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ThesisItem Open Access Response of cucumber (Cucumis melo L.) to drip irrigation under varying levels of nitrogen and potash(Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1997) Lakshmi, S; KAU; Sasidhar, V KTwo field experiments and one observational trial were conducted in the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1992 and 1993 to study the effect of drip irrigation and application of N and K fertilizers on the growth and yield of cucumber. In the preliminary observation trial (Experiment I a) three levels of drip irrigation, (2, 3 and 4 I plant-1 day-1) four timings of irrigation (1, 2, 3 and 4 hours) and two number of drippers per plant (1 and 2 dripper plant-1) were evaluated and based on the results of this experiment, the number of drippers per plant and duration of drip irrigation was standardised. Experiment 1 b was conducted to standardise the method of application of fertilizers in Experiment 2 and 3 for which cucumber plants raised under different levels of drip irrigation (2, 3 and 4 I plant-1 day-1). This was conducted during April 1992. The results of these experiments indicated the duration for drip irrigation as 3 hours per day and one number of dripper per plant to be the best. The spread and depth of root system of cucumber plants raised under drip irrigation pointed out that the fertilizers as a ring around the base of the plant at a distance of 20 cm will be within the root zone of the plant. The experiments 2 and 3 were laid out in the field with three levels of drip irrigation (2, 3, and 4 I plant-1 day-1), three levels of nitrogen (35, 70 and 105 kg ha-1) with three levels of potassium (25, 50 and 75 kg ha-1) with three drip irrigation controls (2, 3 and 4 I plant-1 day-1) and farmer's practice. The yield of cucumber was highest at the drip irrigation level of 31 planr-1 day-1. Irrigation at this level favourably influenced the vegetative characters, yield attributes and yield. But root dry matter was not influenced by the different drip irrigation level while the root spread and root depth were highest at the drip irrigation level of 41 plant-1 day-1. When different levels of nitrogen applied were observed, the vegetative characters yield attributes and yield were found to be favourably influenced at 70 kg N ha-1. The root spread of cucumber was highest at the highest level of N applied (l05 kg ha-1). Potassium at 50 kg ha-1 produced the highest yield due to its favourable influence on the vegetative and yield characters. There was no influence of potassium on my of the root characters studied. The soil moisture status was highest up to 30 cm depth in all drip irrigated treatments while in pot watered plots, the soil moisture was higher in the lower layers below 30 cm. The field water use efficiency was highest at the drip irrigation level of 3 I plant-1 day-1, 70 kg nitrogen ha-1 and 50 kg potassium ha-1. The nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake by the plants and fruits were highest at the drip irrigation level of 31 plant day I, 70 kg N ha-I and 50 kg K ha-I. The physical optium levels of drip irrigation was 31 plant -1 day -1, 93 kg N ha-1 and 65 kg K ha-1 in the first season. When another crop is repeatedly grown in the same field, the Nand K levels can be reduced to 75 kg ha-1 and 60. kg ha-1 but drip irrigation is required at the rate of 31 plant-1 day-1. This resulted in higher benefit cost ratio of 2.83 and internal rate of returns of 23%. The payback period of this project worked out to 1.13 years.ThesisItem Open Access Techno-socio-economic consequences of national watershed development project for rainfed areas in Thiruvananthapuram district(Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2000) Lakshmi, S; KAU; Balakrishna Pillai, GThe study entitled "Techno-socio-economic consequences of NWDPRA in Thiruvananthapuram district" was undertaken tc assess the techno-socio-economic consequences on beneficiaries due to the implementation of NWDPRA. An attempt was also made to identify the constraints perceived by the farmers and extension agents. The study was conducted in the four watersheds, one from each t a l u k of Thiruvananthapuram district which was selected randomly. A sample of hundred beneficiaries was selected according to the probability proportional to size of the beneficiaries in the selected watershed areas. Data were collected through well structured and pretested i n t e r v i e v schedule. The study revealed the following: Majority of the farmers had small land holdings. Most of the farmers received only medium level of technical guidance. The percept ions of the major i t y of respondents about the availability of low cost watershed technologies, observability of the innovation and complexity of the innovation were medium. About three-fourths of the farmers had a favourable attitude towards watershed development programmes. Most of the farmers had medium level of extension participation, mass media exposure and economic motivation. More than half of the respondents did not attend any training programme related to watershed management. More than half of the respondents had only medium I eve 1 0 f k now led g e i n wa t e r s he d p 1 ann i n g , i nn 0 vat i v e n e ss, indebtedness and orientation towards incentives. Majority of the farmers followed medium level of cropping intensity. The adoption of the watershed management practices by the farmers was only at medium level. Social status of the farmers was on average level. The perception of the farmers about the employment generated was low and the perception about the increase in resource use efficiency was medium. About half of the respondents were of the perception that the increase in income and productivity was low on account of NWDPRA. Farm size, availability of low cost watershed technologies, observabiiity of the innovation, attitude towards watershed development programmes, extension participation, mass media exposure, training participation, knowledge in w~tershed planning and cropping intensity had positive and significant association with adoption of watershed management practices. Complexity of innovation and indebtedness had negative association with adoption. Social status of farmers had positive association with farm size, technical guidarice, availability of low cost watershed technologies, observabi 1 i t y of innovat ion, at t i tude towards watershed development programmes, extension participation, training participation, knowledge in watershed planning, innovativeness and orientation towards incentives. Indebtedness had negative association with social status of farmers. Employment generation had positive and significant relationship with indebtedness and orientation towards incentives. Farm size, technical guidance, availability of low cost watershed technologies, observability of the innovation, attitude towards watershed development programmes, extension participation, training participation and knowledge in watershed planning had positive and significant relationship with increase in resource use efficiency. The variables farm size, availability of low cost watershed technologies, observability of the innovation, attitude towards watershed development programmes, extension participation, mass media exposure, economic motivation, knowledge in watershed planning, innovativeness and cropping intensity were found to have positive and significant relationship with increase in income. Indebtedness had a negative relationship with increase in income. Increase in productivity had a positive and significant relationship with farm size, availability of low cost watershed technologies, observability of innovation, at tit ude towards watershed deve lopment programmes, ex ens ion participation, mass media exposure, training p a r t i c i pa t i on , knowledge in watershed planning and cropping intensity. Indebtedness had a negative relationship with increase in productivity. ~ Stepwise regression analysis revealed that availa bility of low cost watershed technologies and farm size contributed to 76 per cent of variation in adoption of watershed management practices. The results of s t e pw i s e regression analysis revealed that the variables farm size, mass media exposure, orientation towards incentives, technical guidance, observability of innovation, innovativeness and attitude towards watershed development programmes contributed to 54 per cent of variation in social status of farmers. The important constraint perceived by the farmers was inadequacy of funds provided to land owners in NWDPRA and the important constraint perceived by the extension agent was inadequate co-ordination among the implementing agencies of NWDPRA. The results of Spearman's rank order correlation of constraints revealed that there was agreement between farmers and extension agents with respect to the constraints in NWDPRA.
