Study of Gaps in Adoption of Improved Orange Production Technologies in Maharashtra, India

Orange is the second most important fruit crop of Maharashtra. However, the productivity of fruit is found to be dwindling which might be due to the gaps in adoption of recommended technical know-how. Therefore, the study was undertaken to assess the adoption gaps of recommended orange technologies and the influence of socio-economic characteristics on the adoption gaps. The average gap was to the tune of 31.89 per cent. As far as the association and influence of profile characteristic are concerned, it was found that size of land, source of credit, annual income, experience in farming and knowledge level of the orange growers, knowledge of GAP practices, mass media exposure and socio-economic status had negative correlation with adoption gaps (P= .01) whereas size of land holding and knowledge level, knowledge of GAP practices and annual income had negative influence on adoption gaps (P= .01). The study recommends that the proper extension and communication strategies should be developed for the dissemination of orange production technologies in state. Also, the public and private extension support systems are needed to be reoriented so that they can act more efficiently to provide necessary information about orange cultivation. The present study was conducted in Amravati and Nagpur districts of Maharashtra. An ‘ex post facto’ research design was used for the study. A sample of 200 orange growers was selected through stratified random sampling method for the study. The results of the study shows that most of the orange growers had gap in application of micro nutrient (44.76 %) followed by fruit drop measures (43.16 %) and plant protection measures (42.75%). The average gap was to the tune of 31.89 per cent. As far as the association and influence of profile characteristic are concerned, it was found that size of land, source of credit, annual income, experience in farming and knowledge level of the orange growers, knowledge of GAP practices, mass media exposure and socio-economic status had negative correlation with adoption gaps (P= .01) whereas size of land holding and knowledge level, knowledge of GAP practices and annual income had negative influence on adoption gaps (P= .01). The study recommends that the proper extension and communication strategies should be developed for the dissemination of orange production technologies in state. Also, the public and private extension support systems are needed to be reoriented so that they can act more efficiently to provide necessary information about orange cultivation.