Enhancing productivity and cropping intensity in rice-based systems is the key to securing food and livelihoods in Bangladesh. This study explored alternatives to the traditional boro rice-fallow-T. aman crop rotation in AEZ-3 over 2021-23 at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Rangpur. Twelve cropping patterns (CP1-CP12) were tested in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Among these, CP2 (potato-red amaranth-mungbean-T. aus-T. aman rice), CP3 (mustard-red amaranth-mungbean-T. aus-T. aman rice), CP5 (garden pea-red amaranth-mungbean-T. aus-T. aman rice), and CP8 (radish-potato/maize relay-T. aman rice) stood out for yield, profitability, and land-use efficiency. CP8 delivered the highest rice equivalent yield (42.55 t & centerdot;ha-1) and net return, while CP3 maximized land use, CP5 optimized benefit-cost ratio, and CP2 offered greatest labor opportunities. These intensified systems also maintained or improved soil fertility. The results highlight CP8, CP2, CP5, and CP3 as sustainable, high-return alternatives that can strengthen food security and rural incomes in northern Bangladesh.

Understanding the factors controlling nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in paddy soil is essential for optimizing the application of relatively costly nitrogen (N) fertilizer for rice cultivation. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to assess the seasonal variation in NUE among three Aus, five Aman, and three Boro rice varieties at the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) farm during the Aus, Aman, and Boro cropping seasons. In addition, the variation in the NUE of rice was assessed among eight soil series throughout Bangladesh during the Boro season. The experiment included N control and N application at the recommended rates. The results showed that BRRI dhan48 outperformed the other varieties in the Aus season, with the maximum agronomic efficiency (AE). In contrast, BRRI dhan65 was better in terms of physiological efficiency (PE), whereas BRRI dhan42 showed the lowest AE. Throughout the Aman period, BR11 exhibited the best AE and PE. During the Boro season, BRRI dhan29 and BINA dhan-6 demonstrated the maximum AE, PE, and apparent recovery efficiency (ARE). Grain yield, nitrogen response, AE, and ARE were markedly higher in the Boro season than in the Aus and Aman seasons. Among the eight locations, the highest grain yield of BINA dhan-7 in the Aman season was recorded in the Noadda soil series, followed by Barisal and Sara, with an AE extended from 11 to 19 kg grain kg/N applied, PE from 31 to 61 kg grain kg/N uptake, and ARE from 21% to 41%. These findings highlight the significant variability in NUE among rice varieties, seasons and soil series, suggesting the importance of variety, location and season-specific N management.

Improving fertilizer use efficiency is essential for reducing environmental pollution, sustaining agricultural production, and maximizing the economic profitability of crop production systems. This study tested the hypothesis that the formulation strategy of biochar-based fertilizers, rather than nutrient addition alone, is associated with systematic differences in crop performance and nitrogen-use efficiency under field conditions. Using sunflower as a test crop, biochar-based fertilizers developed using different decision frameworks (soil test, crop nutrient harvest, agroecological zones (AEZs), and industry recommendation) were evaluated against conventional chemical fertilization. Biochar was added at two different rates: 20% or 10% of the total fertilizer quantity. The results showed a consistent pattern: soil test-based formulation approaches provided higher nutrient use efficiency than other formulations and standard fertilizer treatment. Soil test-based formulations achieved seed yields up to 1.75 t ha-1, representing a 23.87% increase in seed yield compared with conventional fertilization. Other formulations resulted in intermediate yield performance between soil test-based formulations and the standard recommendation. However, there was no statistical difference in seed yield and aboveground biomass production between the 20% and 10% biochar treatments. Correlation analysis, principal component, and redundancy analyses indicated that improvement in crop yield under selected biochar-based fertilizer formulations occurred as a result of enhanced bioavailability and plant uptake of key soil nutrients. This study identified fertilizer formulation strategy as a critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of biochar-based fertilizer formulation. From an applied perspective, the results offer opportunities to develop decision-guided biochar-based fertilizers that could improve input efficiency and may lower dependence on synthetic fertilizers, with relevance for farmers, fertilizer manufacturers, and policymakers. Future research should address multiseason validation, cost-benefit assessment, underlying mechanisms, economic robustness, and broader applicability across agroecological contexts.

