Millets are small-grained nutritious minor cereal crops that are resistant to different abiotic stresses resulting from climate change. Despite their many benefits, millets have received limited attention in agricultural research, policies, and markets. Considering the importance of millets, recently the government many tropical countries including India and Bangladesh give more emphasis to millets cultivation and improvement. Moreover, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) declared 2023 to be the "International Years of Millets". In these connections, a details and updated review of the pros and cons of millets cultivation and its improvement in this region warrant due attention. The review therefore, examines the potential and main barriers to the adoption and promotion of millet cultivation in this region. These include limited research and development efforts, inadequate infrastructure and inputs, weak market linkages and demand, and insufficient awareness and knowledge about millets' nutritional and environmental benefits. This review also highlighted the prospects and strategies for scaling up millet cultivation in this region especially in Bangladesh. These include increasing public and private investment in research and extension services, strengthening farmers' organizations and market linkages, promoting millet-based value chains and products, and integrating millets into nation's food policy. The review concludes that millets might support equitable and sustainable agricultural growth, which would contribute to global food and nutritional security and could help attain the sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, achieving this potential will require concerted efforts from multiple stakeholders, including farmers, researchers and policymakers. The review emphasizes the need for a multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach that prioritizes innovation, inclusiveness, and sustainability. Lastly, the review highlights more investigation into the socioeconomic, environmental, and nutritional effects of millet production in this region with special emphasis on Bangladesh in order to support evidence-based policies and practices.

Biochar is gaining importance due to its potential to enhance soil health, crop yield, and quality. It may also promote more sustainable farming methods. This study evaluated the combined effects of biochar, vermicompost, and inorganic fertilizers on soil characteristics, growth, and yield in wheat. Ten different treatments were applied to wheat (cultivar BARI Gom‐33). The tallest plants, highest total dry weight, and largest leaf area index were observed in plots where chemical fertilizers, rice husk biochar, poultry manure, and vermicompost were applied together. At harvest, the treatment containing 1/4 recommended fertilizer dose (RFD) + 1/4 poultry manure biochar + 1/4 rice husk biochar + 1/4 vermicompost produced the best yield and yield‐contributing factors. The combination of biochar, vermicompost, and inorganic fertilizers increased grain production by 43.23%–79.48% compared with the control. These treatments also improved soil health by increasing available phosphorus, organic matter, carbon‐to‐nitrogen ratio, and organic carbon. In conclusion, the combined application of 1/4 RFD, 1/4 poultry manure biochar, 1/4 rice husk biochar, and 1/4 vermicompost can replace the sole use of chemical fertilizers and serve as a key component for sustainable crop production.

A key and ecologically sound strategy for integrated weed management is the use of varieties of weed-competitive crops. Utilizing wheat cultivars that are weed-competitive can lessen weed pressure and inordinate herbicide usage in wheat fields by a substantial amount. To assess the weed suppressibility of Bangladeshi wheat varieties, a field test was carried out in 2018 throughout the winter season at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh. Tests on a total of 18 selected Bangladeshi wheat cultivars were conducted in both "weedy" and "weed-free" environments. Additionally, weed monoculture plots (without wheat) were kept. The experiment was replicated three times using a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The results demonstrated that wheat varieties' weed interference and production capabilities differed greatly. BARI Gom 22 permitted the most weed growth (35 m^-2), whereas BARI Gom 23 allowed the least (15 m^-2) at 60 DAS among the wheat types under study. Grain yield ranged between 4.42 t ha^-1 (BARI Gom 20) and 5.45 t ha^-1 (BARI Gom 26) in weed-free settings, whereas it fluctuated from 2.48 t ha^-1 (BARI Gom 21) to 3.93 t ha^-1(BARI Gom 33) in weedy condition. The extent of the relative yield loss brought on by weeds ranged from 24 to 53%, with BARI Gom 33 suffering the least and Binagom-1 suffering the most. The weed competitive index varied from 0.48 to 1.47 for the examined wheat types. Among the cultivars, Binagom-1 had the lowest WCI and BARI Gom 29 had the highest. Although BARI Gom 33 was the best yielder in weedy condition and had the lowest relative yield loss, its interference against weed was moderate. Relative to the other varieties under consideration, comparatively BARI Gom 33 was the best in terms of yield and weed interference, but it is also advocated that breeders should continually focus on developing a variety that has both excellent producing potential and robust weed suppression.

