Yield gap and impact assessment of frontline demonstrations of pulses in sub-mountainous area of Punjab

Introduction

Pulses are an important commodity group of crops that provide high quality proteins complementing cereal proteins for vegetarian population of the country. The total world acreage under pulses is about 93.18 (Mha) with production of 89.82 (Mt) at 964 kg/ha yields level. In India, pulses are cultivated on an area of 28 Mha with total production of 25.46 Mt with productivity at 885 kg/ha. Pulses contribute by 22 and 8 per cent in total food grain production of India in terms of area and production, respectively (Anonymous 2021) [1] . Because of spatial and temporal variation, farmers having assured irrigation facility and fertilizer availability go for cultivation of alternate crops like paddy, wheat, oilseeds etc. Therefore, meeting the demands of ever growing population and checking the load of pulse imports is a challenge for agriculture research and extension system. However, there is a wide gap between the potential and the actual production realized by the farmers due to nonadoption or partial adoption of recommended package of practices. Technology gap i.e. poor knowledge about newly released crop production and protection technologies and their management practices in the farmers' fields is a major constraint in pulse production. No systematic approach was implemented to study the technological gap existing in various components of cultivation. So building the technical competency of farmers plays critical role in improving acreage and productivity of pulse crops. One of the ventures carried out by GOI is conducting cluster frontline demonstrations of pulse crops at the farmers' fields with an objective to promote the improved crop production technologies under different farming situations and at different agro-climatic regions. Improved technology can be an improved variety, improved nutrient management, improved plant protection technique etc. that helps improvise monetary benefits of the farmers without harming the ecology of the locality. For example, integration of chemical methods of weed control would not only reduce the cost of cultivation but would benefit the crop by providing proper aeration and conservation of moisture (Jaidka and Sharma, 2018) [6] . Farmer itself uses both www.extensionjournal.com technologies at two different plots maintained parallel to each other and the results of the improved technology and farmer's practice are compared. Frontline demonstrations work on the basis of principle of 'learning by doing' concept. Jaidka and Brar (2024) [5] concluded that demonstration plots of mustard crop registered 22.70, 26.50, 26.28% higher grain yield during 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively. Increase in grain yield by adopting resource efficient technologies resulted in better B: C in demonstration plots than farmers' practice (FPP) during all the years. The performance of the demonstration plots relative to FPP is assessed through various techniques like extension gap, technology gap etc. the assessing the performance helps in identification of growth factors, regions which need more emphasis for further improvisations. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, SBS Nagar, Punjab also undertakes the cluster frontline demonstrations of pulses and other crops. The present study was undertaken to analyze the performance of frontline demonstrations of pulse crops relative to farmers' practices.

Material and Methods

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of front line demonstrations in terms of increased crop productivity and returns of the farmers. The study was carried out in operational area of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Langroya, Distt. Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Punjab. The district has been divided into five blocks i.e., Banga, Nawanshahr, Aur, Balachaur and Saroya with highly distinguished agro climatic and ecological conditions i.e., central plain zone, Bet area and Kandi area. The central plain zone includes Nawanshahr, Aur and some parts of Banga block with heavy to sandy loam soils. The bet area includes some parts of Nawanshahr, Aur and Balachaur block with undulating topography and sandy loam soil. The Kandi area covers Saroya and some parts of Balachaur block characterized by sandy loam soil and undulating topography. Front line demonstrations (FLDs) were conducted on pulse crops in the district during Summer 2016, Kharif 2016 and Rabi 2016-17 with the details are given below in table 1. The necessary steps for the selection of site and farmers, lay out of demonstration, etc., were followed as suggested by Chaudhary (2018) [8] . While conducting demonstrations, farmers were guided for improved production technologies (Table 2) through training camps, farm literature and personal contact (Fig. 1). At each farmer field, a check plot containing farmers' practices was maintained parallel to demonstration plot. While conducting demonstrations, farmers were guided for improved production technologies through training camps, farm literature and personal contact. At each farmer field, a check plot containing farmers' practices was maintained parallel to demonstration plot. All the demonstrations were regularly visited by KVK scientists especially to supervise the critical farm operations and crop health. Extension activities like group meetings and field days were organized at the demonstration site with an objective to spread the outcomes of the technology among other farmers of the area. The data regarding crop yield, cost of cultivation, gross returns etc. were collected from both demonstration and check plots which were further used to calculate various indices and ratios (Samui et al., 2000) [11] as given below:

