KNOWLEDGE GAP OF HORTICULTURE EXTENSION PERSONNEL ABOUT CULTIVATION PRACTICES OF SELECTED FRUIT CROPS IN JAMMU REGION OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR, INDIA

ARVINDER KUMAR¹*, S.K. KHER², R. NANDA³, A. SHARMA⁴, L. UPADHYAY^5
1Farm Manager, ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Reasi, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Jammu, 180009, India
²Division of Extension Education, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Jammu, 180009, Jammu and Kashmir, India
³Division of Extension Education, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Jammu, 180009, Jammu and Kashmir, India
⁴Division of Fruit Science, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Jammu, 180009, Jammu and Kashmir, India
⁵Subject Matter Specialist, ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Reasi, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Jammu, 180009, India
* Corresponding Author : rainaarvind82@gmail.com

Received : 02-03-2019     Accepted : 17-03-2019     Published : 30-03-2019
Volume : 11     Issue : 6       Pages : 8034 - 8036
Int J Agr Sci 11.6 (2019):8034-8036

Keywords : Knowledge, Knowledge gap, Horticulture, Extension personnel
Academic Editor : Athar H.
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Reasi, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Jammu, 180009, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

The study was conducted with the aim to assess the knowledge level and knowledge gap of horticulture extension personnel in cultivation practices of selected fruit crops in Jammu region of J&K. Data was collected from 200 horticulture extension personnel (30 horticulture development officers and 170 horticulture technicians) working at gross root level in all ten districts of Jammu region. Four fresh fruit crops namely mango, citrus, pear and apple predominately representing all the three agro climatic zones were selected purposely for the present study. Over all knowledge score of the horticulture extension personnel was categories into three levels low, medium and high on the basis of Singh cub root method (1975). The findings revels that both horticulture development officers (HDOs) and Horticulture technicians in majority possess medium level of knowledge (52-66 score) and (15-20 score) respectively. The highest knowledge gap (58.19%) in manure and fertilizer followed by rejuvenation of old tree and plant protection in case of HDO where highest knowledge gap (62%) was in pesticide usage followed by irrigation and training /pruning in case of horticulture technicians were found. The significant difference among the mean knowledge score of the horticulture technicians falling under sub-tropical zone and temperate zone were also found in the present study.

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