Bangladesh Rice Research Institute

The nesting and breeding ecology of the Great Egret was studied in north and northeastern Bangladesh from 2017 to 2023. Out of 199 colony sites, 111 (55.78 %) were actively breeding, 38 (19.10 %) served as night roosts, and 50 (25.12 %) were abandoned. The active breeding colony sites covered a total of 92.12 hectares, with the majority situated on private land (89.92 ha) and only a small portion on government land (2.20 ha). The highest number of active breeding colonies occurred in Naogaon (n = 22), followed by Sylhet (n = 14) and Habiganj (n = 9), while Bogura, Natore, Rajshahi, and Jamalpur each had only one (n = 1). Of the 5,755 nests counted, the largest proportion was in Naogaon (20.94%), followed by Netrokona (17.74%) and Sylhet (7.91%), with the lowest in Bogura (0.21%). Active breeding colonies were predominantly in paddy field-dominated habitats (71.17%, n = 79), with smaller proportions in wetlands (9.91%, n = 11), mixed agriculture (9.01%, n = 10), tea gardens (4.50%, n = 5), orchards (2.70%, n = 3), and homestead areas (2.70%, n = 3). Breeding occurred from April to September, with colony sizes ranging from 2 to 302 nests. Nesting occurred on 1,258 plants across 34 species, with a preference for Bambusa spp. (40.31%), followed by Mangifera indica (15.57%), Swietenia mahagoni (8.98%), and Tamarindus indica (8.06%); the average nesting height was 10.39 ± 2.41 m (range 5.2-16.41 m, n = 1,258). Clutches averaged 2-4 eggs (mean 2.78 ± 0.71, n = 18), laid over 4-9 days. The incubation period lasted 23–28 days, chicks fledged after 40-55 days, and overall breeding success was 74%. Bangladesh J. Zool. 53(3): 373-388, 2025

Abstract Background Enhanced soil salinity is a major constraint to rice production in the coastal regions of Bangladesh. Salinity stress impairs nutrient uptake and induces ionic toxicity and osmotic stress, while excessive use of chemical fertilizers degrades soil health and causes environmental pollution. A novel salt-tolerant endophytic fungus, Aspergillus welwitschiae Oc streb1, isolated from the halophytic wild rice Oryza coarctata, exhibited multiple plant growth–promoting traits under both non-saline and 900 mM salt-stress conditions in vitro. These findings suggest that Ocstreb1-based biofertilizer could serve as an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to enhance rice productivity under saline conditions. Methods In this experiment, the biofertilizer was prepared using fungal spores produced on wheat bran and subsequently mixed with talcum powder as a carrier. Field trials were conducted following a randomized complete block design (RCBD), incorporating different levels of chemical fertilizer application (0%, 80%, and 100% of the BRRI-recommended NPKSZn rates) in both biofertilizer-treated and untreated plants. Results Compared with the 100% chemical fertilizer treatment, the combined application of biofertilizer and 80% chemical fertilizer resulted in a comparable yield in Barguna and an increased yield of 196.6 kg ha⁻¹ in Satkhira. Profitability analysis showed that this treatment provided an additional economic benefit of USD 48–68 ha⁻¹ over the 100% chemical fertilizer treatment. Moreover, fumonisin B1 levels in grains from biofertilizer-treated plants were negligible. Conclusion In conclusion, commercial production of this Biofertilizer will pave the way for enhancing rice yield with less chemical fertilizer use and ensuring sustainable agricultural practice particularly in areas affected by salinity stress.

A comprehensive review study has been conducted to address malnutrition problems prevailing over two billion global populations due to poor intake of daily diet especially vegetables. As a rich and easy source of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and other necessary phytochemicals, vegetables are considered as a sustainable dietary solution to this global problem, particularly for the vulnerable populations of developing countries. This study focuses on the deferent aspects of vegetables nutri-fortification conventional to molecular breeding, agronomic intervention to modern biotechnology and genetic engineering as well. The results of the research of different scientists revealed the efficacy of different conventional and molecular breeding to enrich concentration of iron, zinc, vitamin A etc., in different vegetable species and cultivar. Conventional agronomic practices like foliar application or inoculation of micronutrients have been found to be effective for improving nutrient content in leafy vegetables. Modern biotechnological interventions, including genetic engineering and genome editing, enable targeted manipulation of nutrient pathways, although they face challenges in regulatory and public acceptance. Application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, mycorrhizal fungi or other beneficial microorganisms have also shown promising results to enhance nutrient uptake in vegetables as well as improving soil-plant interactions. Beyond the successes, several limitations also found such as limited bioavailability, complex nature of genetic-environmental interactions, socio-economic obstacles as well as technological scalabilities are pronounced to speed up these programs. The study revealed the necessities of integrated, interdisciplinary approaches that combine crop science, soil health management as well as policy framework to promote speedy adoption of biofortified vegetables addressing this malnutrition. Ann. Bangladesh Agric. 28(2): 155-171

Smart agriculture (SA) technologies based on the Internet of Things (IoT) have the potential to improve resource efficiency and sustainability; however, their adoption in Bangladesh and South Asia remains limited due to high costs and limited availability of sensor devices. To address these challenges, an affordable design is developed to enable broader adoption of smart agriculture practices. The system’s cost was reduced by using locally available components, a custom-designed PCB, and in-house waterproof enclosures, avoiding imported parts. To ensure suitability for harsh outdoor environments, commercially available non-weatherproof sensor circuit boards were housed in custom 3D-designed enclosures. Performance was optimized through field testing to ensure the system’s reliability. Optimization of temperature, light, and humidity sensors achieved correlations of 0.99, 0.90, and 0.90, respectively, against calibrated handheld instruments used for lab and field validation. Soil moisture and electrical conductivity sensors, stabilized by duty-cycled sensing via a switching circuit, showed correlations of 0.80 and 0.90, respectively, with the same reference. The final cost to build the sensor-based system was $113, considering all possible expenses, which is even lower than the cost of an imported sensor probe (the TEROS-12 costs $450). The developed design can help local manufacturers and stakeholders develop cost-effective solutions that are affordable for small- and medium-scale farmers.