Insecticide application behaviour of cotton growers in Yavatmal district

Abstract

The present study on insecticide application behaviour of cotton growers was undertaken in Yavatmal district of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra State with sample size of 120 respondents from 12 villages. Data were collected on personal, socio-economic, situational, communicational and psychological profile of cotton growers towards insecticide application by using exploratory design of social research.Majority of the selected cotton growers (74.17%) were having medium level of knowledge of insecticide application on cotton crop. High majority of respondent i.e. 73.34 per cent respondents have moderately favourable attitude towards insecticide application. 70.00 per cent of respondents have medium level of adoption of insecticide application practices.In relational analysis, the selected variables like education, land holding, extension contact, social participation, mass media exposure. Economic motivation, innovativeness, risk orientation and scientific orientation were positive and significant with knowledge of insecticide application. Age and farming experience were negative and significantly correlated with knowledge. whereas, education, land holding, extension contact, social participation, mass media exposure, economic motivation, innovativeness, risk orientation, and scientific orientation were positive and significantly correlated with attitude towards insecticide application. In case of age, area under cotton cultivation and farming experience were found non-significant with attitude towards insecticide application. Regard to adoption, education, land holding, extension contact, social participation, mass media exposure, economic motivation, innovativeness, risk orientation and scientific orientation was positive and significant with insecticide application behaviour. Age and farming experience were found to be negative and significantly correlated with insecticide application behaviour. In case of area under cotton cultivation were found non-significant with insecticide application behaviour.