Economics and adoption of recommended cultivation practices by cowpea growers

Abstract

The study was conducted during 2018-19 in Mandya district of Karnataka State, India. A pre-tested interview schedule was used to collect the data from 90 cowpea growing farmers through personal interview method. The collected data was tabulated and analyzed using percentages, correlation and regression. As high as 64.45 per cent of cowpea growers belonged to medium level adoption category, 21.11 per cent had high adoption and 14.44 per cent belonged to low adoption category. Majority of cowpea growers fully adopted recommended cultivation practices such as; time of sowing, inter cultivation and post-harvest management practices. Further, majority of cowpea growers partially adopted application of recommended quantity of FYM, time of application of FYM / compost, recommended quantity of seed rate, recommended spacing, application of recommended quantity of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, hand weeding, recommended plant protection measures, recommended harvesting time, recommended yield and recommended storage practices. In addition, majority of cowpea growers not adopted recommended varieties and seed treatment with bio-fertilizers. The return per rupees of expenditure was 1.21.