JOYPURHAT, Apr 7: Sunflower has made potential growth in the district.
Exhibition plots have bloomed brightly and attractively.
According to sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE)-Joypurhat, in 2023-24 crop season, three farmers of Nischinta and Nawtika villages have cultivated sunflower on 150 decimals of land in Khetlal Upazila as exhibition.
Farmers Rup Kumar and Dilip Kumar of Nawtika Village and Farhad of Nischinta Village have cultivated sunflower on 50 decimals each.
Sunflower seed contains 40-45 per cent linoleic acid, but no harmful uric acid.
Sunflower edible oil is very useful for human, said Khetlal Upazila Agriculture Officer Zahidul Islam.
According to DAE sources, the sunflower cultivation has begun in Bangladesh since 1974. The sunflower can be cultivated for the whole year. But Agrahayan (November-December) is the season of sunflower.
It needs four/five times of crisscross plough and soil levelling for sowing seeds.
Though there are local Kironi (DS-1) and BARI-2 sunflower species, the exhibition plots have been made with high-yielding Kaveri species. This species is alternaria blight disease-tolerant. It can be harvested within 90-110 days.
A recent visit found huge blooming in 37-day sunflower fields in the upazila.
All types of technological advice are given about sunflower cultivation in Khetlal Upazila, said Agriculture Officer Zahidul Islam.
14 people found dead in 11 districts