Yield Gap Analysis of Potato Through Front Line Demonstration

Potato is a very popular and important cash crop in district Ghazipur but due to improper adoption of improved technology its productivity is far below the average productivity of the state. Through survey, farmers meeting, group discussions with the farmers and field diagnostic visit the yield gap was brought out due to unavailability of HYVs quality potato tubers and imbalanced use of N: P: K fertilizers, particularly lower dose of potassium (40–50 kg/ha) and nitrogen (100–120 kg/ha) and higher dose (100–120 kg/ha) of phosphorus, was considered. Existing farmers practice was taken as a control for comparison and recommended packages includes use of new released HYVs of potato Kufri Chipsona-02 & 03 along with balance application of N: P: K fertilizer. The yield performance of both control and demonstration plot were recorded, and their yield gap, technology gap, extension gap and technology index were analyzed. Considering the scope of improvement in productivity through the recommended technologies, 32 front line demonstrations were conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh during 2008–13 in three different villages at farmer's field. The average five years data revealed that an average yield of demonstration plot was 339 q/ha over local check 268.7 q/ha and 26.3 percent increase over control. The results showed that an average technology gap was recorded 10.9 q/ha. Average extension gap was recorded 70.36 q/ha and average technology index was recorded 3.0%. The yield gap analysis emphasizes the need to educate the farmers through various extension means for adoption of improved agricultural technologies to revert the trend of wide extension gap.