Soil salinity is a major constraint limiting crop production in the coastal regions of Bangladesh, where low cropping intensity persists due to saline intrusion and delayed planting after the Aman rice season. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), a moderately salt-tolerant oilseed crop, offers potential to diversify cropping systems in this vulnerable ecosystem. This study aimed to identify the optimum sowing window and suitable sunflower genotype for enhancing yield performance in coastal saline soils. A two-year field experiment was conducted using a split-plot design with four sowing dates (15 December, 25 December, 4 January, 14 January) and four sunflower genotypes (BD-9389, BARI Sunflower-2, BARI Sunflower-3, Hysun-33) at Daccope, Khulna. Results revealed that early sowing on 15 December significantly improved growth parameters and yield across all genotypes compared to delayed sowing. The highest seed yield (2300.0 kg ha⁻¹) and stalk yield (6.1 t ha⁻¹) were recorded from Hysun-33 sown on 15 December, which also exhibited the largest head diameter (17.5 cm) and 1000-seed weight (60.0 g). Delayed sowing on 14 January led to substantial yield reduction, with BD-9389 producing the lowest seed yield (570.0 kg ha⁻¹). The interactive effect of sowing date and genotype was significant for all measured traits including plant height, root length, leaf area index, and crop growth rate. Early sowing combined with salt-tolerant genotypes such as Hysun-33 can enhance sunflower productivity in saline-prone coastal areas of Bangladesh.

The primary source of food production and national security in Bangladesh is winter (locally known as ‘boro’) rice. Floods, droughts, high heat and cold, and salinity strains are just a few of the natural calamities and stresses that Bangladeshi agriculture faces almost every year. Rice is substantially less resilient to cold stress because it is a tropical crop. A beneficial agronomic method for boosting seed performance is seed priming, which raises the germination levels, vigour and the consistency of seedlings. It involves treating seeds early before sowing, which enhances the seed's metabolic activities, leading to expedited and enhanced germination. This strategy has become significant for strengthening crop establishment and flourishing, especially in adverse environments. The current investigation was conducted to develop a suitable seed priming technique for successfully producing winter rice under cold or salinity stress. The investigation was performed utilising a Completely Randomised Design (CRD) with four replications at the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), Mymensingh, Bangladesh, in the Agronomy Division. The study spanned from November to December 2018. The presented research explored the impacts of seed priming substances on three different winter varieties of rice: i) BRRI dhan29, ii) BRRI dhan36, and iii) BRRI dhan67. Eight seed priming treatments were applied, namely i) Control (without priming), ii) Hydro priming (24 hrs), iii) 150 ppm PEG 8000, iv) 15000 ppm ZnSO4, v) 15000 ppm MnSO4, vi) 20000 ppm KCl, vii) 16000 ppm NaCl and viii) 22000 ppm CaCl2. Results suggested that this technique positively impacts germination rate, vigour index and seedlings' growth. ZnSO4, KCl, and CaCl2 turned out to be among the best priming agents, while NaCl and PEG provided no significant improvement compared to the control for seedling vigour and germination rate. Priming with ZnSO4, KCl, and CaCl2 resulted in the greater final germination percentages across all varieties, with BRRI dhan67 showing superior performance under these treatments. Similarly, priming with KCl resulted in 85.25%, 84%, and 92.5% final germination, while CaCl2 produced 90%, 89.25%, and 92.5% for these varieties. Mean germination time was strongly correlated with time to 50% germination (r= 0.78***). These findings suggest that the effectiveness of specific priming agents, particularly ZnSO4, KCl, and CaCl2, enhances seed performance and early seedling development, offering a promising strategy for optimising winter rice cultivation.

Nitrogen (N) is the most essential nutrient element for improving crop yield. However, urea, its most common form, is highly prone to losses, especially in flooded rice fields, which reduces N use efficiency (NUE) and contributes to environmental degradation. Here, a field experiment was conducted to examine the yield and growth performance of Aman rice, as well as to estimate NUE using different organic amendments and inorganic N sources. The treatments consisted of two factors: a) organic amendments- waste biochar, sawdust biochar, cow dung, and control, and b) N application rate- control (0), 50%, and 100% of the recommended rate. Overall, waste biochar performed better than sawdust and cow dung. Waste biochar with 100% of the recommended rate of urea application provided the highest grain (4.65 t ha-1) and straw yield (6.72 t ha-1). However, waste biochar with 50% recommended urea application provided the best NUE, i.e., agronomic N use efficiency (46 kg rice grain kg-1 N applied), physiological N use efficiency (28 kg rice grain kg-1 N uptake), and apparent N recovery (61%). The relatively higher NUE in treatments with organic amendments and half the recommended N rate; suggests a trade-off between improved NUE and rice grain yield. The enhanced NUE was possibly manifested by retaining more N in the reactive sites of soil organic matter and its uptake in the plant. Altogether, our results provide insights into NUE in rice cultivation systems after application of diverse organic matters.

