1Imayam Institute of Agriculture and Technology, Trichy-621 206, Tamil Nadu, India
2AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center, P.O. Box 42, Shanhua, Tainan, 74199, Taiwan
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641 003, Tamil Nadu, India
*Corresponding author's e-mail: beswami@gmail.com and address: Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh-362001, Gujarat, India
Online published on 30 April, 2016.
Plant diseases caused by vector-transmitted viruses like begomovirus inflict serious damage in terms of yield and colossal loss in many crops, predominantly Chilli. Coupled with bleak farm awareness and lack of management options, they could severely hamper remuneration prospects. In this connection, the profitability of the farm level begomovirus management strategies has been analyzed in this study. A sample of 100 chilli farmers were surveyed with focus on their perceptions of begomovirus caused diseases. Findings revealed a majority of farmers (80 per cent) experienced cross loss due to viral diseases. Positive changes in output and production cost were also reported with the adoption of management strategies, which in turn were categorized in to: low, medium and high. Besides, it was also revealed that when compared with no management strategy, the change in the gross margin was 17 per cent, 26 per cent and 80 per cent after the adoption of low, medium and high level of management strategies, respectively.
Begomovirus, Chilli crop, Gross margin impact, Management strategies
