Cluster Frontline Demonstration: An Effective Technology Dissemination Approach for Maximization of Productivity and Profitability of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Pulses are versatile crops that are better for nutritional security and soil health. Pulses are rich in proteins and are the second most important constituent of Indian diet after cereals. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a premier legume crop of Fabaceae family. It is also known as gram and Kabuli chana. It is one of the major rabi season pulse crop of the Ratlam district. The total world acreage under pulses is about 93.18 (Mha) with production of 89.82 (Mt) at 964 kg/ha yields level. India, with >28 Mha pulses area, it is the largest pulse producing country in the world. It ranks first in area and production with 31 per cent and 28 per cent respectively. During 2020-21 our productivity at 885 kg/ha, has also increased significantly over last 05 year. As usual, Madhya Paredsh (M.P) has significant contributed 28% of the total area and 34% of total production of chickpea in the country, M.P ranked first both in area and production after that by Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Karnataka (Directorate of Pulses Development 2021-22). Pulses with their unique ability of leaf litter fall, biological N2 fixation (BNF) and deep root system may be a suitable option to retouch soil fertility. A major benefit of pulses is that they can fix atmospheric nitrogen with the help of rhizobia bacteria, thus least the requirement for additional fertilizer inclusive nitrogen supplements Chalie-U et al., (2022); Jakhar et al., (2018).      
       
The major constraints responsible for lower yield potential are unfair crop production technologies, viz. used improper method of sowing (broadcast method), use of poor quality seed, unawareness about seed treatment, imbalance use of external inputs (fertilizer, weedicide and pesticide), adopt least resistant varieties to disease and pest. The main reason for this may be that most of the technology is yet to reach the farmers' fields; therefore, there is an urgent need for a latest production technology transfer system in this area. Advanced and latest technology transfer system can prove to be effective. Many researcher reported that improved crop production cultivation practices Tiwari et al., (2023) in soybean and Kantwa et al., (2024) in chickpea such as seed treatment, high yield varieties, line sowing, integrated weed and pest management have improve productivity of legumes. These good management practices have the potential to enhance the chickpea production in the Ratlam district.
       
The CFLD is an approach to speed the extension of proven technologies at farmers' fields in a participatory mode with the objective to find out the maximum available resources for crop production and also to bridge the productivity gaps by increasing production (Kumar and Jakhar, 2020). Most of the farmers of Ratlam district grow only a confined variety of chickpea, which gives low yields and high susceptible to wilt, in this regard, to increase the productivity, the Department of Agricultural, Cooperative and Farmers Welfare had sanctioned the project “Cluster Frontline Demonstration on Pulses” to ATARI, Jabalpur, Zone IX, through national food security mission (NFSM). KVK Ratlam was selected by ATARI, Jabalpur. The main objective of this study to promote the production and productivity of chickpea through CFLDs with latest and specific technologies viz- large seeded high yielding varieties and resistance to fusarium wilt (RVG 202) chickpea variety under bestpackage of practices.

The following objective of the CFLDs viz: latest crop production technologies popularize the newly released and improvedvarieties for varietal diversification andefficient management of inputs. The present study of CFLDs was conducted during 2020-21 and 2021-22 Rabi season by the KVK Ratlam, M.P. For conducting CFLDs, farmers were selected following the survey suggested by Choudhary (1999). The demonstrations were conducted at farmer’s field during 2020-21 and 2021-22 in different villages of Ratlam district. Table 1 expressed the gap between improved production technology of demonstration and farmers practices of chickpea.
 

       
Total 110 farmers were selected in 44 ha area with 110 demonstration @0.4 acre (Table 2). The selected farmers followed the full package of practices like soil testing, improved variety of RVG202, optimum seed rate (80 kg/ha), line sowing+seed treatment was done with Carbendazim 12%+Mancozeb 63% WP @ 2 g/kg seed +(Trichoderma viridi 5 g/Kg+Rhizobium 10 g/kg), applied balance dose of fertilizers on the basis of soil test value, timely weed management, irrigation scheduling and plant protection measure. Timely field visits made by the scientists ensured proper guidance in timely application of inputs and crop management. The relevant extension activities like field days and training at the demonstration sites were organized regularly to keep farmers motivated and aware of demonstrated technology and its performance at the farmer's fields. The yield data of each demonstration was recorded in a systematic manner and the yield of farmers¢ practices was also recorded at the same time. Data pertaining to crop growth, yield attributes and yield were collected at harvest and analyzed statistically. The B: C ratio was calculated based on the net return and cost of cultivation in each treatment. The extension gap (q/ha), technology gap(q/ha) and technology index (%) were calculated using the following formula as suggested by Dayanand and Mehta (2012).
 

