loss respectively than full maturity stage of siliquae. Conclusion: BARI Sarisha-14, BARI Sarisha-15 and Binasarisha 4 need to be sown within first week of November in districts named Mymensingh (located 24°15′ and 25°15′ N and 90°49′ E longitudes),  Jamalpur (located 24°34ʹ and 25°26ʹN latitude and 89°40ʹ and 90°12ʹ E longitude) and Tangail (located 24°01′ and 24°47′ N latitudes and 89°44′ and 90°18' E longitudes) and the crop should be harvested at pale yellow stage of siliquae (within 73-82 days period) sacrificing seed and oil yield loss to some extent to introduce HYVs of rapeseed-mustard in rice based cropping pattern.