Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute

Climate change puts Bangladeshi fish farming households at high risk for production. It poses serious impact on nutritional availability, livelihood, poverty, and income. The study aimed to assess the short and long run impacts on fish production in Bangladesh by utilizing climatic and non-climatic factors. Annual time series data spanning 45 years, from 1978 to 2022, were used in this study. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) technique and the Johansen cointegration test were used for validating short and long run relationships. The results of the bound test confirm that climate and non-climate variables and fish production have a long run association. The ARDL results indicate that pesticide use exerts a significant positive effect on fish production in both the short and long run, suggesting that its’ controlled application may enhance disease management and thereby improve overall productivity. The long run impacts of rainfall on fish production were also favorable, while the short and long run effects of temperature on fish production were negative. Our findings are confirmed to be robust by CUSUM and CUSUM squared tests, which showed that the model residuals show no signs of structural instability. Findings of the study highlight the importance of climate resilient fish production policies and practices to mitigate the effects. In order to guarantee a resilient aquaculture sub-sector and sustainable fish production, a comprehensive plan combining sustainable practices, technical advancements, and strong governmental frameworks is required.

Zinc deficiency is major constraint in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) production, affecting crop yields and nutritional quality. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of diverse zinc application strategies on productivity, seed quality, profitability, and zinc use efficiency of diverse lentil genotypes. Factorial experiment was conducted in pot and field settings to evaluate 18 treatment combinations, comprised three lentil genotypes (BARI Masur-3, BARI Masur-5, BARI Masur-8) and six zinc application strategies (soil, foliar, seed priming and their combinations). Treatment T4 (50

Abstract Rice-based cropping systems remain dominant in Bangladesh’s agricultural landscape, yet their long-term sustainability and profitability are increasingly constrained by high input requirements, ecological pressures, and evolving food consumption patterns. This study investigates the agronomic and economic performance of four rice-based farming sequences in the Karatoa–Bangali Floodplain, comparing the conventional T. Aman–Fallow–Boro (R–F–R) rotation with three diversified alternatives: Mustard–Mungbean–T. Aus–T. Aman (M–M–R–R), Potato–Maize–Dhaincha–T. Aman (P–M–D–R), and Potato–Sweet gourd–Jute–T. Aman (P–S–J–R). Field experiments conducted during 2021–2022 evaluated system productivity, profitability, land use efficiency (LUE), and sustainability indicators such as marginal benefit–cost ratio (MBCR), sustainable yield index (SYI), and rice equivalent yield (REY). The results showed that the gross return, benefit–cost ratios (BCR), LUE, and production efficiency (PE) of all intensified cropping systems significantly outperformed the baseline pattern (R–F–R). Among them, P–S–J–R sequence demonstrated the highest REY (31.81 t/ha), SYI (98.97%), and MBCR (2.75), highlighting its strong agronomic and economic potential. The integration of short-duration rice cultivars and high-value non-rice crops facilitated more efficient land utilization—up to 94%—and enabled continuous year-round cultivation. These findings underscore the value of strategic crop diversification and intensification, particularly through the use of short-duration varieties and relay cropping, in enhancing system resilience, resource optimization, and farm-level income in rice-centric regions. Scaling up such cropping systems, with support from policy and research initiatives, could foster more sustainable and climate-adaptive agricultural systems across the Indo-Gangetic Plains.

