Knowledge of Farmers in Tamil Nadu on Management Practices in Maize to Minimize Aflatoxin Contamination

Majority of the respondents had medium level knowledge on management practices. Cent per cent of the respondents had irrigated the crop at critical phases while 99.17 per cent, 98.33 per cent and 95.80 per cent had correct knowledge about attainment of silking stage, sorting the maize cobs and seed rate per acre respectively. More than sixty per cent had correct knowledge to apply Furadon to control the stem borer followed by 43.33 per cent and 32.50 per cent who had correct knowledge on time of harvest and moisture content for long term storage of kernels. A meager percentage had correct knowledge on insecticides to control stem borer and cob borer, seed treatment with insecticides and drying maize cobs. Educational status, farm size, area under maize cultivation, social participation, mass media exposure,), contact with extension agency and training were found to have positive and significant association with knowledge on management practices.