Socio-Economic Perspective of Zero Tillage in Wheat under Rice-Wheat Cropping System -A study

Abstract

Wheat is an important crop of India. Generally in North-Western India, repeated (8-10 times) cultivation is in vogue for seed bed preparation for wheat sowing. Results of varied investigations have shown that repeated cultivation is not beneficial, rather it delays seeding of wheat crop as a result there is a reduction in grain to the extent of 20-30 kg/ha/day. This ultimately reduces the profitability of the crop. After harvesting of rice, sorghum, maize and black gram, wheat crop could be sown in time without giving any preparatory cultivation for land preparation. For popularization of zero tillage technology, numbers of field demonstrations were laid on farmers fields by the scientists of the PDCSR, in the districts of Meerut, Baghpat and Saharanpur during the year 1999-2001 and 2001-2002. Relative study of performance of zero tillage and traditional repeated tillage technology in wheat crop showed that the wheat germinated two days earlier in case of the former than the later. Yield attributive characters viz. ear length and number of grains per ear, number of ears per square meter were more under zero tillage teachnology than the, traditional one. Zero tillage resulted into an effective control of <i>Phalaris minor </i>an important weed in wheat crop unlike that

from repeated tillage. Regular adoption of the new practice may reduce the intensity of this weed to the minimum and the crop yield could be raised by 6-10 percent. This clearly reveals that the unnecessary expenditure (Rs. 2466/ha) incurred on repeated tillage on wheat seedbed preparation could be saved. Besides, use of zero tillage drill ensures desired seed rate and reduces amount of seed required by 23.6 kg/ha, which is equivalent to a monetary benefit of Rs. 281/-<i> </i>per hectare. The overall increase in grain yield recorded under this technology over the traditional one is about 3-4q/ha, fetching an additional income of Rs. 4777/ha.<br> A socio-economic analysis was done to assess the impact of zero tillage technology amongst the farmers of the above said operational area in 2001-2002. It was very much evident that 75 percent of the farmers had expressed their eagerness to adopt, 16.6 percent of them actually adopted in their fields after seeing the performance of the technology in demonstration plots, however, 8.3 percent farmers had no interest in this technology. As far as awareness of this new practice was concerned, 29.2 percent farmers were fully aware, 41.6 percent were partially aware while, 29.2 percent were almost unaware of this technology. The major constraints in adoption of the zero tillage technology was the lack of manufacturers of this machine in the vicinity and it was difficult for them to procure the same from far off districts and states. While reviewing the extension problems in transfer of technology, it was found that there was lack of awareness and faith in the new technology among the extension workers of the region, and this is why they could not succeed in winning the confidence of the farmers. Not only this, they were also ill equipped with the extension materials. Besides, there was provision for neither any subsidy nor credit facility for purchase of the zero seed

drill.