Impact of front line demonstration on the yield and economics of mustard in Udaipur district of Rajasthan

Abstract

A study was conducted to promote mustard production technologies during the Rabi seasons of 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan. Cluster Front Line Demonstrations (CFLDs) on mustard were implemented across 160 hectares, encompassing 433 demonstrations on farmers’ fields. The improved production technologies included high-yielding mustard varieties such as DRMRIJ-31 (Giriraj), DRMR 2017-15 (Radhika), DRMR 1165-40, and DRMRIC 16-38 (Brijraj), along with the recommended agronomic practices. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), an innovative, science-based institution, played a pivotal role in bridging the gap between research scientists and farmers. Its primary objective is to minimize the time lag between technology generation at research institutions and its adoption by farmers, thereby enhancing productivity and income in the agriculture and allied sectors on a sustainable basis. The average yield of mustard in the demonstration plots using improved technologies was 15.32 q/ha, compared to 13.43 q/ha under traditional farmer practices. The adoption of improved production technology resulted in a 14.19% increase in yield over farmer’s conventional methods. The calculated technological gap, extension gap, and technological index were 5.78 q/ha, 1.89 q/ha, and 26.01%, respectively. From an economic perspective, the average net return under CFLDs was ₹53,875.75 per hectare, significantly higher than the ₹31,880.25 per hectare obtained through traditional practices. These results strongly suggest that the adoption of improved mustard production technologies can lead to sustainable yield enhancement and profitability in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan.