Halakatti S. V.Sankaratti Shreedevi A2024-08-242024-08-242018-03https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810213688Present research study was conducted during 2016-17 in Dharwad, Belagavi and Haveri districts of Karnataka coming under the jurisdiction of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. Ex-post- facto research design was used for the study. In each district two talukas with maximum area under Bt cotton cultivation were selected. Thus, 180 farmers formed the sample for study. Scale was developed for the study for measuring the attitude of farmers towards Bt cotton. The scale was standardized for wider applicability. Maximum farmers (42.00%) had medium level of knowledge about Bt cotton cultivation. All farmers had correct knowledge of sowing time and sowing method. Forty per cent of farmers had favorable attitude towards Bt cotton. All farmers agreed to the statement Bt cotton gives higher yield than non-Bt cotton. While 88.00 per cent of the farmers agreed that pest incidence was less in Bt cotton than in non-Bt cotton. Medium adoption category had 39.00 per cent of farmers. All farmers adopted suitable variety and manual dibbling method for sowing. Majority of the farmers (83.00 %) adopted the recommended seed rate and 46.00 per cent were found in the medium socio-economic status category. Maximum farmers faced constraints in Bt cotton cultivation. As high as 73.21 per cent of farmers expressed lack of agricultural labours during peak season followed by lack of pure and quality seeds of Bt cotton (68.80 %) and non-availability of seed at proper time (61.71%). Suggestion made by farmers included timely availability of quality seeds (81.67%) and inputs should be made available at cheaper price (63.89%). Some farmers were not convinced about pheromone trap, trap crop and intercrop and some farmers had not adopted simple practices like choosing a right fungicide, concentration and recommended quantity of fertilizer. Extension programmes through farmer’s field schools would certainly help to bridge these gaps.EnglishThesis