Enhancing Productivity of Chickpea Through Cluster Front Line Demonstration in Jaipur District of Rajasthan

Pulses are next to cereal crops and are also known as excellent option for crop diversification and intensification in sustainable farming. India is the largest producer, consumer and importer of the pulses in the world. (Jadhav et al., 2022). Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is a prime legume which belongs to family Leguminosae. It is also known as Bengal gram, Gram and Chana in Hindi. It is a good source of protein (18-22%), carbohydrate (52-70%), fat (4-10%), minerals (calcium, phosphorus, iron) and vitamins (Singh et al., 2014). In India, the major chickpea growing states are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh which contributing more than 90% in production in the country (Raghav et al., 2021). Chickpea is an important winter crop mainly sown in September- November and harvested in February to march.
       
In India, chickpea covers an acreage of 10.56 million hectares contributing 11.23 million tons of production with an average productivity of 1063 kg/ha during 2017-18 (Anonymous, 2018).
       
In Rajasthan state chickpea crop grown in an area of 12.35 lakh hectare with production of 7.50 lakh tones and productivity of 607 kg per ha (Kumar and Kumawat, 2019). Legumes are an important component of crop rotation as they require less fertilizer than other crops and they are a low carbon source of protein. They have a direct positive impact on soil health because they help feed soil microbes, which helps in improving soil health. Front line demonstrations (FLDs) are one of the most powerful tools of extension because farmers, in general, are driven by the perception that “Seeing is believing”. The main objective of frontline demonstrations is to demonstrate newly released crop production and protection technologies and its management practices at the farmer’s fields under the micro-farming situation.
       
Front-line demonstrations are most effective tool for transfer of new profitable and sustainable technologies among the farmers and making them acceptable. KVK Jaipur-1 provided training on scientific cultivation of chickpea, demonstration on new variety and other interventions. The present study was conducted to impact assessment of cluster front line demonstration on chickpea crop in the operational area of the KVK Jaipur-1.

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Chomu (Tankarda) Jaipur-1 conducted cluster frontline demonstrations on chickpea at farmers’ field during winter season of the year 2019-20 and 2020-21 with five village namely Udaipuria, Mumarkya, Kadeda, Sevapura and Lantha Dunsari in Chaksu block of Jaipur district. Total 100 demonstrations were conducted with area of 40 hectare during both the years and each demonstration size was 0.4 hectare. The improved agronomic practices using improved variety GNG-1958 during both the years. The present study with respect to CFLDs and farmers¢ practices (FP) are given in Table 1. The soils in selected villages were sandy loam to loamy sand in texture with average pH 7.8, organic carbon 0.39, low in nitrogen and medium in phosphorus and potash. Farmers were trained to follow the package of practices for chickpea cultivation as recommended by III A Zone of Rajasthan and need based critical inputs provided to the farmers and participatory mode (Table 1).
 

       
The technology gap, extension gap and technology index were calculated by using following formula as per Samui et al., (2000), as given below:

Effect on seed yield
 
The results (Table 2) indicated that the cluster front line demonstration has given a good impact over productivity of the chickpea in the farming community of Jaipur district during winter 2019-20 and 2020-21. Results showed that the maximum average seed yield of chickpea (24.66 q/ha) and (23.82 q/ha, respectively) were recorded under cluster front line demonstrations and minimum seed yield of chickpea (19.31 q/ha and 18.97 q/ha, respectively) was observed in farmers practices. The average seed yield of chickpea under cluster front line demonstration, was 26.64 percent higher as compared to prevailing farmer’s practice. The higher seed yield from demonstrated plots was due to integrated crop management practices like use of improved variety, seed treatment, optimum seed rate, balanced application of fertilizers, line sowing, weed management and plant protection measures. Similar findings were recorded by (Jat et al., 2021; Meena et al., 2022; Bamboriya et al., 2023; Yadav et al., 2023 and Kantwa et al., 2024).
 

