Adoption gap in rabi sorghum cultivation

Abstract

Sorghum is the world’s fifth-most important cereal crop after rice, wheat, maize and barley. However, there is huge gap found in adoption practices and yield of the crop compared research station farm and at the farmers level. It is therefore necessary to identify the adoption gap in the cultivation practices of the sorghum crop and it is necessary to identify the factor affecting the yield gap. Through an exploratory research design involving 120 purposively selected farmers across three talukas, the study analyzed knowledge, constraints, and correlates of adoption gap. Key Findings of the study are Most farmers were middle-aged (62.5%), had higher secondary education (40%), and marginal landholdings (32.5%). Well/bore wells were the main irrigation source for (86.67%). Majority had medium levels of experience, knowledge, innovativeness, social participation, and adoption. Knowledge, innovativeness, and risk orientation were highly significant in influencing the adoption gap. Age, education, experience, information sources, and social participation were significant to adoption gap. Landholding, income, area under cultivation, and irrigation source were not significant to adoption gap.