With a view to creating an inventory of the existing climatic and nutritional condition of the haor (low-lying land) areas along with their cropping systems, this research was carried out in the Dingaputa haor of the Netrakona district of Bangladesh. The main objective was to study the farmers’ concept of climate change issues and their responses in respect to cropping systems and nutrition. This study is crucial for comparing the existing situation and taking future decisions. The feasibility and strategic direction of the present haor agriculture were evaluated using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis and matrices. The results showed that the farmers’ understanding of climate change was much lower than expected; a maximum of 73.2% farmers pointed out that climate change means frequent flooding, and more than 90% of farmers opined that temperature, early flooding, and lightning have increased over time. They strongly agreed that boro (dry-season-irrigated) rice is affected more frequently by natural hazards than in previous times. Very few farmers (only 14.4%) have taken adaptation strategies, which are less climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive. Only 10.8% of farmers cultivated oilseeds, pulses, and vegetables other than boro rice. A lack of technological knowledge is the main obstacle to practicing climate-resilient, modern cultivation practices. The trends of cultivation and consumption of vegetables by haor farmers are very low, whereas they are agreeable to cultivating nutrition-sensitive and high-value crops if they have technical support. The major strengths of haor agriculture are fertile soil and rice surplus, whereas weaknesses are monocropping and malnutrition.

Rhizobium inoculation can increase soybean yield, but its performance is influenced by soybean genotypes. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of Rhizobium inoculum on the growth, yield and quality of soybean varieties. In this regard, five different rates of Rhizobium inoculum were applied on eight distinct soybean varieties namely Shohag, BARI Soybean-5, BARI Soybean-6, PB-1, Binasoybean-1, Binasoybean-2, Binasoybean-3 and Binasoybean-4. The experiment was set up using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Soybean varieties showed variability in terms of plant stature, number of branches plant-1 and number of nodules plant-1 at different days after sowing. Among the varieties, Binasoybean-4 produced the tallest plant at 45 and 60 DAS and at 60 DAS variety PB-1 produced the tallest plant. At 45 DAS Binasoybean-2, at 60 DAS BARI Soybean-6 and at 75 DAS Binasoybean-4 produced the highest number of branches plant-1. In case of nodule production, Binasoybean-3 produced the highest number of nodules palnt-1 at 45, 60 and 75 DAS. Inoculation of seeds with 100% of RD of Rhizobium gave maximum plant height, number of branches plant-1 and nodules plant-1. It is noticed that Binasoybean-4 with the application of 100% of RD of Rhizobium inoculum produced the tallest plant and number of branches plant-1 at 45 DAS but at 60 DAS, though the tallest plant was found in the variety Binasoybean-4 with 100% of RD of Rhizobium inoculum but it was statistically identical to Binasoybean-3 with 100% of RD of Rhizobium inoculum. Binasoybean-4 with 100% of RD of Rhizobium inoculum also gave maximum number of branches plant-1 at 75 DAS. But Binasoybena-3 with 100% of RD of Rhizobium inoculum produced the highest number of nodules plant-1 at 60 DAS. In case of variety Binasoybean-1 performed superiorly in terms of all the yield and yield contributing characters. Application of 100% of RD of Rhizobium inoculum also showed superior performance. The highest seed yield (2.92 t ha-1) was recorded in Binasoybean-3 with the application of 100% of RD Rhizobium inoculum. The highest protein content was also documented in this treatment combination. Finally, it may conclude that Binasoybean-3 with the application of 100% of RD Rhizobium inoculum might be recommended for maximizing seed yield and to get best quality soybean.

Irrigation and fertilizer are two essential factors affecting rice root traits and yield. In this respect, a pot experiment was performed at the boro (dry season irrigated) season of 2021–2022 in the Department of Agronomy of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The variety Binadhan-10 was planted at two irrigation conditions, i.e., saturation (S) and continuous flooding (CF); two potassium (K) doses, e.g., 65 kg ha⁻¹ (K₆₅) and 98 kg ha⁻¹ (K₉₈); and two nitrogen (N) doses, i.e., 140 kg ha⁻¹ (N₁₄₀) and 210 kg ha⁻¹ (N₂₁₀). The experiment was laid in a split plot design with eight treatments and replicated thrice. The findings confirmed the significant variation in irrigation, K and N and the effects on root number (RN), root length (RL), root volume (RV), leaf area index (LAI), total dry matter (TDM), yield attributes and yield. Considering the interaction among irrigation, K and N, the S conditions with K₆₅ and N₁₄₀ showed best performance in relation to root parameters. At 80 DAT, the highest RN (373.00), RL (1700.00 cm), RV (8.90 cm³ hill⁻¹), LAI (4.94) and TDM (25.83 g plant⁻¹) was obtained from this combination. Grain yield (GY) and root traits, except root porosity, showed a significant positive association. Grain yield (GY) was the highest (27.12 g pot⁻¹) under S conditions with K₆₅ and N_140. Therefore, the variety Binadhan-10 can be successfully cultivated with K₆₅ and N₁₄₀ under S conditions.