Enhancing chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) production through front-line demonstration in sub mountainous region of Punjab, India

In the present study, 38 frontline demonstrations (FLDs) on chickpea variety (PBG-7) were conducted in an area of 15 ha during Rabi 2021-22 and 2022-23 for demonstrating improved cultivation technologies to the farmers. Results of front-line demonstrations showed that the cultivation practices comprised under FLDs viz., use of improved varieties, optimum seed rate, balanced application of fertilizers, line sowing, timely management of weeds, insects and disease, produced grain yield of 13.2 q ha-1 and 13.1q ha-1 during Rabi 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively which was 53.8% higher as compared to the prevailing farmers practice. The findings of the study showed that the technology gap for chickpea was 6.8 q ha-1 and 6.9 q ha-1 during Rabi 2021-22 and 2022-23 with an average of 6.85 q ha-1 over the two years. The technology index was 34.0 and 34.5 percent during Rabi 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively with a mean value of 34.2%. The extension gap was 4.5 q ha-1 and 4.7 q ha-1 for the years 2021 and 2022 with the average value of 4.6 q ha-1 over the two years. The data reported that the technology demonstrated fetched more average gross returns (Rs. 92,050 ha-1), net return (Rs. 70,050 ha-1) and B:C ratio (4.1) over two years compared to farmers practice. On the other hand, under farmers’ practice, the average gross returns was Rs. 59,850 ha-1, average net profit to the tune was Rs. 37,250 ha-1 and the average B: C ratio was 2.6 over two years.