Results and Discussion

Grain yield Compilation of data on performance of demonstration plots and local practices (Table 3) revealed that improved technologies recorded an enhancement in grain yield of all the pulse crops in comparison to farmers' practice. In block Aur, summer greengram registered grain yield of 8.95 q/ha which was 13.65 per cent higher than FPP (7.88 q/ha). In all the blocks, increase in grain yield of summer greengram ranged from 10.35 to 16.86 per cent. Similar results were observed in other pulse crops where the demonstration plots out yielded the farmers' practices. In all the blocks, chickpea crop registered an increase in grain yield from 5.57 to 12.50 per cent as compared to conventional practices followed by the farmers. The increase in grain yield in demonstration plots can be attributed to use of improved variety, suitable seed rate and method of sowing, integrated nutrient and pest management practices, which in turn, helped in overall growth and development of crop. In contrast, use of local cultivar, non-judicious use of fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation water resulted in poor performance of FPP. Results show the significance of conducting demonstrations at farmers' field by which the actual benefits and prospects of any technology can be assessed under real and existing weather conditions. High grain yield of pulse crops in demonstration plots is in line with Poonia and Pithia (2011) [9] , Patel et al. (2013) [7] , and Raj et al. (2013) [10] . www.extensionjournal.com Benefit-Cost Ratio (B:C) Economic analysis of any factor or enterprise elaborates the financial liabilities as well as assets emerging as an output of the system. As it is directly describes the avenues of monitory gains or losses, so the economics of the any crop production programme is the major driving force for wide spread adoption. Compilation of data ( [13] . The intensification of activities is required to uplift the farmers' skills in the context of improved production technology of all the crops. There is need to have crop specific, variety specific, region specific planning and execution of extension activities, packages of practices to enhance the performance of improved technologies of all the crops and bridge the gap between potential and demonstration yield can be minimised (Dash et al, 2021) [4] . These findings are similar to the findings of Patel et al.

(2013) [7] . [8] . The results of the present study are in accordance with the findings of Bar and Das (2015) [2] . [12] also observed an increase in adoption level and horizontal spread of cumin cultivation through frontline demonstrations. In an impact assessment study of cluster frontline demonstrations of oilseeds, Jaidka and Brar (2024) [5] reported horizontal spread of oilseeds to the tune of 29.64%. www.extensionjournal.com

Conclusion

The results of the study indicate that the frontline demonstrations showed an increase in grain yield, enhanced B:C in all the blocks of the district. Yield gap analysis revealed that there is need to develop crop specific, variety specific, region specific package of practices for pulse crops. As frontline demonstrations work on the grounds of "learning by doing", the impact assessment of showed that these are worthwhile in adoption as well as horizontal spread of improved technologies. Demonstrations satiate the need to improve the knowledge base, technicality and confidence level of farmers which, in turn, can certainly prove propitious in increasing area, production and productivity of pulse crops.

References

1. Bar N, Das S. Enhancement of production and productivity of Arhar crop through front line demonstration. International Journal of Innovative Research and Development. 2015;4(5):1-3.
2. Chauhan RS, Singh SRK, Mishra YD, Singh P, Bhargava MK, Singh HP. Impact analysis of frontline demonstrations (FLDs) on gram (chickpea) in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh. Journal of Community Mobilization and Sustainable Development. 2013;8(2):205-8.
3. Dash SR, Behera N, Das H, Rai AK, Rautaray BK, Bar N. Yield gap analysis for groundnut through cluster front line demonstration in South Eastern Ghat Zone of Odisha. International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology. 2021;14(2):199-202.
4. Jaidka M, Brar A. Cluster frontline demonstrations envisage high productivity and horizontal spread of oilseeds in aspirational District Moga, Punjab. International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development. 2024;7(1):597-602.
5. Jaidka M, Sharma M. Post-emergence chemical weed control in Kharif greengram (Vigna radiata). Journal of Krishi Vigyan. 2018;7:129-34.
6. Patel MM, Jhajharia AK, Khadda BS, Patil LM. Frontline demonstration: An effective communication approach for dissemination of sustainable cotton production technology. Indian Journal of Extension Education and Rural Development. 2013;21:60-62.
7. Pawar YD, Malve SH, Chaudhary FK, Dobariya U, Patel GJ. Yield gap analysis of groundnut through cluster front line demonstration under North Gujarat condition. Multi-Science. 2018;7(25).
8. Poonia TC, Pithia MS. Impact of frontline demonstrations on chickpea in Gujarat. Legume Research. 2011;34:304-307.
9. Raj AD, Yadav V, Rathod JH. Impact of frontline demonstrations (FLD) on the yield of pulses. International Journal of Scientific Research. 2013;3:14.
10. Samui SK, Maitra S, Roy DK, Mandal AK, Saha D. Evaluation of frontline demonstration on groundnut. Journal of Indian Society of Coastal Agriculture Research. 2000;18(2):180-183.
11. Singh B, Sharma AK. Impact of frontline demonstrations on yield, knowledge adoption, and horizontal spread of cumin crop in arid zone. International Journal of Seed Spices. 2018;8(2):32-35.
12. Singh N, Singh AK. Yield gap and economics of cluster frontline demonstrations (CFLDs) on pulses under rainfed condition of Bundelkhand in Uttar Pradesh. International Journal of Advanced Research in Biological Sciences. 2020;7(8). DOI: 10.22192/ijarbs.