http://rulrepository.ru.ac.bd/handle/123456789/1 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:40:19 GMT 2026-04-07T21:40:19Z http://rulrepository.ru.ac.bd/handle/123456789/1161 Yield gap in wheat production: an analysis of farm specific efficiency in bangladesh Rashid, Md. Haron Or Wheat production can be enhanced by properly utilizing productive inputs and managing production factors effectively in order to meet the increasing demand for food. The primary goal of the current study was to discover and assess the potential for increasing wheat productivity by boosting farmers’ productive efficiency. The study employed farm level cross sectional data collected from 286 farm households of three major wheat growing areas in Bangladesh. Hundred percent farmers used modern variety of wheat in their production practices. The variety BARI Gom 30 produced highest yield (3006 kg/ha) followed by BARI Gom 32 (2934 kg/ha) and BARI Gom 33 (2902 kg/ha). Yield of wheat varied across locations and among farm categories. The average yield was found to be 3110 kg per hectare with highest average yield at Rajshahi followed by Jamalpur (2920 kg/ha). The yield of Jamalpur (2920 kg/ha) and Faridpur (2741 kg/ha) was less than the national average (3098 kg/ha). Among farm categories, large farmers produced highest yield (3016 kg/ha) followed by medium (2938 kg/ha) and small (2817 kg/ha) farmers. Full package of recommended production technologies was not adopted by the farmers. Other socioeconomic factors have also played roles in the variation in yields. The bio-physical constraints limiting wheat production were: lack of good quality seed, soil type, poor utilization of irrigation facilities etc. Among the socioeconomic factors, farmers’ contact with the extension worker had the positive and significant influence on yield implying that, wheat yield could be increased significantly by increasing farmers’ contact with the extension worker. The coefficient of plot tenancy dummy had negative sign for all areas implying that, wheat yield in the rented in plots were lower compared to that of own plots. Labor cost accounted the highest share of the total production costs (almost 18 percent) in all areas followed by fertilizer and irrigation cost. The rate of profit was also substantially higher for the farms in Rajshahi than that of Jamalpur and Faridpur. The share of returns from wheat output for different factors of production did not differ that much. Sowing time is an important factor for variation of wheat yield. The residual (or operator’s surplus) was positive in the cultivation of wheat in all the areas. The mean technical efficiency of wheat growers was 81 percent suggesting that there existed a technical inefficiency of 19 percent. The estimates of stochastic frontier production function model showed that fertilizer and irrigation have a significant positive impact on wheat production. The estimates of stochastic frontier cost function model showed that fertilizer price and sowing at optimum time would result in the decrease of production cost. Thus, farmers’ efficiency could be improved by 19 percent through the improvement of technical efficiency. The coefficients of farmers’ education, wheat farming experience, and training on wheat cultivation were negatively significant in the inefficiency effect models implying that inefficiency decreases with the increase in farmers education, wheat farming experience, and training on wheat. The yield gap-I was estimated at 1189, 1203 and 1148 kg/ha in Jamalpur, Rajshshi and Faridpur respectively resulting mostly from non-transferable components of technology and environmental factors. Yield gap-II was estimated at 1703, 1623 and 1826 kg/ha in Jamalpur, Rajshshi and Faridpur respectively. This was attributed mainly to technical inefficiency. The biotic and abiotic factors were also combinedly responsible for yield gap II. The magnitude of yield gap II was almost parallel in three production environments. The study suggests that existence of some gaps in wheat yield, which may be reduced to some extent through policy interventions and adoption of improved technology. This Thesis is Submitted to the Department of Crop Science and Technology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh for The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT http://rulrepository.ru.ac.bd/handle/123456789/1161 2023-05-01T00:00:00Z http://rulrepository.ru.ac.bd/handle/123456789/1100 Advanced fertilizer management enhances productivity and suppresses foliar disease of mulberry plant' Ahmed, Faruque Quality and quaintity of mulberry plant production is well known to be extremely demanding to fertilizer and disease management. The advanced fertilizer management is the pre-requisities for sustainable mulberry plant production and improvement of mulberry leaf quality as well as reduction of incidences of foliar diseases of mulberry. The existing Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute (BSRTI) recommended inorganic fertilizer management is not adequate for quality and quaintity mulberry plant production as well as suppression of foliar diseases of mulberry plant. That's why, the present study was undertaken to introduce advance fertilizers management practices for sustainable mulberry plant production in Bangladesh. This study was conducted in the research field of BSRTI, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The aims of this study was to investigate the productivity and suppression of foliar diseases incidences of mulberry plant