Knowledge of saffron growers on saffron production technology in Kashmir

An investigation was undertaken to access the knowledge of saffron growers on saffron production technology in Kashmir Province of J & K State. This study was conducted in six villages of block Pampore, selected on the basis of maximum area under saffron. The data collected from 180 saffron growers revealed that the majority among them had high knowledge on traditional practices, but they had low to medium knowledge on improved practices like, soil management, spacing, corm treatment, nutrient management, weed management, intercropping and irrigation methods. This calls for effective way to transfer technology to enhance the technical knowledge of the saffron growers.


INTRODUCTION
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is predominantly grown in the plateaus about 2600 m asl of district Pulwama and occupies highest area (80%) under saffron cultivation in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.Saffron is cultivated over an area of 25 thousand hectares with a meager production of about 3 kgs ha -1 (Anonymous, 2008).The low productivity of saffron is due to traditional practices followed by the growers and low knowledge about recommended practices of saffron production technology.However, improvement in productivity would become possible through exploiting the benefits of recommended package of practices among the saffron growers in the area (Nehvi et al., 2008).
The knowledge of saffron growers could be increased considerably by disseminating available and recommended technology, but after tackling of various problems in achieving knowledge of growers for adopting of recommended technologies (Oberbieck, 1991;Koocheki, 2004).These problems need to be identified and assessed accordingly adapted for its improvement and diffusion.Designing a suitable extension strategy to improve saffron productivity requires a systematic understanding of existing knowledge level among the growers.Therefore, a study was undertaken to assess the knowledge level of saffron growers on saffron production technology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was taken up in Pampore block of Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir state.From the block, six villages were selected on the basis of maximum area under saffron and from each village, 30 saffron growers were selected purposively making a total of 180 respondents for this present study.The data were collected with the help of structured interview schedule containing 3 major components of saffron production technology viz.land preparation; planting techniques; nutrient management; intercultural and irrigation operations.The recommended production technology of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir was used as base for determining the knowledge of saffron growers.The responses thus obtained from E-mail: drshahajaz@gmail.com.Tel: +91 9622884007.

Saffron production technology
Saffron production technology can be divided into three major components like, land preparation and planting techniques, nutritional management and intercultural and irrigation operations.The practice wise knowledge level of the saffron growers were assessed and presented in the Tables 1 to 3.

Soil management
The knowledge level percentage about number of ploughings before planting of seed corms was found to be high (76.66%)followed by height of beds (51.66%).
The knowledge level on size of beds (43.33%) and depth of channels around the beds (12.77%) was found to be low.Koocheki (2004) made the same arguments in relation to soil management.The saffron growers strong traditional background gained through their farming experience over generation might have made them to possess high knowledge percentage on ploughings.The low knowledge about size and depth of beds and channels may be due to unawareness about importance of making beds and channels for saffron cultivation.Due to sensitiveness of corms, the saffron corms should be planted in raised beds of about 30 cm high and the channels around the beds help to drain off the access water.

Season and planting
Season of planting saffron corms is very important practice; it could be observed that all the sampled saffron  Shah and Tripathi (2009).
The reason for low knowledge on these practices may be due to inefficiency to read literature provided by SKUAST-Kashmir or non-availability of literature regarding production technology in the saffron growing areas.

Corm treatment
Saffron corms are mostly infected by the disease corm rot; it can be controlled by treating corms with recommended fungicides before planting.Under the practices involved in treatment of corms, a low knowledge percentage of saffron growers were found in sampled farmers.The practices like, time for drenching of corms (2.66%), fungicides used (18.88%),time for drying of corms (15%), time for planting after corm treatment (12.77%) and quantity of fungicides (10%) were found very low knowledge about these practices.Inadequate information may be the reason for their low knowledge level about corm rot management.

Manures and fertilizers
Among the manure fertilizer treatment, the knowledge percentage in descending order was found to be high on recommended quantity of farm yard manure (65.55%) followed by 57.77% under recommended dosage of nitrogen, 48.88% under split doses of nitrogen, 42.77% time of application of fertilizers, 25% on dosage of phosphorus and only 4% on dosage of MoP (Muriate of Potash).These findings are in line with the findings of Badiyala et al. (1993).The reasons behind the low knowledge regarding nutrient management may be due to unawareness about attributes of fertilizer application in saffron production.Some among them had knowledge about fertilizer application but they do not apply, because they think there are chances of growing weeds.Some of the growers say with the application of fertilizers the leaves of saffron emerge before sprouting, so it is difficult to pluck flowers and time consuming.

Bio-fertilizers
The response of saffron growers on all aspects of biofertilizer application was very poor.Only 7% among them had knowledge about bio-fertilizer application followed by 5% about dosage of bio-fertilizers (Khushwah and Thakur, 2001).Factors behind poor knowledge about biofertilizers may be due to lack of awareness and interest among the saffron growers.Though saffron is a perennial crop it requires well nutrient support at different stages of its growth and development.

Weed management
The knowledge percentage of saffron growers regarding required weedings is encourageable (79.44%), but only 17.22% among them having knowledge about dosage of recommended weedicides was found to be 10.55% (Shah et al., 2010).This may be due to less felt need of weedicides during its active growth period.

Intercultural operations
Under this practice a large percentage 96.66% of the saffron growers having knowledge about required intercultural practices in saffron production technology followed by 93.88% having knowledge about time for intercultural practices.It is an important age old practice in saffron cultivation, because of its unique life cycle among other field crops, so most of the farmers gained adequate knowledge.

Irrigation
The farmers had very high knowledge level (81.66%) about the number of irrigations required and its importance in corm development and sprouting followed by 57.22% having knowledge about optimum interval of irrigation.Saffron growers were very much aware of the importance and attributes of irrigation in saffron production, but failed to irrigate their saffron fields because of unavailability of irrigation facility in the saffron growing area.In Kashmir conditions, saffron is growing as rain-fed crop in plateaus.However, in absence of summer rains 3 to 5 sprinkler irrigations at 15 days interval are recommended for corm development and early sprouting of saffron (Zehan et al., 2006).

Intercropping
The saffron growers had low knowledge on all aspects of intercropping viz.recommended crop (15.55%), sowing time (12.77%) and seed rate (8.33%).The reasons for low knowledge on intercropping practices may be due to unawareness about this important practice.Intercropping not only enhance the additional income but also cover the risk of crop failure.

Lifting of corms
A healthy percentage of saffron growers (77.22%) had knowledge about season of lifting of corms for further planting.Among them 62.77% had knowledge about method of storage of corms and only 23.88% had knowledge about recommended years for replacing saffron corms.Saffron is propagated through corms, so it is necessary to replace older corms with new ones after successful completion of its planting cycle (Panwar et al., 1995).The saffron growers are aware about importance of lifting of corms however; they do not possess knowledge about the recommended years for replacing corms.

Conclusion
Knowledge status of the saffron growers indicated that the majority of the growers were having low to medium knowledge about production technology of saffron.Since, knowledge is a pre-requisite for adoption, it is recommended that extension functionaries should take special efforts to transfer the technology, imparting trainings, undertaking demonstrations and using all established extension methods to be taken up on top priority for the sustainability of the saffron crop.

Table 1 .
Distribution of saffron growers according to their knowledge on recommended land preparation and planting techniques of corms.

Table 2 .
Distribution of growers according to their knowledge on recommended nutrition management.
each respondent against each practice were summed up and percentage analysis was worked out to assess the knowledge level of saffron growers.

Table 3 .
Distribution of growers according to their knowledge on recommended intercultural and irrigation operations.