Salinity is a critical abiotic stress in Bangladesh, severely limiting rice growth and yield due to the crop's high sensitivity to saline conditions. While gypsum application is known to mitigate salinity stress, its effects on different growth stages of rice under varying salinity levels remain inadequately explored. To address this gap, a study was conducted in the net house of the Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh (24.75°N, 90.5°E), during the Boro season (November 2023 to April 2024). The experiment employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four salinity levels (0, 4, 8, and 12 dS m-1) and three gypsum levels (0, 1, and 2 g gypsum kg-1 soil) applied across three growth stages: tillering, panicle initiation, and flowering. Results demonstrated that high salinity (120 mM NaCl) significantly reduced plant height (9.63%), tiller number (7.8%), leaf area index (19.32%), and grain yield (24.19%) compared to the control. In contrast, gypsum application at 2 g kg-1 soil effectively mitigated salinity stress, enhancing leaf area index (5%), root length (2%), and grain yield (29.55%) over the control. Moreover, it recovered almost 8% grain yield under highly saline conditions. The findings highlight gypsum's potential as a practical and effective soil amendment for improving rice performance in saline environments. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of gypsum application under field conditions and explore its integration with complementary agronomic practices for sustainable rice production.

This study presents a novel and sustainable approach to the valorization of textile spinning industry waste cotton (WC) through direct pyrolysis, converting it into high-quality biochar with enhanced energy potential and structural stability. This research systematically examines the impact of pyrolysis temperature (300–500°C) on biochar yield, composition, and physicochemical properties to optimize conditions for maximum carbon retention and energy efficiency. The results indicate that biochar yield decreased from Biochar yield decreased from 50.5 % at 300°C to 26.7 % at 500°C, while fixed carbon content increased from 59.33 % to 68.65 %. Elemental analysis revealed a rise in carbon content (53.13 % to 73.62 %) and reductions in oxygen (46.7 % to 13.27 %) and hydrogen (6.06 % to 2.79 %), enhancing thermal stability. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis demonstrated a transition from amorphous cellulose to condensed graphitic carbon at higher temperatures. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) confirmed superior thermal resistance, with biochar retaining 14.7 % of its mass at 800°C. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) revealed key thermal transitions, with the endothermic peak shifting from 65.5°C in raw WC to 79.6°C at 500°C, indicating increased thermal stability. The calorific value peaked at 27.31 MJ/kg at 400°C, making it a promising solid biofuel. Additionally, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis showed a substantial increase in porosity, with the highest specific surface area of 225.24 m2/g at 500°C, improving biochar's potential for adsorption, catalysis, and energy storage. These findings contribute to optimizing pyrolysis conditions for waste cotton valorization, supporting circular economy principles, reducing environmental pollution, and enhancing renewable energy applications. By integrating pyrolysis into textile waste management, this study offers a scalable and eco-friendly strategy for sustainable energy recovery and environmental remediation.

A consistent supply of nutrients is critical for reaching optimum quality and output in baby corn. To address this issue, we looked at how integrated nitrogen management affected baby corn growth, productivity, quality, and nutrient absorption. Seven different fertilizer combinations of organic and inorganic fertilizers were administered on three varieties viz., Baby Star, Dream Sweet-3, and MSC No. 001. The study was replicated three times using a split-plot design. Integration of Baby Star variety and 75% recommended dose of chemical fertilizer (RD) + cow dung (CD) @ 10 t ha-1 outperformed all the combinations in terms of plant height, leaf area index, total dry matter, and crop growth rate. This combination took a minimum of days to tasseling and silking. Compared to the solo application of inorganic fertilizer, Baby Star showed a 34% increase in cob yield with husk and a 32% rise in cob yield without husk at 75% RD + CD @ 10 t ha-1. The greatest levels of protein and starch were detected in Baby Star with 75% RD + cow dung at 10 t ha-1, however, the highest levels of total soluble solid (TSS) were found in Dream Sweet-3 with 75% RD + CD @ 10 t ha-1. Baby Star variety also had more N, P, K, and S content at 75% RD + CD @ 10 t ha-1 fertilizer level. Finally, it can be inferred that the Baby Star with 50% RD + CD @ 10 t ha-1 performed better and seemed to be the potential method for sustainable baby corn production.