under various fertilizer management practices such as liquid fertilizer (LF), farm yard manure (FYM), rice husk biochar, mineral enriched biochar, vermi-compost (VC), cow dung compost (CW), seri-waste compost (SW), elevated doses of NPK compared to BSRTI recommended basal dose of NPK for mulberry cultivation. A series of field experiments were conducted through different experimental desings with high bush mulberry plantation system for achieving the respective objectives of this study. The leaf yield and quality of mulberry plant was observed through various fertilizers management practices. Generally, the mulberry plant is affected by the various diseases like, powdery mildew, leaf spot, leaf rust, bacterial blight, root rot, root knot, tukra etc. due to fertilizer management. Among them common foilar diseases viz: powdery mildew, leaf spot and tukra were studied for this study irrespective to advanced fertilizer management practices. Among the all fertilizers management practices, the performanace of seri-waste compost was good in terms of leaf yield, leaf qualities and suppression of foliar diseases. However, among the organic and liquid fertilizers management on top of BSRTI recommended basal plus seri-waste compost performanace was best followed on top of B+CW, B+VC, B+FM, B+MB, B+RB and B+LF fertilizers management. The maximum leaf yield was 52.23 MT/ha/year for the B+SW fertilizer management which was 87.07% higher than the average leaf yield of only the basal treated plant. The leaf qualities of mulberry plant was also better on top of B+SW fertilizer management followed by on top of application of B+CW, B+VC, B+FM, B+MB, B+RB and B+LF fertilizers management. The leaf qualities percentage viz: moisture, crude protein, soluble carbohydrate, mineral and total sugar were 9.11, 32.52, 40.03, 38.08 and 26.05 respectively greater for on top of B+SW treated mulberry plant over the single application of BSRTI recommended basal dose of NPK (B). Furthermore, on top of basal plus seri-waste compost was also reduction the incidences of powdery mildew, leaf spot and tukra diseases were 80.64, 89.44 and 87.58 percent respectively greater than the single dose of BSRTI recommended basal dose of NPK (Traditional fertilizer management). Similarly, among the organic fertilizer management next to B+SW fertilizer management the performance on top of basal plus cow-dung compost was 2nd higest interms of growth, leaf yield, leaf quality as well as suppression of foliar diseases. However, on top of basal plus 3 times foliar srpray of 2ml LF/L water after 15 days intervale gave the leaf yield was 36.77 MT/ha/year which was 31.70% greater than the average leaf yield of basal with maximum leaf quality and maximum reduction of foliar diseases incidences followed by the recommended basal dose of NPK. Furtheremore, among the inorganic fertilizer management the elevated 400 kg N/ha/year with four split doses along with BSRTI recommended basal dose of 150 kg P and 100 kg K showed the better performance followed by the elevated doses of 200 kg P and 150 kg K/ha/year respectively. Similarly, the leaf yield was 47.20 MT/ha/year with higher moisture, crude protien, total sugar, mineral and soluble carbohydrate percentage for the graded doses of 400 kg nitrogen/ha/year. However, among the inorganic fertilizer management the elevated dose of potassium presented the better results in terms of reduction of foliar diseases incidences. The elevated 150 kg K/ha/year with recommended 300 kg N and 150 kg P/ha/year with four split doses reduction the powdery mildew, leaf spot and tukra diseases incidences were 38.73, 30.28 and 19.98% respectively greater over the recommended basal dose of NPK. Likewise, between the 0-5 and 6-10 year’s ages of mulberry plant the 6-10 years ages of plant gave the maximum leaf yield with better leaf quality as well as maximum reduction of foliar diseases followed by the 0-5 year’s ages of mulberry plant. Furthermore, this study showed that among the three foliar diseases and three cropping seasons namely, late autumn, rainy and summer seasons the incidence of powdery mildew disease in late autumn season was comparatively high. Likewise, the BM-11, BM-8, and Black varieties to powdery mildew, BM-4, BM-11 to leaf spot and BM-8, BM-10, BM-11 and S-30 were comparatively resistant to tukra disease. However, this study concluded that among the all fertilizers management irrespective to mulberry plant growth, mulberry leaf yield and quality as well as maximum suppression of common foliar diseases, the performance of BSRTI recommended convational basal dose of NPK plus 10MT Seri-waste compost/ha/year was the best management practice for sustainable mulberry cultivation in Bangladesh. This Thesis is Submitted to the Department of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension , University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh for The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT http://rulrepository.ru.ac.bd/handle/123456789/1100 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z http://rulrepository.ru.ac.bd/handle/123456789/1089 Yield Gap Minimization In Mustard Through Agronomic Management Techniques Biswas, Girish Chandra To find out the yield gap, causes of yield gap and to minimize yield gap of mustard (Brassica Sp.) through agronomic management techniques, there were 03 (three) different experiments were conducted. From first experiment, 04 (four) most potential mustard varieties were selected for next experiments. The second and third experiment