Advancement in Knowledge and Adoption of Grape Growing Farmers in Theni District of Tamilnadu

Abstract

Grape (Vitis grape L.) could be a temperate fruit crop and conjointly cultivated beneath tropical and climatic zone regions within the world. This study on improved grape knowledge and adoption of recommended grape practices among farmers was conducted in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu by employing a combination of purposive and proportionate random sampling methods with 120 grape growers. The data were collected with the help of a well-structured and pretested interview schedule during July to August 2020-21. The district contributes significantly to the state's area of production in grapes. The area of cultivation of grapes to the state is substantial (79.80%). In the study it was concluded that cent percent of the grape growers had correct knowledge about soil type, planting, gap-filling, recut, supporting, weeding, irrigation type, training, pruning time, bud dormancy breaking chemical, micronutrient mixtures, fertigation, shoot thinning, subcane development, training the shoots, tipping, cluster and berry thinning, mealybug control, and downy mildew control. About 60.83 per cent of the grape growers belonged to medium level of knowledge about recommended practices of grape cultivation. The results showed overall adoption of the grape growers wasmedium level of adoption (71.67%). This study explores the keen view of the advancement in knowledge and adoption followed by grape cultivators in Theni District.