An Appraisal of Technological Interventions on Mustard Crop under Cluster Front Line Demonstrations

Aims: To boost production and profitability, the current study's evaluation of technical interventions focused on a cluster front line demonstration on mustard crop, which was carried out in the KVK's operational territory in district Bhadohi of Uttar Pradesh.

Study Design: Yield gap analysis under cluster front line demonstration.

Place and Duration of Study: The present study was conducted by ICAR-IIVR - Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bhadohi on mustard at farmer’s field in different blocks of Bhadohi district under cluster front line demonstration during the period 2016-17 to 2020-21.

Methodology: From 2016-17 through 2020-21, 374 demonstrations were carried out on farmer fields totaling 153 hectares under cluster front line demonstration, with farmer practice acting as the comparison control. KVK scientists collected yield, production expenses, and return data from farmers' practice plots (control plots) and front-line demonstration plots. Finally, the extension gap, technology gap, and technology index were calculated using the methods describe in Samui et al. [1].

Results: The five-year study's findings show that the demonstration plots' average annual yield was 24.20 q/ha in compared to the traditional agricultural plots' average annual yield of 17.26 q/ha. This higher yield of 4.85 q/ha and the 40.12% rise in mustard productivity over the previous five years may be enough to meet the state's current needs for oilseeds. The five-year averages for the technology gap, extension gap, and technology index were found to be 5.8 q/ha, 6.8 q/ha, and 19.35%, respectively. The finding unequivocally shows that CFLDs have advantages over conventional practices. The technology gap, extension gap, and technology index five-year averages were determined to be 5.8 q/ha, 6.8 q/ha, and 19.35%, respectively. Under the demonstration plot, the Benefit Cost Ratio was shown to be greatest (3.0) during the study year 2017-18 and lowest (2.24) during the study year 2019-20, but it averaged 2.65 during the five-year study period. As a result, positive benefit-cost ratios established the economic sustainability of the interventions and persuaded farmers in the Uttar Pradesh area of Bhadohi of their worth.

Conclusion: According to the findings of the five-year study, the demonstration plots' pooled five-year average production was 24.20 q/ha as opposed to the traditional farmer practices plots' 17.26 q/ha. This enhanced yield of 4.85 q/ha and the 40.12% rise in mustard productivity over the previous five years, may be helpful meet to the state's current needs for oilseeds. The finding unequivocally shows that CFLDs have advantages over conventional practices. During the years of investigation, it was shown that the benefit-cost ratio was higher when agricultural practices were demonstrated. According to the result it is concluded that the yield and net profit may be increase using HYV RH-749 with the recommended packages of practices in mustard crop.