Substantial and sustainable promotion of raised-bed technology in the farming field has become an urgent need for boosting crop production to feed the gradually increasing population.
Sharing his expertise Dr Israil Hossain, principal scientific officer of regional wheat research centre (RWRC), said the raised-bed facilitates sowing without waste of time allowing crop growth to better match water availability.
In addition to wheat, the farmers were seen adopting the method in some other seasonal crops like mugbean, maize, potato and lentil for the last couple of years.
Under the conventional system, he said, the single largest constraint requires planting of wheat in the region late in winter leading to a poor yield. Sowing bed could be a good alternative to the country’s dominant wet culture, he said.
Bed planting improves water distribution and irrigation efficiency, gives better results in using fertilisers and pesticides and reduces weed infestation and crop lodging. It saves crops from disturbance from rats, Hossain opined.
The pattern helps farmers save 30% irrigation water and 30 to 40% of seeds and fertilisers. To maintain soil health, he said, it could be advisable to grow rice using a different system in order to improve compatibility between monsoon rice and upland winter crops.
Senior Scientific Officer Dr Ilias Hossain said the agriculture system of the region including its drought-prone barind tract has started facing problems especially water-stress condition due to multifarious reasons including the adverse impact of climate change.