Knowledge and Adoption Level of Improved Sorghum Practices in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh
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Keywords:
Knowledge, adoption, sorghum, technology, BundelkhandAbstract
Productivity of sorghum in Bundelkhand remained constraints due to lower adoption of recommended practices. The data were collected for this study during February to April 2024 to assess the knowledge and adoption levels of farmers towards improved sorghum production technologies and to identify their determinants. An ex-post facto research design was followed in two purposively selected districts of Uttar Pradesh. A total of 200 sorghum growers were selected through multistage sampling, and data were collected using a semi structured and pre-tested interview schedule. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and regression analysis were used for data analysis. The results revealed that seed rate and sowing time recorded the highest knowledge and adoption scores, whereas crop protection and seed treatment showed the lowest adoption levels. A majority of respondents possessed medium knowledge, but overall adoption still low, indicating a clear knowledge adoption gap. Education, landholding, annual income, attitude, and knowledge score significantly influenced adoption behavior. The study concluded that socio-economic resources and psychological factors played a decisive role in enhancing adoption of improved sorghum technologies. The study revealed a significant knowledge–adoption gap, with input constraints and climatic factors emerging as the major barriers to the adoption of improved sorghum production practices.
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