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.

The current agricultural system is seeking a biological solution to lesson hazardous impacts from the use of chemicals to control weeds in rice production. Plant allelopathy is one of the ways where allelopathic plant inhibits its surrounding plants by releasing allelopathic substances. The present experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from July to December 2019 to study the allelopathic effects of the and residues of Eleocharis atropurpurea and Fimbristylis dichotoma on weed management and the yield performance of amanrice. The field experiment consisted of three rice varieties i.e BRRI dhan34, Nizershail and Kalozira and five treatments such as 0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 t ha-1and farmer’s practices. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The highest grain yield (4.44 t ha-1)as well as the yield contributing character was recorded in Kalozira and the lowest grain yield (3.94 t ha-1) was obtained in the BBRI dhan34. The highest number of effective tillers hill-1, number of grains panicle-1, 1000-grain weight, grain and straw yields were observed when the residue of E.atropurpureaandF.dichotomawas applied at 3tha-1.Ricecultivarkalozira with the incorporation of E. atropurpurea and F. dichotoma residue at 3 t ha-1produced the highest grain yield (5.08 tha-1) and straw yield (6.77 tha-1). Results of this study indicate that E. atropurpureaand F. dichotomaresidue showed potentiality to inhibit weed growth and it has a significant effect on yield of amanrice.

| In the face of climate change and a greater likelihood of extreme weather events, selecting appropriate varieties of Yardlong bean ( Vigna unguiculata ) can help ensure proper yield even under stressful conditions, particularly in saline conditions. However, choosing the right variety is a challenge. In 2019, a field trial was conducted at Nobogram Farm in Noakhali, Bangladesh to evaluate the performance of local and exotic varieties of Yardlong bean under saline conditions. The experiment involved seven traits, including germination percentage, days to first flowering, fruit weight, fruits per plant, fruit length, seeds per plant, and yield. The study compared local hybrids (Saba, Lalbeni, Tokii, and 1070) and exotic hybrid (White Beauty, imported from Thailand) using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The results revealed that exotic hybrid varieties had a positive significant difference (p<0.001) in the number of seeds per fruit compared to other local hybrids. Local hybrids showed positive significant differences (p<0.05) in the number of fruits per plant than exotic hybrid variety. However, germination percentage and first flowering were disproportionate, with exotic V 3 (White Beauty) showing moderate germination and fast first flowering, while local hybrids showed high germination percentage and late first flowering. In terms of weight per fruit and yield, varieties showed high weight per fruit and the highest yield, except for V 4 (Tokii), which showed the lowest weight per fruit but moderate yield. Overall, the study suggests that locally developed hybrids are more promising for the study site.

Yard long bean (Vigna unguiculata) is an important leguminous crop in tropical countries. It is a very common vegetable cultivated by the farmers of the South Asian countries including Bangladesh. The popularity of this vegetable is increasing due to its good taste and nutritive value. An experiment based on Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications was conducted at the Agricultural Research Field, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh, from October 2021 to December 2021 to evaluate the growth and yield performance of four varieties of yard long bean. The varieties were FLK-203, FLK-204, FLK-205, FLK-206. The study revealed that the highest plant height (261.8) was recorded in the Yard-long bean FLK-206 followed by FLK-203 (239.1). The first flowering (31.33 DAP) was found in variety FLK-203 followed by variety FLK-204 (36 DAP). The highest number of pods plant^-1 (25.33) was found in Yard long bean variety FLK-204 followed by variety FLK-206 (18.33) plant^-1. Maximum fruit length (67.56 cm) was recorded in variety FLK-206 followed by yard-long bean variety FLK-204 (56.16). The highest pod girth (1.06 cm) was in the yard long bean variety FLK-203 followed by FLK-204 (0.8 cm). Maximum number of seed pod^-1 (20.66) was found in variety FLK-203 followed by FLK-206 (18.66). The highest weight of 10 seeds (2.21) was found in variety FLK-206 followed by variety FLK-204 (1.16). The highest fresh weight pod^-1 (32.4 gm) was in the yard long bean variety FLK-203 followed by FLK-204 (24.23 gm). The highest yield pod^-1 (690.26 gm) was in yard-long bean variety FLK-203 followed by FLK-206 (506.2 gm). The highest pod yield ha^-1 (82.73 t ha^-1) was recorded in yard-long bean FLK-203 followed by FLK-206 (60.73 t ha^-1). So, the variety Yard long bean FLK-203 was found superior based on the overall performance for cultivation under the Argo-climatic condition of Noakhali. Vol. 10, No. 3, December 2023: 269-276