Impact Of Cluster Frontline Demonstrations On Blackgram Productivity

Black gram is one of the major pulse crops grown under rainfed conditions in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. District’s Blackgram productivity (710 kg/ha) is far below the average national productivity (970 kg/ha) and state productivity (637 kg/ha) due to cultivation of YMV susceptible Blackgram varieties and non-adoption of improved cultivation practices. In the present study, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh demonstrated YMV resistant variety TBG-104 and improved package of practices in Blackgram cultivation under cluster frontline demonstration (CFLD) to study the yield gaps between demonstrated plot and farmer’s practice (FP). The study found that the yield of Blackgram in CFLD under rainfed conditions able to reduce yield gap by an average by 2.6 q/ha over farmer practice over three years of study. The per cent increase in yield with CFLD over FP was recorded at 42.70 percent. The extension gap and technological indices were ranged between 2.19 -3.13 q/ha and 28.07-48.92 per cent respectively. TBG-104 variety showed complete resistance to YMV in comparison to susceptible local check. The trend of lower yields in demonstrations (8.87 q/ha) in contrast to potential yield (14 q/ha) attributed to the other factors viz., monsoon distribution and intensity during cropping period and volatile marketing prices of harvested product. But, the trend of extension gap minimization reflects the potentiality of performance improved varieties and improved package of practices and role of extension technology transfer. Therefore, the results clearly indicate that CFLD programme is effective in increasing productivity of Blackgram by means of extension approaches and adoption of improved practices.