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Devender Chahal ¹, Afzal Ahmad ², J. N. Bhatia ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Horticulture, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ambala (Haryana), IN
2 Department of Agronomy, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tepla, Ambala (Haryana), IN
3 Department of Plant Protection, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ambala (Haryana), IN

Abstract

In North-Western Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP), Poplar based horti-Agro-Forestry models have been adopted by the farmers. The farmers grow poplar due to its fast growing habit, short duration, compatibility with the different crops, eco-friendly and multi-purpose uses in different industries. Poplar is a deciduous tree and very suitable for horti-agro-forestry system. It has no shading effect on various crops rather adds to soil fertility through its leaf litter. Wheat, oat, sorghum, maize, sugarcane, berseem, turmeric, ginger and potato can easily be grown as inter crops. The results obtained during the course of rotation of six years study (from December 2000 to December 2006) revealed that yield of all the inter sown crops decreased appreciably after two to three years of poplar plantation but this yield loss often compensated by the sale of poplar wood at the end of the rotation. The results of this six year study at KVK farm revealed that in case of poplar plantation the maximum girth size (29.73 inch) was obtained with T₁ (Poplar + Sugarcane) followed by T₂ (Poplar + Turmeric) where the girth size was 28.66 inch, and the minimum girth size (25.06 inch) was with T₅ (Poplar alone). Similarly the maximum timber wood (115.37 t/ha) was also obtained with T₁ followed by T₂ (100.46 t/ha) and the minimum timber wood (54.68 t/ha) was obtained with T₄ (Poplar + Rainfed Wheat/Lentil). Economic analysis showed that the highest net income (Rs.64,355 /ha/annum) was obtained with T₁ followed by T₂ (Rs.59,543 /ha/annum) and the lowest net income (Rs.18,719 /ha/annum) was obtained with T₄ followed by T₅ (Rs.20188 ha/annum), where as on the basis of cost of cultivation, the average net return from paddy-wheat rotation which is generally followed in this region was about Rs.22970 /ha/annum during that period. Hence, the poplar based two-tier cropping system is more economical than the monocropping of agricultural crops and to be a very good alternative to paddy-wheat rotation in Indo-Gangetic plains.

Keywords

Girth Size, Timber Wood, Net Return.

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J. N. Bhatia ¹, R. S. Chauhan ², Devender Chahal ³

Affiliations
1 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, (C.C.S., Haryana Agricultural University), Ambala (Haryana), IN
2 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Mahendergarh, Narnaul (Haryana), IN
3 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tepla, Ambala (Haryana), IN

Abstract

Though the production of edible mushroom has been increased by several folds in the state of Haryana during the last three decade, it is yet to attend prime position in the national scenario either in production or in number of farms. However, huge publicity through media and efforts made by Govt., Non Govt. organizations, Univ., Dept. of Horticulture and Haryana Agro's have created much interest among the farmers to a significant extent in the mushroom farming technology and its acceptance as a means of livelihood generation. Training is considered as a potent tool to equip a person enabling one to deliver the goods in a better way. Krishi Vigyan Kendra's established in Ambala district are playing a significant role in economic empowerment particularly of small farmers and landless laborers by organizing skill oriented training and establishment of small enterprises which in turn would improve the quality of life of rural families. Among them mushroom farming has been indentified as a ideal profitable enterprise since per unit productivity of mushroom is several folds high than any other crop. Besides generating income, it also supplements the daily diet which is generally protein deficient in rural areas, among the various factors influencing mushroom production. The climate factors also play a significant role in economic farming. The other factors besides availability of technical know now, regular contact with the farmers as well as socio-economic status of the farmers have been found to have positive influence on acceptance of the new technology. The study also aimed at analyzing the constraints, problems, remedies and influence of other factors in adopting the technology by the farmers.

Keywords

Transfer of Technology, Training, Mushroom, Income Generation.

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J. N. Bhatia ¹, R. S. Chauhan ¹, Devender Chahal ¹

Affiliations
1 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, C.C.S. H.A.U., Ambala (Haryana), IN

Abstract

Potato is an important tuber crop which is a staple food to millions of people in the world. The crop is attacked by several diseases, which not only affect production /yield but also affect its quality. For effective disease management strategy, an adequate knowledge of host, pathogen and agro-climate conditions is the pre-requisite. In the absence of proper knowledge with the farmers, most of the diseases remain beyond control inspite of readily recommendations and huge application of pesticides. A study on awareness pattern and communication behaviour among potato growers of Ambala and Kurukshetra districts were undertaken about different aspect of potato diseases. The results obtained indicated that almost all the potato growers were well acquainted with the symptomatology but only few farmers were aware about the weather factors and recurrence of the disease. In most cases, farmers were noticed to spray their crop as a routine practice adopted (i.e. after the appearance of disease symptoms) which was also a limiting factor in the perfect disease management. The study on information sources revealed that 75 per cent of farmers were well aware about the KVK’s followed by fellow farmers (67per cent) television (56per cent),other sources(42.5per cent), State Dept.’s(32.5per cent), radio (26.7per cent), farm literature (30per cent) and ICT(13.3per cent) . As far as the evaluation of different sources of information is concerned, KVK was considered the most relevant source of information by the farmers.

Keywords

Potato Growers, Awareness Pattern, Communication Behaviour, Disease Control Measures.

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J. N. Bhatia ¹, Devender Chahal ², R. S. Chauhan ²

Affiliations
1 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, C.C.S., H.A.U., Ambala (Haryana), IN
2 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, C.C.S., H. A.U., Ambala (Haryana), IN

Abstract

Technological gap is the gap between the level of recommendation and extent of their adoption. Accordingly, the study was conducted to know the technological gap of the mushroom growers about mushroom cultivation which is grown indoor and provides employment to the unemployed youth and small farmers to raise their social status and to earn extra income other than the filed crops. The study was conducted in Ambala, Panchkula and Yamunanagar districts of Haryana state. It was inferred from the study that the farmers had overall 32.38 per cent technological gap in adoption of improved mushroom cultivation practices. Among different categories, it was found that 32 per cent of the respondents had low level of technological gap (less than 25 per cent) and about half of the respondent (46 per cent) having medium level of technological gap (between 25-30 per cent) where as about one fifth (27 per cent) of the respondents had high level of technological gap (above 30 per cent). The maximum gap was found in case of compost making (59 per cent) followed by management practices (42.25 per cent) and casing preparation (38.07 per cent) as compared to other mushroom cultivation practices.

Keywords

Technological Gap, Adoption, Mushroom Cultivation.

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