ADOPTION OF RECOMMENDED CULTIVATION PRACTICES IN NIGER CROP (GUIZOTIA ABYSSINICA (L.F.) CASS.) BY TRIBAL FARMERS IN AGENCY AREA OF ALLURI SEETHARAMA RAJU DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIAKadiri MohanAbstract Niger crop is being cultivated in agency areas of ASR district, Andhra Pradesh for millennia with 4000 ha area during the year 2020-2021. The package of practices for cultivation of Niger crop is validated and proven the best as per ANGRAU recommendations. The present study reveals the information on major adopted recommended cultivation practices of Niger crops besides constraints faced by the tribal farmers. A set of 15 recommended practices were prepared as a schedule for personal interview to 60 randomly selected tribal farmers in agency areas and their responses were recorded. The results inferred that among all the schedules, majority farmers had adopted the recommended practices like sowing in time, harvesting within time, application of FYM and drying the harvested produce before bagging with 96.67, 96.67, 95.00 and 93.33 per cent responses. The major constraints include cuscuta weed management, non availability of Niger seed/improved varieties of Niger crop and difficulty in sowing due to dreadful weather conditions like continuous rains. Development of contingency crop plans or suggestive alternate crops are needed during the weather disasters. Through training programmes, method and result demonstrations information on weed, pest and disease management in Niger crop are to be disseminated to the tribal farmers. Village level seed multiplication/production technologies are to be popularised among tribal farmers to encompass the sufficient seed material with vigour and viability to sustain the Niger crop cultivation in agency areas of ASR district, Andhra Pradesh. |