An analysis of extend of adoption vis-à-vis technological gaps in adoption of recommended practices of maize in district Ganderbal- J and K

The reasons for low productivity of maize at all fronts in Kashmir Valley for almost all Districts including district Ganderbal despite the efforts being made through scientific interventions, trainings, demonstrations coupled with extension services. A noble idea was conceived by undertaking a research study entitled, “A Study on Technological Gaps in Adoption of Recommended Practices of Maize Cultivation in District Ganderbal” to assess the level of knowledge and extend of adoption of the scientific recommendation of maize production (developed through package of practices) so as to draw certain inferences and to arrive at some conclusion. The study reveals that 54.00 per cent of the respondents had medium level of adoption with an average score ranging from 9-13. The average adoption index for all 17 major activities was found to be 20.17 per cent while the average technological gap index was estimated at 79.83 percent. The respondents were also divided into three categories as ‘Fully adopted’, ‘partially adopted’ and ‘not adopted’ and scores for individual respondent-wise and activity-wise were also summarized. Besides, broad based activity- wise ‘average adoption index’ and ‘Technological gap index’ of the respondents was also calculated. For “Land preparation and sowing”, the average adoption index and average technological gap index was found to be 23.22 per cent and 76.78 percent respectively. Likewise, for ‘nutrient management’ it was found to be 15.02 per cent and 84.98 per cent respectively. Similarly, the ‘average adoption index’ and ‘Technological gap index’ for ‘plant protection measures’ was found to be 4.56 per cent and 95.44 per cent while in case of ‘irrigation & weeding’, the average adoption index and average technological gap index was found to be 28.00 per cent and 72.00 percent respectively.