Impact of Frontline Demonstration in Adoption of Production Technology and Economics of Tomato at Farmers Field of Tumakuru District

The studies were conducted on impact of frontline demonstrations in adoption of production technology and economics of tomato at farmer’s field of Tumakuru district, Karnataka state during the year 2012-13 to 2014-15. The main objective of front line demonstrations (FLDs) was to demonstrate newly released crop production and protection technologies and its management practices at the farmer’s field under different agro-climatic regions and farming situations. Observation was found that the total yield gap between potential yield and actual yield of tomato was 44.44 per cent, in which 16.21 per cent of yield gap was between demonstration plot and actual farmers plot yield and 28.23 per cent of technological gap. The maximum number of farmers were adopted recommended spacing (80.00 %), seed treatment (80.00 %) followed by training of plants at right stage (78.33 %). The increased in adoption per cent of important package of practices were found to more in application of vegetable special (43.33 %) followed by training of plants at right stage (41.67 %), raising and selection of quality seedling from nursery (40.00 %) and timely irrigation (33.34 %). Whereas, the package of practices viz., plant protection measures to control pest and diseases (11.67 %), recommended dose of fertilizer application (13.33 %) and weed management (20.00 %) were found to less increased in adoption per cent after FLD. There was significant difference in tomato yield before and after conduct of frontline demonstrations programme, increased the yield of tomato per hectare by 29.18 per cent in demonstrated plots over farmers practice. Net return and B:C ratio were found to increased in demonstrated plot as compared to farmers practice. The adoption of different package of practices even though after FLD programme, which shows positive impact of FLD on adoption of demonstrated production technology.