Effect of bio-fertilizer on innovation attributes of farmers

The study was conducted in Wardha district of Maharashtra State where front line demonstrations on seed treatment in soybean with bio-fertilizers were conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra on farmer's field. Fifty FLDs were evaluated to assess the impact of bio-fertilizers on adoption and relative advantage, compatibility, complexity and suitability of the technology. Seed treatment of bio-fertilizer in soybean gave 56.93 per cent more yield as compare to untreated seed plot. In the compatibility studies, cent per cent farmers reported that this technology is suitable to agro-climatic conditions, consistent with existing situation and compatible with norms of soybean cultivation. Over 90.00 per cent respondents accepted that it meets felt need of farmers. In the categorization, majority of respondents were found to be taken high relative advantage, highly compatible, low complexity and high suitability. The total, effectiveness of bio-fertilizers was found to be 91.96 per cent. Regarding impact on adoption, most of the respondents (68.00%) were accepted the technology, but some of them were not able to adopt due to some constraints faced by farmers such as availability of bio fertilizers, make hands and cloths darken during seed treatment and irritation in their eyes. The relational analysis, relative advantage and suitability were positive and highly significant whereas, complexity was highly but negatively correlated with the adoption.