Sesame is an important crop in Bangladesh playing the role of an alternate cash crop. However, sesame productivity is highly influenced by drought. Water shortage is a major challenge to crop productivity under changing environmental conditions, especially in dry areas. Recently, different management approaches (agronomic, physiological biochemical, and molecular) have been used to overcome the problems associated to drought. Development of drought-tolerant sesame genotypes may be a sustainable choice to boost sesame productivity under drought conditions. Hence, the study was designed to screen out sesame genotypes based on the level of stress tolerance. Ten sesame genotypes (BD 6964, BD 6971, BD 6979, BD 6980, BD 6982, BD 6985, BD 6990, BD 6993, BD 7004, and BD 7014) were grown-up in pots filled with surface soil under water stress condition (40-45% FC). Treatments were arranged under a Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Results showed that drought stress significantly affected the biochemical attributes (viz., chlorophyll, proline, O2•-, H2O2 , MDA, and MG content) in all sesame genotypes. Among the genotypes, biochemical traits were found to be significantly higher in BD 6964 and BD 6971 genotypes, which was also proven to be more drought-tolerant than the other tested genotypes. The sesame genotype BD 6982 and BD 6980 were affected more than other genotypes and was classified as drought-sensitive genotypes. These results suggest that screening for drought-tolerant genotypes may be a more viable option to minimize drought-induced effects on sesame in drought-prone regions. Moreover, this study represents a reference for future research towards developing new varieties with improved drought tolerance in Bangladesh.

Combining ability analysis assists in identifying parents with high general combining ability (GCA) effects and cross combinations with high-specific combining effect (SCA) to exploit heterosis and isolate pure lines from the progenies of heterotic hybrids. An experiment was conducted at the experimental field of the Genetics and Plant Breeding department, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University during Aman season 2017-2018 using 25 hybrids obtained from 5 x 5, line x tester mating design. Analysis of variance of combining ability showed highly significant differences among the genotypes indicating wider genetic variability among genotypes. Significant General Combining Ability (GCA) and Specific Combining Ability (SCA) effects were obtained for all the characters studied except 50% flowering, panicle length, and grain breadth. Among the lines GAN46A, IR58A and IR62A showed significant GCA effects for grain yield, and most of the yield contributing traits could be used as good general combiner lines for improving the grain yield of rice. IR68A line is good general combiner for Zn and Fe content. Among testers, Hera5R, ACI1R and KataribhoghR testers are good general combiner for Zn and Fe content. Hera5R and ACI1R testers having positive GCA effect with yield (t/ha). IR58A x BU7R, IR58A x BHD1R, IR62A x Hera5R, BRRI1A x Hera5R, BRRI1A x BHD1R, BRRI1A x ACI1R, GAN46A x BU7R, GAN46A x BHD1R, GAN46A x ACI1R crosses are good specific combiner for zinc content with grain yield (t/ha). Bangladesh Rice J. 27(1): 61-73

Agricultural extension services play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable agriculture, particularly in developing countries where many farmers are resource-poor. Enhancing farmers' profitability and productivity is essential to meet the increasing demand of a growing population. This study aims to examine the impact of agricultural extension services on the profitability and productivity of rice farmers in Bangladesh. The analysis uses unbalanced panel data from the International Food Policy Research Institute's Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey for 2015 and 2018. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to assess whether the differences between the participant and non-participant groups were statistically significant. Additionally, a probit regression model is used to identify the determinants of participation in agricultural extension services. The findings reveal that participation is positively influenced by access to subsidies, distance to market, occupation and livelihood vulnerability. The impact of agricultural extension services on farm productivity and profitability is assessed using difference-in-difference and random effect generalized least squares models. The results show that agricultural extension services significantly contribute to both farm profitability and productivity. This suggests that governments should intensify and monitor the delivery of agricultural extension services, particularly focusing on the timely provision of support resource-poor farmers.

