International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Manpreet Jaidka, Navjot Singh Brar and Jugraj Singh

abstract
Cluster frontline demonstrations of improved technologies of pulse crops is one of the ventures taken up by Government of India, in which the new technology is demonstrated at the farmers’ field parallel to the local practices followed by the farmers (FPP). During 2017-18, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, SBS Nagar, Punjab conducted demonstrations of summer greengram, Kharif blackgram, soybean and chickpea. KVK collected and presented block-wise data of all the demonstrations and compared with farmers’ practices. A survey was also conducted in the succeeding year (2018-19) for the impact assessment in terms of adoption and horizontal spread of improved production technologies that were demonstrated during the preceding year. The results revealed that all the pulse crops recorded high grain yield in all the blocks of the district. In Aur block, summer greengram registered seed yield of 8.95 q/ha which was 13.65% higher than FPP (7.88 q/ha). Similarly, chickpea crop registered 7.91% higher grain yield in demonstration plot in contrast to FPP. Demonstration of improved variety of summer greengram (1.37) in Aur block recorded 28.04% higher b:c than FPP (1.07). In block Banga, summer greengram recorded highest value of extension gap (1.15) followed by Aur (1.08) and Saroya (2018). Minimum value of extension gap was observed in Nawanshahr block (0.83) which means that improved technologies performed better in this block as compared to other blocks. Similarly, highest value of extension gap was recorded in block Banga for Kharif blackgram, soybean and chickpea crops also with minimum value in block Nawanshahr. Summer greengram highest value of technology gap in block Saroya (3.80) and minimum in block Aur (2.30). Demonstration of summer greengram had lowest value of technology index in block Aur (20.44) and highest in block Saroya which means adoption of summer greengram is more feasible in former block as compared to later one. Demonstration of summer greengram, chickpea, Kharif blackgram and soybean registered 20.14, 23.64, 17.62 and 16.94% over all adoption level in the survey. Demonstration of summer greengram, chickpea, Kharif blackgram and soybean also resulted in 14.62, 11.58, 7.91 and 5.56% overall horizontal spread of improved production technologies.