No abstract

Maize one of the important crops of rainfed agriculture is grown in low, mid and high hill altitudes. The study was conducted on resource use efficiency of maize production in Jammu Region of J&K state during the year 2007-08. Jammu region of state observed a positive trend for area but negative for yield of maize. In sampleddistricts, area under maize cultivation contributed positively in production but yield and interaction effect of both factors contributed negatively during the overall period of twenty years. The allocative efficiency was 0.014, 0.668, 1.019, 3.244 and 13.38 respectively for labour, capital, irrigation and fertilizers (N and K), respectively and the allocative efficiency of fertilizer (P) was negative (-1.732). Maximum likelihood estimates showed that the value of variance parameters lambda (λ) was 4.219 and that of sigma (σ) was 0.455, which were significantly different from zero indicating a good fit and the correctness of the distributional assumptions specified and the value of gamma ( γ) was 0. 946 indicating 94 per cent of variation between the observed output and frontier output The estimated elasticities of the explanatory variables like labour (0.378), capital (0.336), irrigation (0.225), nitrogen (0.244) and potash (0.292) were positive while the value of phosphate (-0.383) was negative. The analysis of results showed that the returns to scale (RTS) was 1.092. Factors that affected on technical efficiency predicted the regression coefficient for education as 0.023 and farm size as 0.878 and for the proportion of female workers (0.062) in the family was also positively significant.

Field experiments were conducted in a loamy sand soil during 2006 and 2007 at Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana to evaluate the performance of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni under varying planting geometry. The studies revealed that in case of row to row spacing, highest number of leaves per plant (533.0, 447.6), leaf area (8113.1, 6322.6 cm2/plant), leaf area index (5.1, 8.7) and dry matter accumulation per plant (86.0, 76.9 g/plant) during 2006 and 2007, respectively were found under wider row spacing of 75 cm. Which was significantly higher than narrower row spacing of 60 cm and 45 cm. Whereas, the fresh biomass yield (9861 and 11801 kg/ha), dry biomass (2080 and 2550 kg/ha), leaf yield (6129 and 4414 kg/ha) and stem yields (7611 and 5447 kg/ha) during 2006 and 2007, respectively and glycoside yield were registered higher under closer row spacing of 45 cm than the wider row spacing of 60 cm and 75 cm. In plant to plant spacings, the maximum number of leaves (5681.3 cm2/plant) was recorded under plant spacing of 45 cm which was statistically at par with plants spaced at 37.5 cm and 30.0 cm but significantly higher than 22.5 cm and 15.0 cm plant spacing, leaf area and dry matter accumulation per plant were highest with than other closer plant spacings.Whereas, the fresh and dry biomass, leaf and stem yields and glycoside yield were recorded highest under closer plant spacing of 15 cm which was statistically at par with 22.5 cm plant spacing.

Abstract:The study on resource management for apple scab and sanjose scale of apple in Kashmir Valley of J&K State was conducted purposively in Sopore and Patten tehsils of Baramulla district covering 4 villages with a sample size of 200 apple growers selected through random sampling method. The study revealed that all the apple growers (100%) from rainfed and irrigated areas were applying the resource management practices such as checking the expiry of chemical before purchase, undertake precautions while using chemicals and sprayers, purchase economical and convenient packing's of plant protection chemicals, check the working condition of the sprayers on regular basis, undertaking care and maintenance of sprayers regularly and were able to repair the minor defects of sprayers by self followed by (66%) apple growers who had decided to planed plant protection schedule in advance. The data further showed that hired labour for disease and pest management of apple were available easily and locally, and as per requirement (100%). As regards prevailing wage rates (88%) farmers from rainfed and (91%) from irrigated area reported that these were reasonable. Plant protection chemicals needed for control of disease and pest of apple were found adopted by cent per cent farmers. The plant protection chemicals were also available in suitable packings (97%) and before the expiry date (96%). The critical evaluation of the plant protection chemicals and equipments before their use with regard to their quality being taken care by all the apple growers would help in eradication of the disease from the region.

The study identified training needs of apple growers in district Budgam, J&K. Purposive sampling technique was used to select two blocks (Beerwah and Khan Sahib), four zones, eight circles and eighty apple farmers were selected for the study. Some of the data were analyzed with percentage and mean score while some were presented in charts. Majority (77.5%) of the respondents did not have contact with extension agents in 2012 and they sourced information apple from neighbours (86.3%).The mean annual expenditure and income from apple were Rs. 27, 568 and Rs. 235, 530, respectively. Majority (96.2%) of the respondents had no training on processing and preservation of apple and off season production of apple (85%). Majority of the respondents indicated that training on apple should be organized by researchers (65%) through interpersonal communication (83.8%) using local language (kashmiri) (78.8%). Provision of effective micro-credit facilities (M=2.84) and stability of government policy (stability of price of apple) (M=2.68) were perceived by the respondents as major strategies that will improve apple production in the area. The study encouraged building capacities of apple farmers through informal training especially in the areas of processing, preservation and off-season production of apple so that they can face challenges of the enterprise, boost their farm size and income.