An experiment was conducted during Boro rice in the permanent experimental field of the Department of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh to investigae the long term outcome of manure and fertilizers on the yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) of BRRI dhan29 in floodplain (Subtropical) soil (Aeric Haplaquepts). The experiment was designed in a randomized complete block design with three replications. There were ten treatment combinations viz, control; Nitrogen (N); (Nitrogen Phosphorus) NP; Nitrogen Potassium (NK); Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium (NPK); Nitrogen Zinc (NZn); Nitrogen Sulphur (NS); Nitrogen Sulphur Zinc (NSZn), Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Sulphur Zinc (NPKSZn) and NPK+FYM. The yield contributing characters and yield of BRRI dhan29 significantly increased due to different treatments. Grain and straw yields were highly influenced by the application of nutrients in various combinations. The longest panicle length (25.3 cm), the highest 1000 grain weight (22.7 g), the maximum grain yield (6.29 t ha-1), the highest nitrogen uptake in grain (70.4 kg ha-1) were found for the NPKSZn treatment. Grain yield increased by 24.8%, 85.8%, 40.7%, 68.9%, 29.2%, 33.2%, 107.1%, 28.9% and 78.9% due to N, NP, NK, NPK, NS, NSZn, NPKSZn, NZn and NPK+FYM treatments respectively and the corresponding straw yields attainment by 49.6%, 51.1%, 82.0%, 95.3%, 37.8%, 34.4%, 82.7%, 41.8% and 90.2%. The maximum value of apparent nitrogen use efficiency was obtained with NPKSZn (54.06%) treatment which evidently suggested its resultness for the long term fertilized soil.

Coastal areas of the Ganges delta require optimization of agronomic practices to reduce the salinity effect on the crop production that can support the "Bangladesh Delta plan 2100". The present study was conducted in the Rabi seasons of 2018-19 and 2019-20 to determine the optimum sowing method and plant spacing of sunflower (variety Hysun 33) in the saline area of Bangladesh. Two sowing methods: flat bed sowing and ridge and furrow sowing and; three plant spacings: 40 cm × 25 cm, 50 cm × 25 cm and 60 cm × 25 cm were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications on a farmer's field at Dacope, Khulna. Results showed that although method of sowing had no significant effect on the yield of sunflower the ridge and furrow sowing method reduced the soil bulk density and soil salinity and increased the soil water holding capacity and solute potential significantly. Plant spacing and planting system (interaction of sowing method × plant spacing) had significant effects on growth and yield of sunflower. Plant spacing 50 cm × 25 cm produced the highest sunflower seed (2233 kg ha-1) by achieving optimum plant population to utilize the resource. Planting system: ridge and furrow sowing at 50 cm × 25 cm spacing had the lowest soil salinity (4.01 dS m−1) and soil bulk density (0.90 Mg m-3) which leads to highest solute potential (-380 KPa) and highest soil water holding capacity (21%, w/w) at 85 days after sowing of sunflower. This planting system had the highest crop growth rate (24.4 g m-2 day-1) that ultimately produced the highest grain weight per head (36 g) and seed yield (2274 kg ha-1) of sunflower. Ridge and furrow sowing at 50 cm × 25 cm can be effective for achieving maximum yield of sunflower in the Ganges tidal floodplain of Bangladesh.

