Scientists of Regional Horticulture Research Station in Chapainawabganj have developed a late variety of plum that blossoms after harvesting of other plums in the usual season.

Saplings of the new variety of plum, to be named BARI-5, will be supplied for cultivation by people this year, said scientists of the research station.

Earlier, Fruit Research Station in Rajshahi developed and released BARI-1, BARI-2 and BARI-3 varieties of plum in 2009 and Hill Tracts Agriculture Research Station in Rangamati released BARI-4 variety in 2015.

Visiting an orchard of the Regional Horticulture Research Station a couple of days ago, this correspondent saw one tree with green and ripe plums.

The tree was covered with a net to protect the fruits from birds and bats.

Collecting plum plants of different varieties from several places in the country, scientists started research in 2006 and finally developed the new variety of plum recently.

"The new variety of plum looks attractive and is sweet and sour in taste. It blossoms when other seasonal plums are harvested. The fruit, weighing about 25 grams on an average, would be harvested from the trees from early March to mid-April," said Dr Sorof Uddin, senior scientific officer of Regional Horticulture Research Station in Chapainawabganj.

"A team of specialists from Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute visited our orchard last year for evaluation. We are hopeful to supply the saplings of the new variety in the market this year," he said.