Yield Gap Analysis in Paddy Based on Demonstration on Seed Treatment Technique For Control of Bacterial Leaf Blight

Rice is the world's most important food crop and a primary source of food for more than half of the world's population. Severe incidence of bacterial leaf blight (BLB) in paddy resulted in potential yield gap between achievable yield and yield realized by the farmers. To show the importance of proper method of seed treatment for control of BLB, total 328 demonstrations were conducted during the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. These demonstrations were conducted at different locations throughout the district. The existing farmers’ practice was taken as a control for comparison. The yield performance of both control and demonstration plots was recorded and the yield gap, technology gap, extension gap and technological index were analyzed. The yield of demonstration plots was 70.0 q/ha as compared to 66.2 q/ha of untreated plots. Paddy yield of demonstration plots recorded 5.8 per cent increase over the farmers’ practice. Average extension gap was recorded 3.9 q/ha. The yield gap analysis emphasized the need to educate the farmers through various extension means for the adoption of improved agricultural technologies to revert the trend of wide extension gap.