Role of cluster frontline demonstrations in enhancing black gram productivity under rainfed conditions in Darrang District of Assam

Introduction

Black gram popularly known as urd bean is one of the important grain legumes and an excellent source of easily digestible good quality protein (24-26%). India currently produces about 1.4 lakh tonnes of black gram annually from about 15 lakh ha area with an average productivity of 451.61 kg/ha. Blackgram (Vigna mungo) is considered to be one of the most important kharif pulse grown mostly in char areas of Darrang district of Assam. Darrang is occupying an area of 2620 ha, production of 2072MT and productivity of 791 kg/ha under this crop. Although blackgram occupied a prominent place in the pulse scenario of Darrang district still there were some lecuna in the production practices which results in a vast differences of yield between the potential yield and actual yield obtained by the farmers. Some of the constrains in growing blackgram crop are non-availability of high yielding varieties, non availibity of quality seeds, low seed multiplication rate and poor transfer of technology. There is a tremendous opportunity for increasing area and the production of the crop by adopting the improved production technologies. To boost the production and productivity particularly in pulse crops Krishi Vigyan Kendras are playing a major role in popularizing the improved technologies by demonstrating the technologies covering large areas in the farmers through conducting Cluster Frontline Demonstration programmes. The study was carried out through participatory cluster front line demonstration (CFLD) during Kharif season of 2022-23 and 2023-24 at eleven different villages of Darrang district under north bank plain zone of Assam on farmers field with an objective to evaluate the performances of high yielding blackgram variety SBC-40 as compared to the farmers practice.

Materials and method

The study was conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Darrang, Assam Agricultural University to assess the effect of cluster frontline demonstration (CFLD) on blackgram crop in char areas of Darrang district during kharif season 2022-23 and 2023-24 (two consecutive years). The demonstrations were being conducted in farmers' field at six different villages of Darrang district during 2022-23 and in seven villages in the year 2023-24. District Darrang comes under North Bank Plain agro climatic zone of Assam. The soil of the district ranges from old alluvial to new alluvial type. The soil is sandy to sandy loam in texture and acidic in reaction and is characterized by medium to high organic carbon, low to medium phosphorus and potash content. During the study, total area of 20 ha each was covered under cluster frontline demonstration for the two consecutive years and the varieties used by the farmers in the nearby field was kept as farmer's practices. Before conducting CFLDs, a list of farmers was prepared from group meeting and specific skill training and awareness programmes were arranged by KVK officials at different locations to make the farmers aware about the scientific cultivation practices of the crop. High yielding blackgram variety SBC 40 was used for the study. It is short duration blackgram variety (70-75days) which has high yield potential (11.89 q/ha) and protein content (25.20 %) with resistance to Cercospora Leaf Spot & Yellow Mosaic Virus, moderate resistance to WB etc. The need based inputs were supplied to the selected farmers and stage wise monitoring of the demonstration plots by KVK Scientists ensure proper guidance to the farmers. The sowing of the crop was done during kharif season (mid-August to -mid September) under rain fed condition in both the years. The details of the technology interventions and farmer's practice were mentioned in Table no. 01. Crop yields as well other morphological datas were recorded from the demonstration and check plots at the time of harvest. The economic-parameters (Gross return, net return and B:C ratio) were worked out on the basis of prevailing market prices of inputs and Minimum Support prices of outputs. The yield increase in demonstrations over farmers' practice was calculated by using the following formula as suggested by Yadav et al. (2004) [5] Percent increase in yield over farmers' practice = Demonstration yield -farmers' plot yield / Farmers' plot yield x 100 [4] as given below: Technology gap = Potential yield-Demonstration yield Extension gap = Demonstration yield-Farmer's yield Technology index = (Technology gap/potential yield) x 100

Estimation of extension gap, technological gap and technological index along with the benefit cost ratio by following (Samui et al., 2000)

Results and discussion

Impact of CFLD on seed yield of blackgram

From the result it was observed that the high yielding variety SBC 40 out yield the farmers practice in the same farming situation. The seed yield of blackgram for the season 2022-23 & 2023-24 under demonstration was recorded to be as 7.7 q ha -1 , 7.9 q ha -1 against the farmers practice 5.6q ha -1 and 6.1q ha -1 respectively. The percent increase in yield of demonstration plots over farmers' plots ranged from 37.50 percent in 2022-23 to 29.50 per cent in 2023-24. Same results for the crop toria under cluster frontline demonstration was recorded earlier by Mary et.al (2024). The poor productivity in farmers practice might be mainly due to factors like use of nondescript local variety and low level of agronomic management in addition to non-availability of resources in time. The result clearly depicts the positive effects of demonstrations over the existing practices towards enhancing the yield of blackgram in Darrang district.

Technology Gap

In the present study, technology gap is recorded to be 0.8 qha -1 and 0.6 qha -1 in the two subsequent year respectively. The observed technological gap may be attributed to the dissimilarity in the soil fertility status, insect pest attack and erratic weather conditions that prevailed during crop season at different locations.

Extension Gap

Extension gap is gap between yield of demonstrated plot and farmers practice. Extension gap is recorded to be 2.1qha -1 & 1.8 q ha -1 respectively which is solely due to non-adoption of high yielding varieties and delayed sowing (1st week of October). Maximum use of the latest production technologies with high yielding recommended varieties of pulse crops will subsequently help in reducing this alarming trend of galloping extension gap [2] and Anuratha et al. (2018) [1] .

Conclusion

In a nutshell we can conclude from the study that the yield and returns in blackgram crop increased substantially with the improved agro-techniques and use of high yielding varieties. However, the grain yield level under CFLDs was better than the farmer's practice and performance of the variety could be further improved by adopting recommended agro-techniques. So, there is need to disseminate the improved agro-techniques among the farmers with effective extension methods like training and field demonstrations. The farmers should be encouraged to adopt the recommended agro-techniques for getting maximum returns in specific locations

Conflicts of interest:

The authors have no conflicts of interest

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors are thankful to the Director, ATARI, Zone VI, Guwahati (ICAR) for providing financial assistance towards organizing the cluster front line demonstration under NFSM (Pulse).

References

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