Singh et al.

Knowledge level and Knowledge gap regarding

8

Weed management

90

24

73.33

I

scientific potato production technology

Disease

9

90

42

53.33

V

Knowledgeȱ levelȱ ofȱ farmersȱ regardingȱ scientificȱ

management

potatoȱ productionȱ technologyȱ wasȱ assessedȱ andȱ

Insect-pest

10

90

28

68.89

III

resultsȱareȱpresentedȱinȱTableȱ3.

management

Harvesting

Table 3. Distribution of farmers on level of knowledge

11

90

53

41.11

VIII

operations

about potato production technology

Seed treatment

12

90

27

70.00

II

Knowledge level based on

Frequency

Percentage

before storage

KI

(f)

(%)

Overall knowledge gap=49.90

Low (Upto 33.33%)

26

28.89

Theȱ dataȱ presentedȱ inȱ Tableȱ 4ȱ revealsȱ thatȱ overallȱ

Medium (33.34-66.66%)

45

50.00

knowledgeȱgapȱofȱtheȱpotatoȱgrowersȱinȱrelationȱtoȱ

High (above 66.66%)

19

21.11

theȱselectedȱpracticesȱofȱscientificȱpotatoȱproductionȱ

Mean= 50.18, SD=19.82, Range=75.00, Max. =91.67, Min.

technologyȱ wasȱ 49.9ȱ perȱ cent.ȱ Theȱ knowledgeȱ gapȱ

=16.67

wasȱ highestȱ inȱ caseȱ ofȱ knowledgeȱ regardingȱ weedȱ

Itȱisȱevidentȱfromȱtheȱdataȱthatȱhalfȱofȱtheȱfarmersȱ managementȱ (73.3%)ȱ followedȱ byȱ seedȱ treatmentȱ

hadȱmediumȱknowledgeȱlevelȱofȱpotatoȱproductionȱ beforeȱ storageȱ (70%)ȱ andȱ insect-pestȱ managementȱ

technology,ȱ whileȱ 28.9ȱ perȱ centȱ andȱ 21.1ȱ perȱ centȱ (68.8%).ȱMoreover,ȱfarmersȱwereȱfoundȱtoȱbeȱhavingȱ

ofȱtheȱfarmersȱhadȱlowȱandȱhighȱknowledgeȱlevel,ȱ lackȱofȱknowledgeȱregardingȱrecommendedȱfertilizerȱ

respectively.ȱTheȱaverageȱknowledgeȱlevelȱofȱpotatoȱ doseȱandȱdiseaseȱmanagementȱasȱevidentȱfromȱdata.ȱ

farmersȱwasȱfoundȱtoȱbeȱ50.10ȱperȱcent.ȱThisȱshowedȱ AlmostȱsimilarȱfindingsȱwereȱreportedȱbyȱKirarȱandȱ

thatȱmostȱofȱtheȱfarmersȱhadȱlowȱtoȱmediumȱlevelȱ Mehtaȱ(2009)ȱinȱtheirȱstudyȱofȱknowledgeȱgapȱinȱriceȱ

ofȱknowledge.ȱThisȱmayȱbeȱdueȱtoȱlackȱofȱeffortsȱofȱ production.ȱMajorityȱofȱfarmersȱwereȱwellȱawareȱofȱ

villageȱandȱblockȱlevelȱextensionȱworkersȱinȱtransferȱ improvedȱ varietiesȱ ofȱ potato,ȱ methodȱ ofȱ fertilizerȱ

ofȱnewȱpotatoȱtechnologiesȱtoȱfarmingȱcommunities.ȱ application,ȱrowȱtoȱrowȱandȱplantȱtoȱplantȱspacingȱ

Srivastavaȱ et al. ȱ(2012)ȱstudiedȱtheȱknowledgeȱlevelȱofȱ andȱ plantingȱ operationsȱ sinceȱ knowledgeȱ gapȱ

potatoȱgrowersȱofȱMeghalayaȱandȱfoundȱtheȱsimilarȱ regardingȱ theseȱ practicesȱ wereȱ minimum.ȱ Thus,ȱ itȱ

resultȱthatȱmajorityȱ(65.3%)ȱofȱfarmersȱwereȱhavingȱ canȱbeȱsaidȱthatȱmostȱimportantȱcontributingȱfactorsȱ

mediumȱ levelȱ ofȱ knowledgeȱ aboutȱ recommendedȱ forȱlowȱlevelȱofȱknowledgeȱwereȱlackȱofȱknowledgeȱ

practicesȱofȱpotatoȱcultivation.

regardingȱ controlȱ ofȱ weeds,ȱ seedȱ treatment,ȱ plantȱ

protectionȱandȱfertilizerȱdoses.ȱThisȱmayȱbeȱbecauseȱ

Table 4. Knowledge gap of potato farmers regarding

theseȱpracticesȱrequireȱknowledgeȱofȱchemicalsȱalongȱ

improved cultivation practices of potato

withȱcorrectȱdoses.ȱThus,ȱthereȱisȱneedȱtoȱenhanceȱtheȱ

knowledgeȱlevelȱofȱfarmersȱinȱidentifiedȱareaȱbyȱwayȱ

Total

Knowlege

Sl.

Maximum

knowledge

gap

ofȱ organizingȱ trainingȱ programmesȱ forȱ farmersȱ byȱ

No.

Practices

obtainable

Rank

Governmentȱagenciesȱlocatedȱinȱrespectiveȱareaȱsuchȱ

score

score

obtained

obtained

(%)

asȱ Krishiȱ Vigyanȱ Kendra,ȱAgriculturalȱ Universitiesȱ

1

Improved varieties

90

75

16.67

XII

etc.ȱ Further,ȱ villageȱ andȱ blockȱ levelȱ extensionȱ

2

Seed rate

90

44

51.11

VI

functionariesȱ shouldȱ provideȱ theȱ agriculturalȱ

3

Spacing

90

55

38.88

X

advisoriesȱtoȱfarmers.

4

Planting operations

90

54

40.00

IX

Relationship between personal and socio-economic

Method of fertilizer

5

90

57

36.66

XI

characteristics of the farmers and their level of

application

knowledge

6

Fertilizer dose

90

37

58.88

IV

7

Water management

90

44

51.11

VII

Theȱ socio-economicȱ statusȱ ofȱ aȱ farmerȱ influencesȱ

theȱ knowledgeȱ level.ȱ Farmersȱ havingȱ betterȱ

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