 

CFLD on chickpea were conducted by using chickpea variety (RVG 202) in an area of 44 ha at 110 farmers field in different village of Ratlam district during the experiment period it was observed that the demonstration field have enhanced  the seed yield compared to the farmer's field  (Table 3).
 

 
Yield
 
The result expressed that the higher average yield of chickpea in demonstration field over farmers field were due to knowledge and adoption of best package of practices it increase up to (30.76 and 32.71%) as compared to farmers' field. The maximum yield recorded with demonstration yield was (16.83 and 17.08 q/ha) and farmers plot was (12.87 and 12.87 q/ha). The increase yield of demonstration under improved technology was due to use of wilt resistant high yielding varieties, integrated pest management, integrated nutrient management, adopt line sowing method, applied soil test best fertilizer, seed treatment. Similar yield enhancement in different crops in cluster frontline demonstrations were documented by Jha et al., (2020) in black gram; Jha et al., (2020) in pigeonpea; Kantwa et al., (2024) in chickpea; Tiwari et al., (2023) in soybean. The results were in conformity with the findings of Saikia et al., (2018) and Kumar et al., (2023).
 
Extension and technology GAP
 
Yield of CFLD Chickpea and potential yield of the chickpea was compared to determine the yield gaps which were further classified into extension and technology gap (Table 4). The extension gap is the difference between the demonstration yield and farmers yield. The average extension gap was observed (3.96and 4.21 q/ha) during 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively and both the years average extension gap observed was 4.08q/ha. This emphasized the need to aware the farmers through different intervention method which was used during the demonstration. The technology gap is the ratio of potential yield of the variety to the demonstration yield of chickpea. The technology gap in the demonstration yield was (3.17 and 2.92 q/ha) during 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively. The technology gap recorded may be attributed to the dissimilarity in the status of soil fertility, timely sowing and weather conditions. Similar findings were reported by Saikia et al., (2018) in black gram.
 

 
Technology index
 
The technology index shows the feasibility of the evolved technology in the farmer’s field (Table 4). The lower value of technology index means higher the feasibility of the latest technology. Average technology index is (15.85 and 14.60%) during 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively which is clearly showed the efficacy of the best performances of technical intervention. This will speed the adoption of demonstrated latest interventions to enhance the yield of chickpea. Similar findings were reported by Kumar et al., 2018: Kantwa et al., (2024). Similar type of observation was recorded by Jha et al., (2020) in pigeonpea and black gram.
 
Analysis of economic returns
 
The analysis of economic data in Table 5 expressed that the cost of indulging in the adoption of latest technology in chickpea varied and was more profitable. As per the presented data in Table 5 showed high B: C ratio of demonstration plot was (2.43 and 2.52) over thefarmers plot (1.95 and 1.97) during the 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively. The average cost and net income (Rs 27203 and Rs 67385/ha), respectively over to farmer’s practice (Rs 24500 and 49283), respectively. Hence, compatible B: C ratios vouched the economic viability of the technology and convinced the farmers of the utility of the latest technology. The above results were in agreement with the Raghav et al., (2020). The B: C ratio of demonstration plots under the latest interventions was higher than farmer’s practices may be due to the higher yield obtained from yielding variety RVG 202 under improved technologies compared to farmers practice. These results are in accordance with the findings of Singh et al., (2018), Jayalakshmi et al., (2018), Anuratha et al., (2019) and Jha et al., (2020).
 
 

The demonstration expressed the need to aware the farmers in adoption of latest technology to reduce the extension gaps through different technology transfer centers. Therefore, it is suggested that these factors may be taken into consideration to improve the scientific knowledge of the farmers.  Potential yield of improved variety was achieved by communicating scientific knowledge to the farmers, providing need based quality inputs in due time and proper and timely application of inputs. This is the best way to sustain the credibility and reliability of the technology among the farmers. It can be concluded that newly introduced variety of chickpea along with latest package of practices performed well in the Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh and adoption is also appreciable among the farmers.

KrishiVigyan Kendra, Jaora, Ratlam is grateful to Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute Zone-IX, Jabalpur (M.P.) for providing fund and facilities during CFLD pulse.

All author declar that they have no conflict of interest.