International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology
Citation: IJAEB: 8(2): 381-385 June 2015
DOI Number: 10.5958/2230-732X.2015.00046.7
©2015 New Delhi Publishers. All rights reserved
AGRICULTURE EXTENSION
Extent and Correlates of Knowledge of Farmers regarding
Scientific Potato Production Technologies in
Himachal Pradesh
DhirajȱK.ȱSingh 1 ,ȱN.K.ȱPandey 1 ,ȱRajeshȱK.ȱRana 1 ȱandȱB.P.ȱSingh 2
1 Division of Social Sciences, Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla-171001, India.
2 Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla-171001, India.
Corresponding author: dhirajextension@gmail.com
Paper No. 330
Received: 19 August 2014
Accepted: 22 May 2015
Published: 29 June 2015
Abstract
TheȱproductivityȱofȱpotatoȱinȱhillyȱstateȱofȱHimachalȱPradeshȱisȱfarȱbelowȱthanȱtheȱnationalȱaverage.ȱ
Majorȱreasonȱisȱlowȱadoptionȱrateȱofȱimprovedȱvarietiesȱandȱtechnologiesȱdueȱtoȱlackȱofȱknowledge.ȱ
Presentȱ studyȱ wasȱ conductedȱ inȱ Shimla,ȱ Mandiȱ andȱ Kangraȱ districtȱ ofȱ HPȱ duringȱ yearȱ 2011-12ȱ toȱ
findȱ outȱ theȱ extentȱ ofȱ knowledgeȱ ofȱ potatoȱ farmersȱ aboutȱ scientificȱ potatoȱ productionȱ technologyȱ
andȱknowledgeȱgapȱinȱrelationȱtoȱdifferentȱpackageȱofȱpracticesȱforȱpotatoȱcultivation.ȱAȱtotalȱofȱ90ȱ
respondents,ȱ(30ȱfromȱeachȱdistrict)ȱconstitutedȱtheȱsampleȱofȱtheȱpresentȱstudy.ȱDataȱwasȱcollectedȱbyȱ
interviewȱmethodȱusingȱstructuredȱinterviewȱscheduleȱandȱsubjectedȱtoȱappropriateȱstatisticalȱanalysis.ȱ
Theȱfindingsȱrevealedȱthatȱaȱmajorityȱofȱtheȱrespondentsȱ(78.8%)ȱhadȱmediumȱtoȱlowȱknowledgeȱlevelȱ
aboutȱscientificȱpotatoȱproductionȱtechnology.ȱMaximumȱknowledgeȱgapȱwasȱfoundȱinȱpracticesȱlikeȱ
weedȱmanagementȱ(73.3%)ȱfollowedȱbyȱseedȱtreatmentȱbeforeȱstorageȱ(70%)ȱandȱinsect-pestȱmanagementȱ
(68.8%).ȱMajorityȱofȱfarmersȱwereȱhavingȱknowledgeȱaboutȱimprovedȱvarieties,ȱmethodȱofȱfertilizerȱ
application,ȱrowȱtoȱrowȱandȱplantȱtoȱplantȱspacingȱandȱplantingȱoperations.ȱSocio-personal-economicȱ
variablesȱlikeȱeducation,ȱlandȱholdingȱandȱannualȱincomeȱwereȱsignificantlyȱandȱpositivelyȱcorrelatedȱ
withȱknowledgeȱlevelȱofȱfarmers.
Highlights
incomeȱwereȱsignificantlyȱcorrelatedȱwithȱknowledgeȱlevel.
Keywords: Knowledgeȱindex,ȱknowledgeȱgap,ȱpotato,ȱHimachalȱPradesh
Vegetablesȱ areȱ importantȱ sourceȱ ofȱ essentialȱ countryȱ(IndianȱHorticultureȱDatabaseȱ2013).ȱIndiaȱisȱ
nutrientsȱtoȱtheȱIndianȱpopulationȱwhichȱisȱlargelyȱ theȱsecondȱlargestȱproducerȱofȱpotatoȱinȱworldȱafterȱ
vegetarian.ȱItȱplaysȱimportantȱroleȱinȱeconomicȱandȱ China.ȱ Duringȱ theȱ yearȱ 2012-2013,ȱ Indiaȱ producedȱ
socialȱspheresȱofȱtheȱcountryȱbyȱenhancingȱincomeȱofȱ 45.34ȱ millionȱ tonesȱ ofȱ potatoȱ fromȱ anȱ areaȱ ofȱ 1.99ȱ
vegetableȱgrowersȱandȱprovidingȱnutritionalȱsecurityȱ millionȱhaȱwithȱanȱaverageȱproductivityȱofȱ22.7ȱt/haȱ
toȱtheȱpeople.ȱPotatoȱisȱtheȱmostȱpopularȱvegetableȱofȱ (AgriculturalȱStatisticsȱatȱaȱGlance,ȱ2014).ȱThereȱisȱaȱ
India.ȱItȱcontributesȱalmostȱ21.6ȱperȱcentȱofȱtotalȱareaȱ largeȱvariationȱinȱproductivityȱofȱpotatoȱinȱdifferentȱ
andȱ28ȱperȱcentȱofȱtotalȱproductionȱofȱvegetableȱinȱtheȱ regionsȱ ofȱ theȱ country.ȱ Generallyȱ theȱ productivityȱ