International Journal of Agricultural Science and Research (IJASR) ISSN 2250-0057 Vol.

3, Issue 2, Jun 2013, 43-46 TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

A STUDY ON THE KNOWLEDGE AND ADOPTION LEVEL OF IMPROVED SERICULTURE PRACTICES BY THE FARMERS OF CHITTOOR DISTRICT
M. BEULA PRIYADARSHINI & N. VIJAYA KUMARI Department of Sericulture, Sri Padmavati Mahila University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT
The introduction of new Sericultural technology initiated the transformation of Indian Sericulture and there by created a large potential for increasing sericulture production in India. Andhrapradesh is the Second largest producer of raw silk (6054 MT) after Karnataka. The productivity of sericulture depends on the extent of which, farmers adapt new sericultural innovations. Adaption of improved technologies plays a major role in improving the productivity of any agriculture activity. Hence, the present study was conducted to know the impact of knowledge on the adoption of new technologies in sericulture by the seri farmers in chittoor district, which is the major mulberry growing districts in Andhrapradesh . Data was collected based on pre prepared questionnaire in sixteen villages of chittoor district with the objective to appraise the levels of knowledge on sericultural technologies and adoption of recommended sericultural practices. The study revealed that 6.6 % of the respondents was higher educated , 35.5% respondents were up to secondary level,32.2% respondents were primary educated and the remaining 25.5% farmers were illiterates. The knowledge on mulberry cultivation practices was high especially on variety (100%), spacing(100%) and adoption level also high(60 &40%). Knowledge on fertilizer application and also adoption was low (47.5%(F)40%(P)12.5%(N)) level and the adoption level also low (37.5%(F)32.5%(P)20%(N)).Silkworm rearing practices studies shows that the knowledge was high (92.5%(F)7.5%(P))and adoption also high(80%(P),20%(P))and on disinfection knowledge level was (70%(F),30%(p)) and adaption was low(62.5%(F),5%(P),12.5%(N) .

KEYWORDS: Knowledge, Adaption Levels, Sericulture, Improved Technologies INTRODUCTION

Sericulture is one of the promising enterprises supporting agriculture which may substantiate the income of small and large farmers. Sericulture is an agro based labour intensive industry providing gainful employment mostly for rural people. Sericulture enterprise in its totality is a long chain industry from mulberry cultivation to fabric making .Sericulture is considered as a boon to many farmers in the drought prone areas in southern part of Andhra pradesh like Chittoor and Ananatha pur districts when compared to food and other commercial crops.Being rural based labour intensive industry sericulture is ideally suited for improving the social and economic standards of the rural poor. Sericulture is an agro based industry which provides a continuous income throughout the year. Sericulture serves as an important tool for rural reconstruction, benefiting the weaker sections of the society; sericulture provides not only periodical return within short period of time but also assures own family employment opportunities around the year (Lakshmanan et al., 1998).A number of new technologies have been made by the scientists of research institutes which are boon for the development of sericulture industry. Unless all these innovations reach the field the development would not takes place. By realizing the need of extension activities to create awareness on the new innovations to the farmers, extension activities are being conducted regularly by the seri extension personnel. Since knowledge on the improved seri techniques and their adaption are influenced by various factors like education, economic conditions of the farmers the study was undertaken to know the

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M. Beula Priyadarshini & N. Vijaya Kumari

impact of education and knowledge of improved practices on the adaption of innovative seri technologies in Chittoor district of Andhrapradesh state.

