International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
M Sunil Kumar, G Shivacharan, A Ramadevi, M Raghuveer, A Poshadri and Y Praveen Kumar

abstract
Tomato is a dominant vegetable crop grown in Adilabad district of Telangana. The KVK, Adilabad had conducted the study to popularize the Integrated Crop Management (ICM) in Tomato for efficient use of natural resources and minimizing the pest and disease for harvesting bumper yields and income. The cultivation of tomato by Flat bed transplanting without sustainable staking in the region leads to poor drainage, more pest and disease incidence and recording low yields. In order to disseminate the improved production technologies for reaping higher returns from tomato cultivation conducted Front Line Demonstrations during 2019-20 to 2020-21 in different villages of Adilabad district of Telangana. The proven extension strategic approaches (focused group discussion, method demonstration, off and on campus training programmes, field visits, exposure visits) and need based package of practices (timely sowing, seed treatment, raised bed dimensions, Trellising, different plant protection measures etc.) resulted higher yield in demonstrations (352.23 qha^-1) over check (272.6 qha^-1). There is an average of 29.21% increased yield was observed in demonstrations over farmers practice during both the seasons. Then the high benefit cost ratio was recorded with demonstration as 1.71 and 1.94 as compared to 1.29 and 1.21 under farmers practice during both the years of front line demonstration. The knowledge level and adoption level were too higher between beneficiary and non- beneficiary farmers and further, expanded the area under raised bed with sustainable staking cultivation of tomato.