Enhancing Marketable Yield of Vegetables through Front Line Demonstrations in Dungarpur District of Rajasthan

Dungarpur is one of the most backward districts of Rajasthan (India) having 70.8 per cent of populations are tribal. Chilli (Capsicum annuum), bottle gourd (Lagenaria sineraria) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) are the three major vegetable crops grown in the district. Farm Science Centre known as Krishi Vigyan Kendra laid down front line demonstrations on these three vegetable crops under NAIP project by introducing hybrid varieties and applying scientific package of practices in their cultivation. The productivity and economic returns of chilli, bottle gourd and tomato in improved technologies were calculated and compared with the corresponding farmer's practices (local checks). All the three vegetable crops recorded higher gross returns, net return and benefit cost ratio in improved technologies as compared to the plots where farmers were using traditional practices in their cultivation. It is suggested that location-specific integrated approaches would be needed to bridge the productivity gap of the vegetable crops grown in the district.