METHODOLOGY
The present study was conducted in sixteen sericulture villages of Chittoor district.Ninety farmers were chosen. Data was collected by direct personal Interview method using a questionnaire. Data was collected on educational levels, knowledge on modern sericultural technologies and their adoption. Percenatge of Graduates,higher secondary level,primary level and illiterate was calculated. Knowledge on different sericulture practices were classified as Full knowledge(F),Partial Knowledge(P),no Knowledge(N) and the percentage was calculated. The farmers following all the recommended practices fully were considered as full adapters(FA), those who adapt them partially as partial adapters(PA) and those who were not adapting all practices as non-adopters(NA).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The level of adaption of different technological practices and socio factors like education were analyzed in the given table, fourteen individual practices in sericulture and six of the mulberry cultivation technology practices, eight of the silkworm rearing technology practices were considered. Knowledge level of farmers on mulberry production technologies and silkworm rearing technologies and their adoption level were analyzed and discussed for the present study in a simple tabular form. The productivity depends upon the extent of which farmers adopt new sericultural innovation. It is felt that a large part of gains from new sericultural technology still remains to be realized, this is because of nonadoption of new innovations Education Levels of the Farmers It is universal fact that education plays a key role in moulding desirable changes in human beings. The educated sericulture farmers were able to gather knowledge on improved sericultural technologies and could participate in seri extension education activities conducted by the department personnel Table 1: Education Level of Farmers S.No 1 2 3 Category Graduate Higher secondary Primary Number of Farmers 6 32 29 Percentage 6.6 35.5 32.2

4 Illiterate 23 25.5 Table1 Describes that of the total sample of farmers (90) the percentage of graduated farmers was 6.6, higher secondary school, level was 35.5, primary level was 32.2 and illiterate percentage was 25.5. Table 2: Knowledge and Adoption Level of Farmers on Mulberry Cultivation Knowledge Index (%) F P N 100 0 0 100 0 0 75 25 0 47.5 40 13 50 50 30 38 20 13 Adoption Index (%) FA 100 60 60 37.5 45 50 PA 0 40 40 32.5 35 30 NA 0 0 0 30 20 20

S.No. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Technology Mulberry variety Spacing FYM Fertilizer Plant protection sprayer Drip Irrigation

A Study on the Knowledge and Adoption Level of Improved Sericulture Practices by the Farmers of Chittoor District

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Full knowledge(F),Partial Knowledge(P),No Knowledge(N) Non-adaption(NA).

Full adaption(FA), Partial adaption(PA) and

Data on knowledge and adoption status of the respondents on new technologies under mulberry cultivation are given in Table 2. The data revealed that 100% of the respondents had full knowledge on new mulberry variety and adoption was 100% . Knowledge on spacing was 100% and adoption percentage was 60% (FA), 40% (PA). 75% farmers had full knowledge on application of Farm Yard Manure ,25% had partial knowledge and the adoption was 60% (FA), 40% ( PA) respectively. 47.5% of the farmers had full knowledge on fertilizer application 40% of respondents had partial knowledge and the remaining 12.5% shows no knowledge on application of fertilizers.The adaption percentage was37.5%(FA), 32.5%(PA) 30%(NA). For the practice of plant protection the farmers had full knowledge 50%, 30% had partial knowledge and 20% had no knowledge and their adoption levels were 45% (FA), 35(PA), 20% (NA). Coming to the drip irrigation practice 50% of the respondents had full knowledge, 37.5% had partial knowledge and the remaining 12.5% had no knowledge, and their adoption was 50% (FA), 30% (PA) and 20% (NA). Table 3: Knowledge and Adoption Level of Farmers on Silkworm Rearing Technology S.No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Technology Rearing Disinfection Shoot rearing Bed spacing Bed cleaning Bed disinfectants Mountages Knowledge Index (%) F 92.5 70 90 80 85 95 80 P 7.5 30 10 15 15 5 20 N 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 Adoption Index (%) FA 80 62.5 75 75 80 95 70 PA 20 5 12.5 15 10 5 15 NA 0 12.5 12.5 10 10 0 15

