Impact of front line demonstration on productivity of fennel cv. AF 2 through drip and fertigation in tribal belt of Korea district (Chhattisgarh)

Abstract

A front line demonstration was conducted at five farmers field comprising of 0.20 ha each in Korea district of Chhattisgarh during Rabi 2017-18 to 2019-20 to demonstrate the improved package of practice of Fennel var. AF 2. There were two treatments in which one was local check and second was cultivation of improved variety of fennel with full package of practice under drip and fertigation. Field diagnostic visits, regular surveys, farmer meetings and training programmes ensured application of balanced and optimum doses of nutrients through fertigation and timely plant protection measures. The result revealed that local check gives a yield of 4.12 q/ha. While fennel cultivation with full package of practices along with drip and fertigation gives a yield of 16.56 q/ha. which shows that by adopting package of practices there were 308.73 % increase in fennel seed yield. Similarly, net return was also calculated which shows that local check gives a net income of Rs. 7507/ ha with a B:C ratio of 1.44 against a net income of Rs. 38659/ha with B:C ratio of 1.62 in demonstration field. With frontline demonstration (FLD) of proven technology revealed that yield potential and net income from fennel cultivation could be enhanced to a great extent resulting in higher income to the farming community. By conducting front line demonstration (FLDs) of proven technologies, yield potential of fennel can be increased upto great extent. This will substantially increase the income as well as the livelihood of the farming community. The extension gap and technology gap ranged between 12.51 to 13.07 and 82.25 to 98.25 q/ha, respectively, with the technology index of 6.90 per cent during the demonstration years. Besides this, the demonstrated plots gave higher gross return, net return with higher benefit cost ratio when compared to farmer’s practice.