Decadal Performance and Adoption of High-Yielding Rice Varieties for Climate-Resilient Agriculture in Patuakhali District, Bangladesh

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) production in coastal Patuakhali District is exposed to erratic rainfall, rising temperature, salinity and tidal flooding, yet evidence on how improved rice types have performed there over time remains limited. This study evaluated a ten-year (2015–16 to 2024–25) district-level series of area, yield and production for local, high-yielding variety (HYV) and hybrid rice in the Aus, Aman and Boro seasons, compiled from eight issues of the Yearbook of Agricultural Statistics of Bangladesh, together with Patuakhali station rainfall and temperature records and a household survey of 50 farmers. Paired t-tests, coefficients of variation (CV), Mann–Kendall trend tests with Sen’s slope and correlation analysis were applied. HYVs yielded on average 2.62, 2.70 and 3.33 t/ha in Aus, Aman and Boro, respectively, compared with 1.35, 1.39 and 1.72 t/ha for local varieties, an advantage of about 94% in every season (p < 0.001). HYV yields were also more stable than local yields (CV 4.8% vs 19.9% in Aman; 9.7% vs 15.9% in Aus), and none of the HYV yield series was significantly correlated with annual rainfall or temperature. HYV yields increased significantly in Aman (0.030 t/ha/yr) and Boro (0.127 t/ha/yr), and the HYV share of Aman area rose from 22% to 55%. Boro area expanded almost tenfold, with hybrid Boro yielding 4.59 t/ha in 2024–25, whereas Aus area declined significantly. Farmers’ awareness of climate change was low although familiarity with HYVs was comparatively high. As a general recommendation for farmers, extension services and policymakers, low-yielding local cultivars should be progressively replaced with locally adapted, stress-tolerant HYVs and hybrids in all seasons, supported by quality seed, extension and sustainable irrigation, to raise and stabilise rice output in Patuakhali and other climate-vulnerable rice-growing areas of Bangladesh.