A complete genome sequence of salinity and submergence tolerant rice has been unveiled by the scientists of the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) and Bangladesh Agricultural University for the first time in the country. This will open a new horizon in salinity and submergence-tolerant rice research in Bangladesh. The researchers disclosed the new invention at a press conference on Thursday. The groundbreaking solution for salinisation comes when a growing number of lands are being salinised due to reduced flow of rivers for water diversion at upstream, cyclone and sea level rise. Globally, 62 million hectares of agricultural land has already been affected by salt.
On an average 2,000 hectares of agricultural land is lost to salinisation every day globally. In Bangladesh too, salinisation has become a serious problem, especially in the coastal areas. The people who live in this area are poor to very poor. The coastal belt accounts for 25 per cent of total land and 93 upazilas of 18 coastal districts are affected by various levels of salinity. They largely depend on small-scale agriculture to survive, which becomes harder and harder because of the salinisation of the soil. According to the World Bank, this will become even worse over the coming decades. As a result, people are no longer capable of feeding their families. They have no income and are forced to migrate to the cities, where they end up in slums or on the street.
The scientists of BINA and BAU said they have identified three advanced mutants in M6 generation after various tests by applying different levels of gamma radiation and producing more than 50,000 mutants. Complete unveiling of the genome will facilitate the invention and propagation of rice varieties tolerant of salinity and submergence in the country. To make food security sustainable and to meet the growing demand for food in the future, we are emphasising the production of 2-3 crops a year even in saline and haor areas. Continuous research will improve the yield of the varieties and help achieve food security.
