Adoption of indigenous technologies in pulse cultivation

Abstract

A large number of Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) is available with our farmers. Only few attempts have been taken up by social scientists to document the available indigenous knowledge items and to analyze themin pulse cultivation. Keeping this in view, the study was carried out in Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Tiruvarur districts of Tamil Nadu. In each district five blocks were selected for the study. Three hundred pulse growers were selected in selected villages of three districts. Data were collected with well-constructed pretested interview schedule. The documented 66 indigenous technologies were taken for the study.Majority of the pulse growers adopted the indigenous practices like plough intensively than extensively, raising one row of red gram crop with two rows of black gram crop to control pests and disease, October month having conducive climate for boll warms in pulses to avoid this month to escape from boll warm attack and spacing between red gram crops to be increased to control boll warms. Majority of the respondents had medium level of adoption on indigenous technological practices.