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The present study was carried out to investigate the correlation coefficient, path analysis and genetic variability among some barley varieties for nine characters in a Randomize Block Design (RBD) with three replications in three environments of Bangladesh. High genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) was obtained from grain/ spike (29.89 %), yield/ plant (28.72%) and effective tiller/plant (21.86 %) and spike length (13.56 %). The characters with high GCV indicated high potential for selection. The highest heritability (Hb) was observed for 1000 seed weight (95.09) followed by yield/ plant (93.98), grain/ spike (92.09) and spike length (69.93), days to heading (72.65) but the lowest Hb was identified for effective tiller/plant (22.41) followed by the plant height (34.21). Those traits with higher heritability may be considered for selection. Grain/ spike had the highest positive direct effect (5.65) on yield followed by 1000 seed weight (4.65), spike length (1.26), yield/ plant (0.66), days to heading (0.55) and days to maturity (0.34). These parameters were identified as direct selection. Direct negative effect on yield was shown by plant height (-0.32) and effective tiller/plant (-0.74). This was an indication of indirect selection. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 7(2): 243-247

Bangladesh is a developing country and its economy depends largely on agriculture but the economic sector is most vulnerable to climate change and variability. This survey study was intended to know the nature of hazards, identify and analyze the adaptation options to climate change in Shyamnagar Upazila in the Satkhira district. Data were collected from the farmers of five selected villages namely Ramjannagar, Padmapukur, Munshiganj, Kashimari, and Koikhali from Shyamnagar Upazila in the Satkhira district during the period of August, 2016 to December, 2016 using open questionnaire process. The sample size was 100 farmers drawn from a population of 650 inhabitans using random sampling technique. Data were processed and analyzed using Excel-2007 and SPSS-16. The study found that the intensity of salinity has increased and most of the respondents observed that some crops were more damaged than they were in the past and some other hazards (flood, cyclone, rainfall) were posing new threat by changing their nature. About 86%

This study was undertaken to assess the reproductive performances of sheep at field level of Rajshahi and Mymensingh district of Bangladesh during January to December, 2016. A total of 52 farms (26 each in Rajshahi and Mymensingh) were selected for determining the reproductive parameters of ewes. Ewe lambs in Mymensingh reached puberty at significantly (P<0.03) younger age (186.9±18.4 days) than in Rajshihi (199.9±24.9 days). The average age at first pregnancy was 201.4±20.0 days in two regions. Similarly, the ewes in Mymensingh was lambing at significantly (P<0.002) early age than ewes in Rajshahi (356.0±6.8 days vs. 372.7±27.8 days). The observed duration of oestrus at Rajshahi and Mymensingh was 36.0±6.7 hrs and 36.0±7.3 hrs, respectively. The gestation length varied from 145 to 150 days. The average gestation length was 147.9±3.4 days in two regions. The gestation length was not significant (P˃0.05) in the ewes between Rajshahi and Mymensingh (148.7±3.4 and 147.1±3.2 days; respectively). The pooled over litter size was 1.6±0.2 in two regions. However, there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in litter size of ewes in Rajshahi and Mymensingh region (1.7±0.2 vs. 1.6±0.2). The pooled lambing interval was 193.9±21.7 days in two regions. Mean birth weights of lambs, weaning weight and mature weight were 1.7±0.6 vs. 1.3±0.1 kg; 8.9±2.7 vs. 6.9±1.0 kg and 24.9±7.3 vs. 19.4±2.7 kg in Rajshahi and Mymensingh, respectively. These reproductive parameters were significantly higher (P<0.001) in Rajshahi compared with in Mymensingh. The reproductive parameters are almost similar between confined and the traditional management system if the farms are well managed.

The effects of the number of frozen-thawed ram sperm per single and double intra-cervical artificial insemination (AI) on fertility in ewes were studied. A total of 89 non-pregnant ewes were synchronized for oestrus with two doses of 100 µg PGF 2α (Cloprostenol) 9 days apart. The ewes were randomly assigned to one of four groups; D200 (n = 23; double AI with 200 × 10 6 sperm), S200 (n = 24; single AI with 200 × 10 6 sperm), D100 (n = 24; double AI with 100 × 10 6 sperm) and S100 (n = 18; single AI with 100 × 10 6 sperm). Ewes were inseminated within 12 to 18 h for single AI and, within 10 to 12 h and 16 to 18 h for double AI after the onset of oestrus. The onset of oestrus ranged from 28 to 76 h (54.33 ± 1.28 h). The high percentage (29.2%) of ewes showed oestrus between 51 to 60 h. The non-return rates were highest in group D200 (56.5%) and differed significantly (p < 0.05) from group S100 (11.1%). No ewes were pregnant in group S100, and the pregnancy rates among the remaining groups did not differ. The mean gestation period was 152.8 ± 0.5 days and no difference was observed among the groups. The lambing and multiple birth rates were 100% in group D200. The single and twin lambing was highest in group D100 (33.3%) and group D200 (83.3%), respectively. Only one triplet lambing and the highest lambing size (2.2 ± 0.2) was recorded in group D200. In conclusion, double AI with 200 × 10 6 sperm showed comparatively most practical for achieving high pregnancy rates and lambing performances in Bangladeshi ewes under field conditions.