Godawat, AshaJat, Seema2017-07-142017-07-142015Jat and Godawat, 2015http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810025215Adoption of Improved Black Gram (Vigna Mungo L.) Cultivation Practices by Farm Women of Bhilwara District, RajasthanThe present study was undertaken to find out knowledge and adoption of improved black gram cultivation practices by the farm women and the constraints faced by them in adoption of improved black gram cultivation practices. The study was conducted purposively in Mandalgarh and Jahazpur panchayat samiti of Bhilwara district, Rajasthan. Two villages from each panchayat samiti and 25 farm women each village was selected randomly. The total sample consisted of 100 farm women. Interview technique was used to collect information from the respondents. The schedule consisted of information about background of the respondents, knowledge of the respondents regarding black gram cultivation practices and their adoption and constraints faced by them in adoption of practices. Interview technique was used for data collection. Frequency Percentage and Mean Percent Score were calculated to analyze the data. The profile of the respondents revealed that majority of the respondents were in the age group of 31-45 years, belonged to OBC and were illiterate, 15 per cent were SC/ST and 10 per cent of them were from upper middle class. More than half of the respondents had 1- 2 acres agriculture land and less than one acres land was hold by 21 per cent respondents. More than 50 per cent respondents cultivated black gram in 0.5-1 acres area and 35 per cent of them cultivated black gram in 1-2 acres area. More than half of respondents had joint family consisted of 5-8 members. Farming was the main occupation of 92 per cent respondents however 6 per cent were farm labor, and 2 per cent respondents were working in govt. department. 17 per cent of them were involved in other subsidiary occupation along with the agriculture i.e. working as agriculture labor, anganwadi worker and teacher in private school. Thirteen per cent respondents were beneficiaries of MGNREGA. Knowledge of the farm women about improved black gram cultivation practices revealed that majority of the respondents (89%) were in the category of average knowledge and 11 per cent respondents were in the category of good knowledge (overall MPS 57.11).The adoption of improved black gram cultivation practices revealed that more than fifty per cent respondents were in the category of medium level of adoption, 42 and 5 per cent of them were in the low and high level of adoption respectively. Lack of training institutions for training (100%), non-availability of improved seeds (90%), absence of regulated market and non-availability of labor (81%), lack of cooperating market system (76%) and lower prices of the product at the time harvesting (70%) were the major constraints faced by the respondents. From the study it could be inferred that farm women possessed average to good knowledge in improved practices of black gram cultivation but the adoption of these practices was found to be low as compare to the knowledge. Thus, there is a need to motivate them for adoption and participation in training programs on improved cultivation practices of black gram conducted by Govt. and NGOs.ennullThesis