Bangladeshi scientists claim breakthrough in rice research

[F-6 enthusiast]

Bangladeshi scientists claim breakthrough in rice research​

After 7 years of research, scientists develop rice variety resistant to floods and salinity

2022-01-29 13:01:54
DHAKA, Bangladesh

Bangladeshi scientists have claimed a breakthrough by developing a special rice variety, resistant to floods and salinity.
Starting in 2015 as a joint project between Bangladesh Atomic Agriculture Research Institute (BINA) and Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), the researchers achieved a milestone last month, that has the potential to improve food security in the region.


Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Mirza Mofazzal Islam, who led the team of scientists, said the new rice variety will not only come to the rescue of Bangladesh but across Asia as the rice is the staple diet of millions of people in the region.
“Through this genome sequence we have discovered three new types of rice varieties that are different from the mother type with new characteristics and survival capabilities,” said the chief scientist.
He said the new rice seeds produced from this genome sequencing will be several times tolerant to water submergence and salinity.
Bangladesh is one of the most climate-prone countries in the world hit by floods, cyclones, and other natural disasters every year.


About two million hectares (4.9 million acres) of arable land in the country face salinity, according to data available with Bangladesh's Agriculture Ministry. Besides crops, mostly southern coastal areas get destroyed every year due to floods, bringing misery to millions of farmers.
“As an outcome of the genome sequence, the new type of rice seeds will be hopefully able to reach our farmers on a massive scale by the next three years. They will bring revolutionary progress in rice production, as it will survive underwater for 15-20 days,” said Islam.

Resistant variety


The current seeds can survive just 4-5 days under the water. Rice can only resist saline water only for 2-3 days. According to scientists, the new seeds will be able to tolerate waters and salinity several times more than current varieties.
“In Bangladesh, we normally spend huge money for technological support from other nations in different sectors. But in the country's very vital agricultural sector we have invented a full genome sequence that will inspire our scientists to be more devoted to research works,” said the chief scientist.
He said that the research will benefit people living in neighboring Myanmar, Thailand, and parts of India, where the staple diet of people is rice.
Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar, chairman of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), told Anadolu Agency that this research will boost rice production not only to meet domestic requirements but there will be a surplus for exporting to other countries as well.


Hailing the development, farmers in Bangladesh have urged the government to supply new seeds for cultivation on a massive scale within the possible shortest time.
Mohammad Alamin, a farmer, said that there are huge tracks of cultivable land between Bishkhali and Baleshwari rivers in the southern coastal district of Barguna. But due to the saline nature of the soil and frequent floods, it has remained out of bounds for farmers.
Flood prone country
According to government records, more than 400 rivers crisscross the territory of Bangladesh, making it flood prone country in South Asia.


“Some of our farmers always try to cultivate on the riversides every year. It is the lone income source for many. But due to salinity, there is little to harvest,” Alamin said.
He said that saline-resistant seeds will go a long way to help cultivate large tracts of land.
“So, I hope that the government will try to supply new paddy seeds based on the new genome sequence soon,” he said.
Another farmer, Haider Shajjal, said many canals get flooded during monsoon and inundate cultivable land. They overflow as the flow of water has been blocked by people due to illegal occupation of land along their banks.
“The new invention is very significant for us, but at the same time the government must take a megaproject to restore the destroyed canals as well as dig new ones,” he added.

Bangladeshi scientists claim breakthrough in rice research - Timeturk Haber

After 7 years of research, scientists develop rice variety resistant to floods and salinity

www.timeturk.com

 

[Muhammad Saftain Anjum]

Good

Good

Good

 

[Destranator]

We need a paddy variant that makes people allergic to rice.
We consume an idiotic amount of rice which is literally killing us besides hurting our productivity and athleticism.

Rice Consumption Per Capita

We like numbers. We collect them, analyse them and look for stories they might be hiding... We aim to put useful data and interesting reports under a single roof to save you hours of searching and disappointment at poor results. We want to be able to offer our products to a wide...

www.helgilibrary.com

We need to switch to a vegetable and fish heavy diet.

 

[leonblack08]

We need a paddy variant that makes people allergic to rice.
We consume an idiotic amount of rice which is literally killing us besides hurting our productivity and athleticism.

Rice Consumption Per Capita

We like numbers. We collect them, analyse them and look for stories they might be hiding... We aim to put useful data and interesting reports under a single roof to save you hours of searching and disappointment at poor results. We want to be able to offer our products to a wide...

www.helgilibrary.com

We need to switch to a vegetable and fish heavy diet.

On the contrary, argument could be made that rice makes you more productive. China, Japan and Literally all SE Tiger economies are built on the backs of rice eating folks.

