Constraints Faced by Cotton Growers in Adoption of Integrated Pest Management Strategy

The present study was conducted in Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan with a sample of 120 cotton growers as respondents drawn by using proportionate random sampling technique to identify the constraints faced in adoption of integrated pest management strategy. The findings of the study identified non - availability of qualitative trainings on IPM strategy/technologies, lack of credibility of IPM measures, lack of quality IPM inputs, scarcity of labour, lack of precision (time) of IPM techniques applications and high cost of IPM inputs as major constraints faced by the cotton growers in adoption of IPM techniques. The reason for poor adoption of IPM technologies lies with extension agency of State government which is not conducting the trainings as per need and time of the cotton growers. Further, the faith in the effectiveness/performance of IPM techniques is low among the farmers as they did not consider these credible in effective controlling the insects that attacked the cotton crop.