Knowledge Level of Farmers about Chickpea Production Technology in Nagaur District of Rajasthan

Chickpea is the most important pulse crop in the state occupying 10.82 lakh ha with production of 4.79 lakh tones and average productivity 443 kg/ha.. Therefore, a study was undertaken to assess the knowledge level of farmers regarding chickpea production technology in Nagaur district of Rajasthan. A total of 120 farmers were selected as respondents and a knowledge index consisting of 10 dimensions was prepared to measure the knowledge level of farmers. The study revealed that the farmers had poor knowledge about soil treatment, high yielding varieties and bio-fertilizer, while majority of them had knowledge about critical stage of irrigation. The majority of the respondents had awareness regarding recommended doses of manures and fertilizer, biofertilizer, seed rate, improved varieties, spacing and method of sowing. The socio-economic, communication and psychological factors had significant positive relationship with knowledge level of farmers except age, land holding, and farm mechanization. Cosmopoliteness, attitude towards chickpea production technology, scientific orientation, extension participation, economic motivation, mass media exposure and information source utilization were the important factors which had direct and indirect effect on knowledge of farmers.