A study on extent of adoption of recommended technologies and constraints in mango cultivation by the mango growers in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Mango is the primary horticultural crop in this district. Given the area's vulnerability to drought, it's crucial to cultivate perennial fruit crops that can endure such conditions. This district boasts the largest area dedicated to fruit crops, making Dharmapuri one of the key regions for horticultural cultivation and a significant part of the state's horticultural belt. The total area for mango farming here spans 16,509 hectares, accounting for about one-third of the state's mango area and nearly half of its mango yield. The main areas for mango cultivation are Palacode and Karimangalam. To gather data, a proportionate random sampling method was used to select 120 respondents from twelve villages, with six from each of the two blocks. A well-structured and pre-tested interview schedule facilitated the data collection. The study examined fifteen independent variables. The analysis revealed that most respondents had a medium level of adoption of recommended technologies in mango cultivation. Notably, there was a fairly high level of adoption in areas like crop production technologies, planting techniques, intercultural operations, timely harvesting, nutrient management, and plant protection strategies. The variables like educational status, farming experience, innovativeness, risk orientation, scientific orientation, economic motivation, information source utilization and market perception were found to have a positive and significant relationship with the adoption of recommended technologies in mango cultivation. The aim of this study was to assess how well mango growers are adopting the suggested technologies and to identify the constraints encountered by the mango growers in marketing of mango