was conducted at research field and at farmer’s field with four mustard varieties viz. BARI Sarisha 9, BARI Sarisha 11, BARI Sarisha 14, BARI Sarisha 15 and three different sowing times viz. 30th October, 10th November and 20th November in three different growing seasons. Then the yield gap analysis, the causes of yield gap and strategies for minimizing the yield gaps of mustard were find out. In this study different treatments showed significant influence on yield contributing characters and yield of mustard in the growing seasons of 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 both at research and farmer’s field. In general BARI Sarisha 11 with 10th November sowing time gave the maximum plant height, no. of leaves plant-1, no. of branches plant-1, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, pod length, no. of pods plant-1, no. of seeds pod-1, no. of seeds plant-1, 1000-seeds weight and finally seed, straw and oil yield whereas the minimum values of above parameters were obtained from BARI Sarisha 9 with 20th November sowing time in all three growing seasons. Effect of different variety and sowing time on yield contributing characters and yield of mustard was noticeable. BARI Sarisha 11 produced the highest values and BARI Sarisha 9 gave the lowest values. On the other hand, values of all yield contributing characters were found to be decreased with increasing the date of sowing after 10th November. The highest yield gaps of mustard between research and farmers field were 395.00 kg ha-1 with 17.99%, 480.00 kg ha-1 with 21.05% and 471.00 kg ha-1 with 20.60% from BARI Sarisha 11 with 10th November showing time in the growing seasons of 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17. Biological factors, socio-economic factors, climatic factors, institutional/Government policy related factors and technology transfer factors are considered for causing yield gaps of mustard.------ This Thesis is Submitted to the Department of Crop Science and Technology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh for The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT http://rulrepository.ru.ac.bd/handle/123456789/1089 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z http://rulrepository.ru.ac.bd/handle/123456789/1063 Study on Gummosis and Sudden Decline Disease of Mango Plants in Rajshahi Region of Bangladesh Hossain, Md. Mosharraf Mango is one of the most important fruit in Bangladesh suffering from many diseases. Among the diseases gummosis and sudden decline disease of mango plant is a new disease in Bangladesh. Day by day it is becoming a serious threat to the mango growers of the country. In order to study about the disease a set of four experiments were conducted. A field survey was conducted at five upazilas of Chapainawabganj district and three upazilas of Rajshahi district of Bangladesh during January 2016 to October 2017 to study the incidence and severity of the disease. It was observed that the disease was found in all the surveyed area under investigation. Among the eight upazilas the highest incidence (3.47%) and severity index (10.70%) were recorded in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj district where as the lowest incidence (1.77 %) and severity index (6.00 %) were recorded in putia upazila of Rajshahi district. In case of varietal reaction the highest incidence (3.55 %) and severity index (14.87 %) were recorded in Fazli variety whereas the lowest incidence (0.26 %) and severity index (2.16 %) were recorded in BARI Aam-4. From the experiment it was observed that among the varieties surveyed fazli was very much susceptible to gummosis and sudden decline disease. These studies indicate that older plants might be more susceptible to the disease compared to younger plants. From the results it was observed that the maximum disease incidence was noted in the month of April and the minimum in July. During the survey samples of diseased plant parts were collected and the causal agent was isolated on potato dextrose agar media and identified. The isolated fungus was identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae that was confirmed by pathogenicity test using mango seedlings as test crops following stem inoculation method. Lasiodiplodia theobromae, isolated from the diseased plant parts which was able to cause the same xvi symptom on inoculated mango seedlings. In this study molecular identification and characterization of isolated fungus was conducted using genome sequencing of its region from northern parts of Bangladesh. The BLASTn search revealed that the fungus derived from gummosis and sudden decline disease of mango is Lasiodiplodia theobromae. In vitro fungi toxicity of eight fungicides from different groups were tested for their efficacy against L. theobromae, by following poisoned food technique, proved that Carbendazim was the most effective fungicide followed by Copper hydroxide, Propiconazole and mixture of Pyraclostrobin with Metiram. Six treatments were applied at field condition to manage the disease and it was observed that among the treatments the lowest severity (2.96%) as well as the highest disease reduction (95.56%) after the application of Bordeaux paste along with spraying Carbendazim @ 2gm/L. This Thesis is Submitted to the Department of Crop Science and Technology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh for The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT http://rulrepository.ru.ac.bd/handle/123456789/1063 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z