Abstract
The present study was conducted to analyse the yield gaps between improved package and practices of chickpea crop under real farming situation in different agro-climatic zones of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. The considerable differences between the existing and recommended technologies of chickpea crop in different agro-climatic zones of M.P and Chhattishgarh (Jhabua hills, nimar valley, Malwa plateau, Northern hill region of Chattishgarh, Chattishgarh plain, Baster plateau zone) were recorded. The yield obtained under front line demonstration of KVK was compared with farmer's practices under same situation The average chickpea yield was obtained 11.88 kg/ha, which was higher than the farmers practices (7.44 kg/ha) and the data also showed that mean yield potential of chickpe a 19.38 kg/ha is higher than the demonstrated yield (11.88 kg/ha) and existing practices (7.44 kg/ha). Per cent increase in yield in demonstration plots due to adoption of improved package of practices ranged between 26.92 to 103.37 per cent with a mean per cent increase of 58.58 per cent as compared to existing farming practices. On an average technology gap of different chickpea crop under front line demonstration programme was 7.49 kg/ha while its range varied from 1.43 to 10.50 kg/ha. Extension gap of different varieties of chickpea crop range was 0.70 to 6.64 kg/ha with an average of 4.45 kg/ha and technology index varied from 7.15 to 78.00 per cent with on an average of 40.69 per cent. The wide variation in the technology gap and in index percentage were found due to variation in production factor viz; soil fertility, biotic stresses, socio-economic and management practices. This variation can be narrowed down only to motivate the farmers to adopt suitable technologies for increasing production and productivity of the crops.