Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

A STUDY ON TECHNOLOGICAL GAP IN CHILLI CULTIVATION PRACTICES BY THE FARMERS OF N-E DISTRICTS OF KARNATAKA STATE

G.S. Biradar, Sidramaiyya and S.B. Goudappa

Abstract

A study was conducted on technological gap in adoption of chilli cultivation practices in Raichur and Yadgir districts of North Eastern Karnataka during 2011-12. Manavi & Deodurga taluks from Raichur district and Shahapur & Shorapur taluks from Yadgir district were selected based on highest area under chilli cultivation. From each of the selected taluks, three villages were selected based on highest area of chilli under irrigation condition. A sample of 10 farmers from each village was selected as random. Thus, making a sample size of 120 respondents. The expost-facto research design was used for the study. The findings revealed that 35.83% of farmers had high technological gap followed by medium technological gap (33.33%) about the chilli cultivation practices. Among the various recommended technologies the maximum gap was observed in Use of weedicides (85.00%) followed by Seed rate (82.50%), equal per cent (80.83%) of gap in seed bed preparation and use of chemical fertilizers, spacing (67.50%), and seed treatment (50.83%). Lack of technical knowhow, non availability of good quality of inputs at right time, sub-standard and costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides, lack of purchasing power, fear of crop loss etc were the reasons for this technological gap.