 

[Destranator]

On the contrary, argument could be made that rice makes you more productive. China, Japan and Literally all SE Tiger economies are built on the backs of rice eating folks.

Look up the average Chinese or Japanese meal plate. Rice forms less than half of the meal portion.
An average Bangladesh plate is mostly rice.
Excessive rice consumption is directly linked to type 2 diabetes and hypertension. There is no evidence of rice aiding productivity.

White rice consumption linked to high type 2 diabetes risk

Indulging in large quantities of white rice could increase the risk of…

www.diabetes.co.uk

Understanding Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetes

WebMD's comprehensive guide to the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

www.webmd.com

Diabetes and Rice

If you have diabetes, you're used to checking whether certain foods are OK to eat. How does rice stack up? Here's what you need to know.

www.healthline.com

Eating white rice regularly may raise type 2 diabetes risk

Eating white rice on a regular basis may increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, according to new Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) research. HSPH researchers from the Department of Nutrition—l…

www.hsph.harvard.edu

 

[nang2]

Look up the average Chinese or Japanese meal plate. Rice forms less than half of the meal portion.
An average Bangladesh plate is mostly rice.
Excessive rice consumption is directly linked to type 2 diabetes and hypertension. There is no evidence of rice aiding productivity.

Overeating is the main source of type 2 diabetics, regardless it is rice or some other foods.

 

[Destranator]

Overeating is the main source of type 2 diabetics, regardless it is rice or some other foods.

Depends on what you are overeating. Overeating veggies or freshwater fish hardly causes issues.

 

[leonblack08]

Look up the average Chinese or Japanese meal plate. Rice forms less than half of the meal portion.
An average Bangladesh plate is mostly rice.
Excessive rice consumption is directly linked to type 2 diabetes and hypertension. There is no evidence of rice aiding productivity.

White rice consumption linked to high type 2 diabetes risk

Indulging in large quantities of white rice could increase the risk of…

www.diabetes.co.uk

Understanding Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetes

WebMD's comprehensive guide to the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

www.webmd.com

Diabetes and Rice

If you have diabetes, you're used to checking whether certain foods are OK to eat. How does rice stack up? Here's what you need to know.

www.healthline.com

Eating white rice regularly may raise type 2 diabetes risk

Eating white rice on a regular basis may increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, according to new Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) research. HSPH researchers from the Department of Nutrition—l…

www.hsph.harvard.edu

That was just a banter.

 

[nang2]

Depends on what you are overeating. Overeating veggies and freshwater fish hardly causes issues.

Actually overeating anything that can be used for energy causes issues, including fish, freshwater or not. Body needs to convert these foreign substances into the certain forms that it can make use of and then it needs to make use of them. If they cannot be converted effectively, they would linger around in the body and the body has to get rid of them. If it cannot make use of converted forms, it has to either get rid of them or store them somewhere. Both require effort and maintenance. Too much will certainly cause issues.

 

[Destranator]

That was just a banter.

I hope the next Covid variant induces loss of taste exclusively for rice.

Actually overeating anything that can be used for energy causes issues, including fish, freshwater or not. Body needs to convert these foreign substances into the certain forms that it can make use of and then it needs to make use of them. If they cannot be converted effectively, they would linger around in the body and the body has to get rid of them. If it cannot make use of converted forms, it has to either get rid of them or store them somewhere. Both require effort and maintenance. Too much will certainly cause issues.

Agreed that overeating is bad overall. However, overeating refined carbs is much much worse.

 

[Maula Jatt]

I am certain this variety tastes like shit (going by stock photo of small, round rice)
if it was basmati variety they worked than I take back my words

 

[nang2]

Agreed overating is bad overall. However, overeating refined carbs is much much worse.

Of course, overeating grass would probably just give you very tired jaws, not type 2 diabetes. But rice doesn't have to be refined carbs. Brown rice is very enjoyable, too.

 

[Destranator]

Of course, overeating grass would probably just give you very tired jaws, not type 2 diabetes. But rice doesn't have to be refined carbs. Brown rice is very enjoyable, too.

Brown rice is much better but Bangladeshis hate it. Too healthy.

 

[nang2]

Brown rice is much better but Bangladeshis hate it. Too healthy.

Maybe because it just takes too long to cook. Electric pressure cooker would certainly help.

 

[Indos]

Rice Importer countries such as Singapore, Philippine, and Malaysia should say thanks to BD researchers. I still see how nervous rice importing countries when Vietnam stop exporting rice during the start of Covid 19 Pandemic while Thailand also curb the its rice export in the beginning of 2020. Despite it is India who come to rescue that nations, but BD ability to keep their rice production at adequate level to support its own people will help rice supply sufficient enough to feed rice eaters who are mostly coming from Far East countries.