Welcome to our website representing the Plant Biotechnology Lab, at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka. Our focus is on producing rice tolerant to saline stress, suitable for growth in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Any improved rice variety for the coastal region will make major impacts in the livelihoods of the resource-poor farmers of the region, in addition to increasing total rice production, which is important to maintain self-sufficiency in our staple food.
Coastal salinity affects around 1 million hectares, out of a total cultivable area of 9 million hectares. In some of the areas affected by salinity, farmers usually grow a single crop, commonly traditional rice with low yields, in the monsoon season, when the salinity levels are lower. Yet other areas remain fallow throughout the year. Bangladesh coastal areas are affected by tidal saline intrusion as well as water stagnation because of lowlands in the monsoon season (July to October), upward or lateral movement of saline ground water during the dry season (November to May) and willful inundation with brackish water for shrimp cultivation. The coastal soil is also affected by mineral deficiencies as well as toxicities. Potassium, Zinc and phosphate levels are low, while Calcium, Magnesium and Iron are high. In addition the levels of sulfate and boron are toxically high. Coastal rice landraces are still popular with farmers and these are likely to be well adapted to the soil conditions