Abstract

Research Article

BJRI Mesta-3: A newly released improved variety of Hibiscus sabdariffa L.

Md. Golam Mostofa, Md. Al-Mamun, Iffat Jahan Nur and Nargis Akter

Breeding Division, Bangladesh Jute Research Institute, Manik Mia Avenue, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh.

Corresponding author e-mail: mostofabjri@gmail.com

(Received: 03/07/2021; Revised: 09/10/2021; Accepted: 01/11/2021)

ABSTRACT

Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) has recently evolved a high-yielding, prickles free and wide adaptable smooth mesta (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) variety released by National Seed Board (NSB) in the year 2017 namely, BJRI Mesta-3. It was previously isolated from the farmers’ field of Khankhanapur, Rajbari in 1993 and was developed through pure line selection as a promising line SAMU’93. The line was evaluated for smoothness, fiber yield, and other morphological attributes. Advanced Yield Trial (AYT) was conducted for two years (2009 and 2010) along with Zonal Yield Trial (ZYT) for three consecutive years (2011 to 2013) at Manikganj, Faridpur, Rangpur, Chandina, Kishoreganj and Monirampur stations. Besides, Multi-location Trial (MLT) was conducted for three consecutive years (2014 to 2016) at different farmers’ fields in different agro-ecological zones. It was observed to be suitable for a wide range of sowing time (March to June) and fit for existing cropping pattern in Bangladesh. The variety is time-bound or time-based means that whenever it is sown give flowers from November to December. Its stem is fully green and smooth, petiole green and leaf pubescence absent. It can withstand vagaries of growing conditions, as drought or increased rains, infested with weeds, or similar adversities, much more than either jute or kenaf. It is moderately tolerant to stem rot disease, mealybug, mite, and root-knot nematode. It also possesses superior quality fiber than the check variety Hs-24, popularly known as ‘Tani Mesta-1’. However, the average yield was observed at 2.8 to^-1 which was around 5% higher than the check variety Hs-24.

Keywords: Mesta, wide adaptable, high yielding.