Response of Green Gram Demonstrated Technology under NICRA Cluster Front Line Demonstration in Nagaur, Rajasthan, India

Abstract

A comparative study was conducted under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) Cluster Front Line Demonstration (FLD) initiative in Nagaur district, Rajasthan, spanning the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cropping seasons. The objective was to evaluate the agronomic and economic performance of an improved management package for green gram (Vigna radiata) against conventional farmer practices. Observations revealed enhanced root nodulation in the FLD plots. The mean number of nodules per plant at 20 days after sowing (DAS) was 11.58 and 10.60, and at 40 DAS was 24.40 and 24.12 for the respective years. Correspondingly, nodule dry weight per plant at 20 DAS (30.15 & 70.54 units) and 40 DAS (24.87 & 63.22 units) was also greater under the FLD system. Significantly higher grain yields were recorded in the FLD plots (10.30 q/ha and 9.94 q/ha for 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively) compared to the farmer practice plots. The Technology Index for the demonstrated package was relatively low (39.19% and 43.24%), indicating effective technology transfer. The calculated Extension Gap ranged between 1.77 and 2.35 q/ha. Economic analysis showed superior net returns from the FLD plots (₹53,422/ha in 2022-23 and ₹58,379/ha in 2023-24) with higher Benefit-Cost ratios (3.02 and 3.19) compared to the local check (2.39 and 2.81). These results strongly suggest that the adoption of the improved package of practices promoted via the NICRA FLD program significantly boosts both the productivity and profitability of green gram cultivation in the region.