8 Uzi IPM 90 10 0 90 10 0 Full knowledge(F),Partial Knowledge(P),No Knowledge(N) Full adaption(FA), Partial adaption(PA) and Non-adaption(NA). Data on knowledge status of the respondents on new silkworm rearing technologies are given in Table 3. The above data reveals that 92.5% respondents had full knowledge, 7.5% had partial knowledge on model rearing house but 80% of the farmers had adapted fully, 20% of farmers had partial adaption. For disinfection of rearing house 70% respondents had full knowledge the remaining 30% of farmers had partial knowledge but their adaption levels were 62.5% (FA), 5% (PA), and 12.5% (NA). 90%of respondents had full knowledge on shoot rearing, 10% respondents had partial knowledge but the farmers adaption level was 75% (FA), 12.5%(PA) and 12.5% (NA). For the practice of bed spacing 80% respondents had full knowledge, 15% respondents had partial knowledge and 5% respondents had no knowledge but their adaption level was 75% (FA), 15% (PA) and 10% (NA).About the bed cleaning practices 85% of farmers had full knowledge, 15% of farmers had partial knowledge but their adaption levels were 80% (FA), 10% (PA) and the remaining 10% (NA) non adaption. About dusting of Bed disinfectants 95% of farmers had full knowledge and 5% shows partial knowledge but their adaption was 95% (F) and 5% (P). 80% of the farmers had full knowledge on mountages and remaining 20% had partial knowledge, but the adaption of this practice was 70% (FA), 15% (PA) and 10% (NA) respectively. For the control of Uzi IPM up to 90% of farmers had full knowledge and the remaining 10% of them had partial knowledge but the adaption of the practice was 90%(FA) and 10%(PA).

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M. Beula Priyadarshini & N. Vijaya Kumari

CONCLUSIONS
The study revealed that the farmers who are well educated and have good knowledge on the improved sericultural technologies have adapted all the sericulture practices. The farmers who had partial knowledge on new

technologies in sericulture have adapted few technologies and are getting lesser yields, compared to those who have full knowledge and adaption practices. Hence, ducation level of the people and proper extension activities for the transfer of new technologies from lab to land plays a major role in the adaption of new practices.The extension activities should be in such a way that the farmers should get convinced about the benefits of following improved techniques.

REFERENCES
1. B.Mallikarjuna, H.M.Munikrishnappa, R.Gururaj and N.B.Vijay Prakash,(2006) Assessment of new technologies of mulberry production and silkworm rearing in rain-fed area, Indian journal of Sericulture., , Vol-45, No,1, 1-6. 2. G.S.Geetha, G.Srinivasa, H.Jayaram, M.N.S.Iyengar and N.B Vijayaprakash(2001) Socio-economic determinants of farmer oriented technology packages for sericulture. A field study Indian J.Seric., , vol-40.No.1, 96-99. 3. N.R.Singhvi, M.K.SethuRao, Y.R.Madhava Rao, M.N.S.Iyengar and R.K.Datta(1994) Knowledge level and adoption of new sericulture technology by farmers in Hunsur taluk, Mysore district, Karnataka state-an evaluation. Indian J.Seric, , Vol.33, No.1, 48-55. 4. P.Kumaresan and N.B Vijayaprakash, (2001) Economics of Sericulture VIS--VIS competing crops in Erode district of Tamilnadu. Indian J.Seric, , Vol.40, No.2, 142-146. 5. R.Meenal and R.K.Rajan technology adoption and employment generation- An analysis in Tamilnadu. , (2008) Indian J.Seric, Vol.47, No.1, 108-110. 6. R.Meenal and R.K.Rajan, knowledge and adoption level of bivoltine sericulture technologies by farmers, (2006). Indian J.Seric, Vol.45, No.2, 188-191. 7. S.Lakshmanan and R.G.Geethadevi,(2005) Studies on economics of sericulture under dry farming condition in Chama raja nagardistrict of Karnataka. Indian J.Seric, Vol.40, No.2, 183-185. 8. Tomyphilip and S.M.H.Qadri study on the level of adoption&constraints for non-adoption of improved sericulture technologies by farmers in Kerala. Indian J.Seric 2004, Vol.43, No.1,83-87.