Study on Adoption of Improved Cultivation Practices of Tomato Among Vegetable Growers of Western Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

The present study was conducted in Meerut and Shamli districts. One block from each district was selected purposively. The five villages from each block were selected randomly, 16 tomato growers were selected randomly from each village and to make the total sample size was 160 respondents for the study. A structured schedule for data collection was developed keeping in view the objectives and variables under the study. Thereafter the data were collected from tomato growers, through personal interview method. After data collection, the data was classified, tabulated and analyzed in the light of objectives. Appropriate statistical techniques were applied i.e. frequency, percentage, average, mean score, rank order and coefficient of correlation. Majority of the respondents 61.87 per cent were observed in the middle age category with their ages ranging between 35 to 59 years, like this 88.75 per cent literate, 79.37 per cent belonged to middle caste (Other Backward Caste), 97.50 per cent married, 82.50 per cent main occupation as agriculture, 56.25 per cent had nuclear family system, 62.50 per cent had medium size of family (5-8 members), 91.25 per cent had pucca house, 35.00 per cent had medium (2 to 4 ha.) land holding, 70.63 per cent had private tube well electric, 64.37 per cent had medium household assets (5 to 10 numbers), 94.38 per cent had cycle, 66.87 per cent had medium level of farm assets (5 to 10 numbers), 61.87 per cent had membership in more than one organization, 46.87 per cent had Rs. 1,00,001 to 2,00,000 annual income, neighbors got 1st rank with mean value 5.53 as a main source of information, television got 1st rank with mean value 1.93 as a mass media contact, 76.87 per cent had medium level of economic motivation, 74.37 per cent had medium level of scientific orientation, 70.62 per cent had medium level of risk orientation. Majority of the respondents had full knowledge about these cultivation practices (65 per cent soil type, 76.87 per cent improved varieties, 59.37 per cent seed rate, 93.12 per cent sowing time, 62.50 per cent nursery management, 95.87 per cent field preparation, 42.50 per cent transplanting, 73.12 per cent interculture and weed control, 86.87 per cent harvesting time, 55.00 per cent yield, 81.87 per cent grading and 91.25 per cent packing). Majority of the respondents had fully adopted of these cultivation practices (57.50 per cent soil type, 43.75 per cent seed rate, 62.50 per cent sowing time, 45.00 per cent nursery management, 95.62 per cent field preparation, 61.87 per cent interculture and weed control, 68.75 per cent harvesting time, 58.75 per cent grading and 53.12 per cent packing). The variables i.e. education, Size of land holding, annual income, had highly significant and positively correlated with the knowledge level of tomato growers. The variables i.e. education, Cast, Size of landholding, Material possession, Annual income, economic motivation, scientific orientation and risk orientation had highly significant and positively correlated with adoption level of improved cultivation practices in tomato crop. The tomato farmers were also facing unavailability of good quality seeds at government sale center at the sowing time, less number of grass root level extension workers, lack of knowledge about proper soil and seed treatment, high cost of inputs i.e. seeds, fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides and malformation of middle man in the markets major constraints in adoption of improved tomato production technology.