Detopping is a management technique often used in cotton cultivation in various countries to maintain good architecture of the plants, which enables them to get better sunlight. Detopping also increases picking efficiency in cotton as crop maturity advances. Two field experiments were conducted at Cotton Research Farm, Gazipur, Bangladesh-one in 2018 and the other in 2019. The 1st experiment was conducted in 2018 using RCB design including five genotypes (BC-0479, BC-0495, BC-0514, JA-13/R and CB-12) and four detopping practices (no detopping, detopping at 80, 90 and 100 days after sowing, DAS) with three replications. In the 2nd experiment in 2019, performance of best three genotypes (BC-0479, BC-0495 and BC-0514 as obtained from the 1st study) was evaluated under three sowing dates (5, 15 and 25 July) and three detopping practices (detopping at 85, 90 and 95 DAS). The experiment used split-split-plot design where sowing dates were assigned in main plots, detopping in sub-plots and genotypes in sub-sub plots. In the experiment in 2018, the genotype BC-0479 produced highest seed cotton (3.90 t ha−1) and yielded 16 % more when detopping was done at 90 DAS as compared to no detopping. In 2019, the same genotype (BC-0479) yielded 5 % and 8 % higher when detopping was done at 85 DAS as compared to detopping at 90 and 95 DAS, respectively. In addition, this genotype matured 17 days earlier under detopping at 90 DAS as compared to no detopping in 2018, and 5 and 8 days earlier under detopping at 85 DAS as compared to 90 and 95 DAS in 2019 respectively. Genotype-wise maturity in BC-0479 in the year 2018 was found 21, 22, 18 and 23 days earlier than BC-0495, BC-0514, JA-13/R and CB-12, respectively. In the year 2019, the maturity of BC-0479 was 10 and 17 days earlier over BC-0495 and BC-0514, respectively. On the other hand, BC-0479 showed 3 %, 8 %, 13 % and 25 % higher yield than BC-0495, BC-0514, JA-13/R and CB-12, respectively in the year 2018, and 7 % and 12 % higher yield than BC-0495 and BC-0514, respectively in the year 2019. Fiber quality in terms of staple length, strength, uniformity index and micronaire was also improved by detopping practices irrespective of genotypes. Based on the results of the study detopping is suggested as a beneficial practice by increasing yield and quality of cotton fiber while shortening the field duration of cotton.

Electrospinning of a heterogeneous solution is difficult to continue because the required process parameters are different for multiple phases. In this study, nanofibrous mats were successfully prepared from a heterogeneous blend of solid cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAp) in a solution mixture of chitosan and gelatin using an electrospinning technique. HAp and CNC were used as filler materials in the nanofibrous mats. Gelatin and chitosan polymer chains in the mats were crosslinked using glutaraldehyde. The fiber diameter was noticed to decrease from around 86 to 43 nm with the increase of electrical conductivity of the spinning solution from 890 to 1166 μS cm−1 and after crosslinking a significant variation in fibers’ diameter was noticed. The elemental analysis data showed that around 85% of the HAp used in the spinning solution was passed through the nozzle and the rest of the portion remained settled in the spinning syringe. In the XRD study, the crystallinity of chitosan, HAp and CNC was not observed in the non-crosslinked and crosslinked mats. The TGA analysis showed that the crosslinked mat has no weight retention at 500 °C which is due to its complete amorphous nature. The mats showed single-phase transition temperatures in DSC analysis which proves that no segregation of materials was present in the electrospun fibers. FTIR analysis of the mats showed a new peak at 1205 cm−1 which suggests the Michael addition type reactions to be happened between chitosan and gelatin. Cytotoxicity analysis of the mats on the vero-cell line showed around 95% of cell viability. The prepared mats were applied as wound dressings on a mice model experiment and 50% faster healing of wounds on the mice was noticed for the non-crosslinked mats than the control one.

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) incorporated bio-composite films (unplasticized and plasticized) were prepared from pregelatinized maize starch/polyvinyl alcohol (PMS/PVA) blends by solution casting method. 10% boric acid (BA) was used as crosslinker. The physico-mechanical properties (tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (%EB), water solubility and moisture uptake) of the bio-composite films were studied. The thermo-chemical stability of the biofilms was studied by FT-IR, TGA and DSC analysis. TS, %EB, water solubility and moisture absorbency of 10% HPMC containing unplasticized films were found 38.1 MPa, 8.5%, 61% and 32.3%, respectively, however, the films were hard and brittle. On the contrary, TS, %EB, water solubility and moisture absorbency of 10% HPMC plasticized films were found 19.2 MPa, 28.5%, 62.2% and 57.3%. The biofilms exhibited relatively low water solubility and moisture uptake compared to higher HPMC containing composite. The thermo-chemical analysis revealed that the HPMC incorporated plasticized film was more thermally stable compared to pure PMS, PVA, HPMC and other bio composite films due to strong hydrogen bonding interaction with BA. The biodegradability of HPMC incorporated plasticized films was confirmed by soil burial test (anaerobic condition, RH 98%, 3 months). Therefore, the plasticized biofilm would be considered an alternative approach for biocompatible packaging material.