 
Technology gap
 
The technology gap shows the wide gap in the demonstration yield over potential yield of chickpea crop. The technology gap observed during different years was 2.14 and 2.98 q/ha during 2019-20 and 2020-21 respectively (Table 2). The average technology gap was 2.56 q/ha. The observed technology gap may be attributed to dissimilarities in their soil fertility, uneven and erratic rainfall and vagaries of weather conditions in the area as well as management of the farmers. Similar findings have also been observed by (Rachhoya et al., 2018; Meena et al., 2021; Meena et al., 2022 and Bamboriya et al., 2023).
 
Extension gap
 
The difference between yield of demonstration and local check plots was determined to know the extension gap. The study (Table 2) found that an extension gap of 4.85 q/ha to 5.35 q /ha was found difference between demonstrated technology and farmers’ practice and average extension gap of 5.10 q/ha in the two years of demonstrations. The highest extension gap was found 5.35 q/ha during rabi 2019-20 and the lowest extension gap was found 4.85 q/ha during rabi 2020-21. Yield gap might be due to adoption of improved technology especially high yielding variety, seed treatment, nutrient management, weed management and plant protection measures in demonstrations site so, that the higher seed yield and economic returns than the farmers’ practices. The results of our study corroborate with the findings of (Meena et al., 2021; Jat et al., 2021; Meena et al., 2022; Bamboriya et al., 2023 and Yadav et al., 2023).
 
Technology index
 
Technology index shows the feasibility of the technological package at the farmer¢s field. The lower value of technology index performed the feasibility of the technology. The minimum technology index value 7.99 per cent was observed in the year 2019-20 and maximum value of technology index of 11.12% in the year 2020-21. It may be due to uneven weather conditions in the area. The above findings were also similar to the findings of (Rachhoya et al., 2018; Jat et al., 2021; Meena et al., 2022 and Bamboriya et al., 2023).
 
Economics analysis
 
The economics (cost of cultivation, gross return, net return and B:C ratio) of chickpea under cluster front line demonstrations were estimated and the results have been presented in Table 3. The results of CFLDs economics were better in two years' demonstrations. The results of chickpea economics found that the maximum gross return, net return and benefit cost ratio (B:C ratio) under cluster front line demonstration were ₹ 120218/ha, ₹ 121482/ha, ₹ 95618/ha, ₹ 95245/ha and 4.89, 4.63 respectively, during rabi 2019-20 to 2020-21. The minimum gross return, net return and benefit cost ratio (B:C ratio) under farmer practices were ₹ 94136/ha, ₹ 96747/ha, ₹ 72586/ha, ₹ 73253/ha and 4.37, 4.12 respectively, during both the years.
 

       
The average gross return, net return and benefit cost ratio (B:C ratio) were recorded higher under cluster front line demonstration as ₹ 120850/ha, ₹ 95432/ha and 4.76, respectively. The higher returns and effective gain obtained under demonstrations could be due to improved technology, timely operations of crop cultivation, regular scientific monitoring, higher seed yield and good price of produce in market. The results confirmed the findings by (Rachhoya et al., 2018; Jat et al., 2021; Meena et al., 2022; Bamboriya et al., 2023 and Yadav et al., 2023).

Based on the two years results of cluster front line demonstration on chickpea crop, the adoption of integrated crop management practices along with improved variety GNG-1958 performed better than farmer practices in all the demonstrations. So that, there is a need to disseminate the improved variety with recommended technologies in the farmers field with extension methods such as training, field visits and field day. The farmers should be encouraged to adopt the recommended package of practices realizing for higher returns. The beneficiary farmers of demonstrations also play an important role as source of information and quality seed for wider dissemination of the high yielding variety of chickpea for other nearby farmers.

The authors are thankful to the ATARI, Director, Zone-II, Jodhpur (ICAR) for providing financial assistance towards conducting this cluster front line demonstration of chickpea.

There is no conflict of interest among all authors.