PABNA Aug 7: The Pulses Research Institute, set up at Ishurdi in Pabna district about four years back, with the efforts of the agricultural scientists working there, has quite successfully been able to develop several improved varieties of pulse seeds

Among them are three new varieties of gram seeds two varieties of masur two varieties of mug and one variety of mashkalal. These re searches were conducted until 1994

The Pulses Research Institute — the only such Institute of its kind tn Bangladesh, has named the new gram seeds as Nabin Banchhaola I. Barichhola II and Barichhola-Ill Musur seeds have been named as Utfola Barimaaur-I and Barimmsur IL mug aeeds have been named as Mubarik and Kantik while nearly de-

veloped mashkalal aeeds have been named as BARI MashkaU-i. These names have recently been approved by the National Seed Board under the Ministry of Agriculture

The Ishurdi Pulses Research Centre, however expects that their young sci-entlsts. through further researches. would be able to develop within 1995 Two more improved varieties of gram seeds, two more varieties of musur. two more varieties of mug and two mere varieties of mashkalal are expected to be in the new invention list

The Pulaes Research Institute was initially financed by IDRC. a Canadten organisation and then CIDA came forward with Financial aid for conducting such research work

It was learnt that In 33

demonstration plots, cover ing 33 bighas of land, in the districts of Rajshahi Rangpur. and Dinajpur. 1.564 kilograms of gram seeds were grown per hectare of land and the ordinary farm ers could produce 1038 kilo grames of grams by using the neatly-developed seeds Besides 20 demonstration plots for improved musur seeds were set up in Rajshahi and five other demonstration plots in Rangpur districts by the Agriculture Extension Department and it was found that in the Demonstration Plots. 1.144 kilograms of musur were grown per hectare of land while the fanners in the same areas could grow 684 kilograms of

The Agriculture Extension Department set up 26 demonstration plots in

Dinajpur. 14 in Galbandha. 10 in Bogra. five each in Jaipurhat and Naogaon and in the result, on an average 855 kilograms of mug could be produced per hectare of land while the ordinary farmers succeeded in growing 626 kilograms of mug seeds through use of the newly de veloped improved varieties of seeds from the Ishurdi Institutes.

So far as mashkalal is concerned, three demon stration plate were set up in Rajshahi 39 in Dinajpur and two in Rangpur districts and from these demonstration plots. 1143 kilograms of maahkalai aeeds were pro duced per hectare of land The ordinary farmers, in their farms, could produce 628 kilogram of mashkalal per hectare of land they cultivated

A scientist working in the Ishurdi Pulse Research Institute said that land in the areaa of North Bengal like Pabna. Rajshahi. Dinajpur Rangpur, Lalpur. Cliarghai Bagatipara. Baraigram. Chatmohar. NawabganJ. Bagha. Bogra. Galbandha. Jaipurhat and In the south, the land in Faridpur. Kushtia. Pangsha . Barisal and Patuakhali were Initially found highly suitable for large-scale production of pulses and. according to him prospects were high for pro ducing huge quantity of pulses of different varieties in these places If Unproved va rieties of seeds were made, available by replacing the old and out dated ones. If proper technology and Inputs required could be made available with the cultivators, they would find pulse production economically highly viable