A Study on Extent of Adoption of Organic Red Gram Cultivation Practices in Dryland Areas of Karnataka (Cajanus cajan)

Abstract

Red gram is commonly known as Tur or Pigeon pea in India and is the second important pulse in the country after Bengal gram. The ability of red gram to produce high economic yields under soil moisture deficit makes it an important crop in rainfed and dryland agriculture. The present study was confined to the organic red gram growers of Gulbarga district. Majority of the respondents shown fully adoption of recommended practices, like 91.66 percent of the respondents had fully adopted the practice of deep summer ploughing for pest and disease control and the practice of timely sowing, followed by (83.33%) had fully adopted the practice of allowing cattle grazing to add cow dung manure in field and for weeding. This might be due to medium training received and perceived attributes of respondents towards organic farming and a majority of the respondents in this study were young age farmers and they were more curious regarding organic farming practices. In the same manner, respondents also showing partial to non-adoption of recommended practices might be due to less formal education level, medium social economic status, extension contact and medium risk taking capacity.