Obaydul Islam Robi, Rajshahi

Nur Mohammad is a farmer from Rajshahi, who has no institutional credentials, but he is a paddy researcher. He invented new rice. Many new varieties of rice are being developed by hybridization.

The work of this self-educated scientist has also been taken into consideration by the scientists of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute. The rice is awaiting recognition as a variety.

Nur Mohammad, a rice researcher, lives in Gollapara village of Tanor upazila District of Rajshahi. He has studied till class 10. Recently, at the invitation of Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PANAP), went to the 'Farmer-Scientist Conference in Malaysia' in Penang, Malaysia. He will be the only agronomist from Bangladesh to attend this event. According to information, he went to Malaysia from Dhaka on Monday evening. The conference will be held from November 6 to November 8 at a local hotel. For this he has to reach Penang city on 5th November and he has to stay there till 10th November. Panap is bearing all the expenses of farmer Nur Mohammad.

In Barendra Bhumi of Rajshahi almost every year the paddy is lost due to drought. Farmer Noor focused on research to protect that rice. He made his own mud house as a laboratory. Noor Mohammad has received a lot of training from the companionship of Helal Uddin, the former head of the Plant Breeding Department of the Rice Research Institute.

The yield of NMKP-5 is 25 mounds per bushel. The specialty of Kharashishnu rice is that even after ripening, the leaves remain green and the plant remains strong. Pests and diseases are very less. It also happens during Ropa Aman season.

The life span of this paddy is 110 to 115 days. This paddy is up to 25 mounds in Boro season and 18 mounds in Aman season. This type of paddy can be taken home before the onset of natural calamities. Usually the cost of irrigation increases towards the end. There is less water in the pump.

It takes more water than in the beginning. Irrigation cost will be less due to rising 10 days earlier. Getting up early will get better market. Rice is thin and rice is good to eat. The five varieties of light that he considers worthy of recognition are NMKP-1 to NMKP-5. Invigorated the traditional rice varieties of the country and reduced its life span. Apart from this, he also developed two other varieties of drought-tolerant and short-lived rice for the Amon season. One of them is named NMKP-5 and the other is named NMKP-101.

Aman can be harvested in 110 to 115 days from seeding. However, he said, the Rice Research Institute has also developed this variety of Aman, but his has completely different characteristics. He developed this rice suitable for Barendra region. This paddy is able to withstand drought and give good yield even if it does not receive rain for 15 to 20 days. Its yield is 20 to 21 mounds per bigha. The shortest-lived Kharashishnu Boro claims to have invented rice. Named this rice as NMKP-103. This fragrant rice is also available in Aman season. Nur Mohammad received the President's Gold Medal in 2005 for his achievements in agricultural production. This agronomist received Tir-Prothom Alo Krishi Award 2018 in the category of Best Agricultural Innovation.

In Nur's research, after hybridization, the number of Kaulik rows stood at 200. Finally he invented a new row of paddy. He claims in his research that Boro rice which is common in the country takes 140 days from sowing to harvesting. This paddy invented by him can be harvested within 130 days from sowing in Boro season. He named the dry season paddy row as NMKP-5. NMKP stands for 'Noor Mohammad Agricultural Service'. At first he used to name the paddy after NMT i.e. Nur Mohammad.