A rapid micro-propagation protocol was established for Gynura
procumbens (Lour.) Merr., an important medicinal plant for the treatment of
various ailments such as diabetes, hypertension and urinary tract infection. The
shoot tips ofthree months old plants were used as the explants for the initiation
of in vitro culture in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with
Img/L BAP. Optimization of rapid proliferation of shoots was carried out by
culturing the in vitro derived shoots onto MS medium supplemented with
different concentrations ofBAP and KIN (0.0, 0.5, 1.0,1.5, 2.0 mg/L). Maximum
shoot proliferations an average of 21.33 shoots were produced per culture from
each shoot in 1.0 mg/L BAP. The effect of different strength ofsugar (10, 20, 30,
40, 50 gm/L) and sub culturing on culture medium were observed for
optimization ofshoot producing. The micro-shoots produced normal roots within
two weeks of culture on the basic % MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L
IBA. The rooted plantlets of G. procumbens snqxq transferred in soil and kept
under green house for hardening with a temperature of 25-29°C and 90% relative
humidity for two weeks. About 99% ofthe plantlets survived after two weeks of
transferring into polybag with soikcowdung (3:1) in the nursery bed. The tissue
culture plants showed normal growth and development in poly bag within 6-8
weeks. The regenerated shoots were macro proliferated and produced a large
number of new plants in the nursery within a short period oftime.

Cooking fuels share the largest part of primary energy consumption in the
rural areas of Bangladesh. Understanding the demand situation of the cooking
fuels facilitates the rural energy planning in Bangladesh. This study investigates
the demand of biomass fuels for cooking through rural household and market
survey in the rural areas. It adopted a cluster sampling technique to select 60
households from four villages of two unions under Palash Upazila of Narsingdi
district. The major cooking fuels consumed by the households were firewood,
branches, leaves-and-twigs, bamboo, rice straw, rice husk and jute stick. Price
elasticity of demand of firewood was 0.317 revealing that fire wood was an
inelastic market commodity in that area. It is expected that this study will be
helpful for rural energy development in Bangladesh.

In this study, six Trichoderma strains viz. Trichoderma virens
IMI-392430, T. pseudokoningii IMI-392431, T. harzianum IMI-392432, T.
harzianum IMI-392433, T. harzianum IMI-392434 and T. viride FPDTV and
one commercial formulation ofTrichoderma (Bio derma) were evaluated alone
and in combination with F. solani, to assay their efficacy in suppressing root rot
disease and promoting growth and yield ofW. somnifera. A pot trial experiment
was conducted at the forest protection division nursery, Bangladesh Forest
Research Institute (BFRI), Chattogram, Bangladesh from July 2014 to
December 2014. Application of T. harzianum IMI-392433 alone (T12) or in
combination with F solani (T5) significantly (p = 0.05) decreased the area under
disease progress curve (AUDPC) (300.9 and 52.4) compared to F. solani (Tl)
treatment. The highest seed germination rate (90.4 %) and the highest growth
and yield were also recorded in the same treatment; while F. solani treatment
(Tl) alone significantly decreased these values. The correlation matrix showed
that root yield of W. somnifera had significant and positive correlation with
plant height (r = 0.734**), number of leaf (r = 0.725 **), number of primary
branch (r = 0.863 **), number of secondary branch (r = 0.878**), fresh shoot
weight (r = 0.749**), dry shoot weight (r = 0.708**), number of flower at
maximum flowering time (r = 0.734**), number of pod (r = 0.774**), number
of seed (r = 0.642**), hundred seeds weight (r = 0.688**), seed yield/plant (r =
0.817**), root length (r = 0.711**), root diameter (r = 0.970**) and fresh root
weight (r = 0.819**). The significant and negative correlation (r = – 0.619 **)
was observed with the root yield/plant and area under disease progress curve
(AUDPC). These results revealed that T. harzianum IMI-392433 has growth
promoting effects and this strain may be used as an effective biocontrol agent to
control root rot disease ofW. somnifera.

Wood is widely used in all over the world because of its excellent
physical, mechanical and finishing properties. However, the machining and
handtool properties of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) wood were
ascertained for the characterization of working properties in this study. The
effects of machining properties, such as- planing, shaping, boring, mortising
and turning were tested on this wood species along with handtool test. The
evaluation of each test was based on frequency of occurrence of defect free
sample. The applications of two types of polishing materials, namely: shellac
and carpa were used for the purpose of finishing property evaluation. Each
sample was visually observed and classified based on five quality grades. This
wood showed an excellent working performance in all properties except
handtool property in planing test.

The Acacia hybrid, a cross between Acacia mangium and Acacia auriculiformis, grows in
Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and China (Kha 2000; Kijkar 1992; Rufelds 1987, 1988).
At present forest department and local people of Bangladesh have been planting thousands of
hectares of these species. Acacia hybrid is a fast growing medium sized leguminous tree. The
species is more productive than either of the parent species. The wood density is slightly higher
than A. mangium, and moreover the shape of the log is almost completely round, which renders
Acacia hybrid as a valuable and excellent source oftimber (Jusoh et.al 2014). In Bangladesh it has
very limited use. Due to this Bangladesh Forest Research Institute has been conducting research to
determine its end use for efficient utilization. Scientists found that the species is fine grained and
may be used for making furniture, small hand tools, cabinet door frame, window frame and pulp
and paper (Rokeya et.al 2010). It peels easily and produces the best quality veneer which can be
used for decorative purpose, plywood for general use and particleboard (Rahaman et.al 2012). To
this end, hardboard making study is undertaken for knowing the suitability ofthe species.

Selecting exceptionally Heritiera fames seedlings from nursery is a
promising and low-cost means of tree improvement, according to the study.
From 2010 to 2016, 18,000 outstanding seedlings were chosen from nursery in
the Sundarban and out planted. The final assessment as to efficiency of
seedlings selection from selected trees of top-dying affected and non-affected
(Healthy) areas awaits comparison of progeny from chosen selects with those
from similarly chosen controls to see how much ofthe phenotypic gain is truly
genetic. This investigation involved more selections and plantations than had
not been tried for H. fames in the past. The next step in evaluating nursery
selection is to compare progeny from selects with those of controls to see how
much of the phenotypic gain is truly genetic. The great promise of Ls, L4, L12,
Lie, Lso, L35 & L36 line of H. fames trees has been achieved with expected
superior genetic material of unknown origin. This is reflected in the high
variability observed in growth amongst individuals. Using advanced
propagation techniques, these can be cloned and potentially provide the genetic
base for a highly successful clonal forestry program for creation of top dying
resistant H. fomes trees.

A nursery trial was conducted at National Forest Seed Centre, Seed
Orchard Division, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Chittagong to evaluate
the effect of storage condition and duration on germination ofAgar seed. Agar
seed were stored at five different storage condition viz. open air (control), sand,
chalk powder, normal refrigerator (0-40C) and saw dust for different storage
durations viz. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33 and 36 days. Storage
condition, duration and their interaction were found significant on germination
ofAgar seed. Refrigerator (0-40C) showed the highest germination (82%) at 3
days duration. It also prolonged the seed viability (12%) up to 33 days. Such
technique of maintaining viability of Agar seed may be useful for raising
seedlings and plantations at large scale.