ABSTRACT Optimising the efficiency of applied nitrogen (N) fertilisers is essential to sustain agricultural systems. Substantial N losses continue through leaching, volatilisation, and denitrification processes. Co‐application of organic amendments and biochar alongside synthetic fertilisers is a widely practiced strategy to enhance N retention, improve soil fertility and increase crop productivity. Previous studies have focused on the specific characteristics of soil amendments and the magnitude of yield change, while N use efficiency (NUE) and economic returns remain uncertain. This meta‐analysis examined the effects of synthetic fertiliser applied alone, co‐applied with biochar and co‐applied with organic amendments, on crop yield, plant N uptake, NUE and economic return within rice cropping systems. Synthetic fertiliser and biochar applied alone increased rice yield by 69.2% ± 30.3 and 33.4% ± 34.9, respectively (Bootstrap 95% CI), whereas yield further increased by co‐applying biochar (+104.8% ± 37.5) and organic amendments (+80.2% ± 18.2) with fertiliser compared with non‐fertilised control. Co‐applying organic amendments (+20.9% ± 29.7) and co‐applying biochar (+35.1% ± 18.3) with synthetic fertiliser increased NUE compared with fertilised control. For rice crops under low N application (< 150 kg ha−1), co‐applying biochar with fertiliser increased yields more than co‐applying organic amendments (+70.1% ± 0.7 vs. +52.5% ± 0.3, respectively). Within acidic soils, co‐applying biochar with fertiliser (+72.9% ± 0.4) led to higher yield than co‐applying organic matter (+36.0% ± 0.9), and among soils with high organic carbon concentration, co‐applying biochar with fertiliser increased yield by 97.6% ± 1.6, compared with yield increases observed by co‐applying organic matter with fertiliser at 29.4% ± 0.5 and fertiliser alone at 25.6% ± 0.2. The main factors driving rice yield were N application rate, co‐application method and soil organic carbon concentration. Co‐applying either biochar or organic amendments did not significantly differ in benefit–cost ratio with benefit–cost ratios of 35.1% ± 9.2 and 18.1 ± 26.5, respectively compared with fertilised control. Co‐applying either biochar or organic amendments with synthetic fertilisers decreased N inputs and increased economic return, therefore improving sustainability in rice cropping systems.

Context: Agricultural productivity in the coastal saline zones of the Ganges Delta in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India faces significant constraints due to high soil salinity, seasonal waterlogging, freshwater scarcity, and increasing climatic variability. These challenges collectively limit the sustainability and intensification of dry season (Rabi) cropping systems, thereby impeding regional food security and livelihoods. Objective: This study aimed to assess the key biophysical constraints affecting Rabi season cropping systems and to evaluate the integration of key agronomic and water management technologies using a combination of field experimentation and cropping systems modelling, with the goal of supporting climate-resilient intensification in coastal saline environments. Method: Two years of field experimentation were conducted across multiple locations, generating a comprehensive validation dataset comprising 139 crop instances, including transplanted Aman (T. Aman) rice, wheat, maize, sunflower, grass pea, and lentil. These datasets represented a diverse range of potentially integratable technologies and agroecological conditions. The Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM), employing the APSIM-SWIM3 module, was used to simulate crop production outcomes for a range of different integrated technologies. To achieve this, a novel modelling approach was developed to dynamically simulate surface soil salinity and moisture, and then its subsequent effects on crop production, using daily inputs of water table depth, Results and conclusions: APSIM simulations closely matched observed field data, with performance metrics (RMSE, R2) falling within acceptable ranges of experimental uncertainty. Long-term (25-years) scenario analyses demonstrated that advancing sowing dates by 15-30 days could substantially increase yield potential by reducing salinity exposure during critical crop stages. However, early sowing increased the risk of waterlogging, especially in low-lying fields. In some cases, the incorporation of in-field drainage structures was shown to mitigate waterlogging risks effectively. In situations where this is not possible due to landscape constraints, model-based identification of optimal sowing periods provided a viable alternative to reduce risk of waterlogging. Additionally, the retention of crop residues was shown to reduce surface soil evaporation and salinity Significance: Focusing on the integration of four key technologies- short-season improved Kharif rice varieties, early Rabi crop sowing, field drainage, and crop residue retention-this study delivers a validated, modelsupported decision framework for enhancing Rabi cropping in coastal agroecosystems. The results offer a scalable foundation for site-specific agronomic planning, community-based water management, and policy formulation aimed at climate-resilient cropping system intensification in the vulnerable coastal saline regions of South