Title: IMPACT OF VERIFICATION TRIAL ON FARMERS’ ADOPTION OF PEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN POTATO
Abstract: The potato productivity in Himachal Pradesh (115.5 q/ha) is far below the national average due to rainfed conditions, unavailability of healthy seed and inadequate plant protection measures. In the spring crop of potato grown at an altitude of 1500 meter above msl, the incidence of leaf spot complex (early and phoma blight) and cutworms is very high. The farmers do not use any control measures against these pests. Verification trials were conducted on the management of these pests by the IVLP team of CPRI in Rampur-Keonthal and Baghi panchayats during 1999-2004 by adopting the recommended scientific practices. The trials were conducted on 25 different farmers’ fields every year. For this purpose two types of field plots (400 sq. m. each) were kept side by side, viz., control plot with farmers’ practices and demonstration plot with recommended scientific practices. For the management of leaf spot complex, 2 sprays of Mancozeb (0.25%) and Urea (1%) at 15 days interval were suggested. This resulted in reduction in the incidence of the diseases from 9.4 per cent in the control plot to 3.1 per cent in the demonstration plot. The yield also increased by 24.7 q/ha, there by improving the benefit-cost ratio from 2.0 to 2.3. For the management of cutworms, drenching of ridges with Chlorpyriphos (0.25%) was suggested. It brought down the infestation of cutworms from 2.8 per cent in the control plot to 0.4 per cent in the demonstration plot. The marketable yield increased by 26.3 q/ha leading to an improvement in benefit-cost ratio from 2.4 to 2.6. The impact on technology adoption was assessed by comparing the adoption level of adopted and non-adopted farmers. The impact study was conducted in March, 2005 by selecting a sample of 10 per cent of respondents from the adopted and non-adopted categories. It was found that the adoption level of the recommended practices increased from 28.20 per cent among the non-adopted category to 40.55 per cent among adopted category. The ‘t’ value of the mean difference of adopted and non-adopted categories was found to be 2.55, which was significant at 0.05 level of probability. It can be concluded that the effect of verification trials on technology dissemination and control of potato pests was substantial. The technology also got diffused among the non-adopted category of farmers in a span of 4 years, which is evidenced by the fact that 28.20 per cent of the technology is also adopted by the non-adopted category of farmers.
Publication Year: 2005
Publication Date: 2005-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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