Impact assessment of frontline demonstrations on green gram: Experience from rainfed condition of Rajasthan

Pulses being rich in quality protein, minerals and vitamins are inseparable ingredients of diet of majority of Indian population. Despite high nutritive value of pulses and their role in sustainable agriculture desired growth rate in production could not be witnessed. The domestic production of pulses is consistently below the targets and actualdomestic requirements are also higher, due to these pulses are being imported. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra Pali has carried out frontline demonstrations on green gram covering an area of 26.5 ha of farmers’ field to exhibit latest production technologies and compared it with farmer’s practice. The study in total 40 frontline demonstrations were conducted on farmers’ fields in villages viz., Kishanagar, Bedkallan, Boyal, Kushalpura and Balara of Pali district of Rajasthan state during 2014, 2015 and 2016, to demonstrate production potential and economic benefit of improved technologies comprising sowing method, nutrient management and chemical weed control and adoption of whole package of practices for the crop. After sowing of seed application of weedicide Pendimethalin (within two days after sowing) at 1.0 kg/ha in 500 liters of water used for effective control of the weeds during kharif season in rainfed condition. The findings of the study revealed that the demonstrated technology recorded a mean yield of 982 kg/ha which was 35.5% higher than obtained with farmers’ practice (755 kg/ha). Higher mean net income of Rs. 46030/ha with a Benefit: Cost ratio of 4.3 was obtained with improved technologies in comparison to farmers’ practices (Rs. 38775/ha). The frontline demonstrations conducted on green gram at the farmers’ field revealed that the adoption of improved technologies significantly increased the yield as well as yield attributing traits of crop and also the net returns higher than the farmers’ practices. So, there is a need to disseminate the improved technologies among the farmers with effective extension methods like training and demonstrations. The farmers’ should be encouraged to adopt the recommended package of practices realizing for higher returns