Impact of front line demonstrations (FLDs) on the productivity and profitability in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum mill.)

Front line demonstration (FLDs) is an appropriate means for demonstration of improved technology and innovations in agriculture for large scale popularization amongst the farming community. A four years’ study was carried out by conducting FLDs at farmers’ fields in various villages of Sikar district of Rajasthan from 2019–20 to 2022–23. The average data revealed that the demonstrated technology recorded a mean yield of 360.88 q/ha which was 23.31 per cent higher than with farmers’ practice (282.33 q/ha). The average of technology gap, extension gap and technology index were found to be 339.13 q/ha, 78.55 q/ha and 48.45%, respectively. The average gross returns (Rs. 302985/ha) net returns (Rs. 222323/ha) and benefitcost ratio (3.70) were higher in improved practices when compared to farmers’ practices. During these years yield increase in demonstration plots expressed as additional income over check plots accounted for Rs. 58315/ha during various years. The disease’s observation showed that, the average early blight incidence (4.92%), tomato leaf curl virus (3.70%), and bacterial wilt (2.60%) incidence were found very low in the assessed technology as compared to the farmers’ practice.