+441518081136Impact of Darakshak: A bioconsortium on quality, yield and income of pomegranate growers in Karnataka
Joint Event on 2nd International Conference on Wound Care, Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine & World Congress on Microbiology & Applied Microbiology
February 21-22, 2019 | Paris, France
Mallikarjun Gurappa Kerutagi,Pavithra A S and Manjunatha G
University of Horticultural Sciences, India
Keynote : J Trauma Crit Care
Abstract:
Though pomegranate cultivation is a profitable venture but it was adversely affected due to incidence of bacterial blight disease. It has been not fully controlled with the use of presently available chemicals and other methods. Hence, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot (UHSB) involved in research to find a remedy for the disease as lot of farmers in the growing areas were having the trouble in controlling this disease. UHS, Bagalkot innovated a technology called “Darakshak” a Bioconsortium. Now it has been appreciated by many farmers and there is lot of demand for the product. Hence, a study was conducted to assess its impact on quality of fruits, yield and income. Sample of 30 producers each Darakshak users and non users of Darakshak were selected randomly for the study (2017- 18) based on the Darakshak users list. The establishment cost of pomegranate orchard estimated at Rs.2,06,236 per acre in both the cases. The annual cost of cultivation of pomegranate of Darakhsak users was Rs.1,10,347 per acre and in case of non users it was Rs.1,21,342 per acre. Output increased by 13.5 per cent to the users of Darakshak (67.50 quintal) compared to non-users of Darakshak (58.38 quintal). Gross returns received from an acre were Rs.2,71,350 at a price of Rs.4,020 per quintal for Darakshak users but it was less in non Darakshak users (Rs.2,23,069 at a price of Rs.3,821 per quintal). Darakshak was not only increasing the crop yield but also there was improvement in the quality of fruits. Darakshak users received better price for their fruits compared to non users, though both of them sold in the same market. Pomegranate cultivation was more profitable in case of Darakshak users as indicated by B:C ratio of 2.62 which was less in case of non users (B:C ratio 1.83). Majority of the producers expressed that bacterial blight was the major production problem followed by irrigation, decreasing yield and fluctuation in prices. Pomegranate producers opined that Darakshak is more effective on blight disease, improved the crop health and quality of the fruit. This ultimately increased the yield and income of the producers and also there was reduction in the production cost. These were the main reasons for farmers using the Darakshak developed by UHS Bagalkot, Karnataka.
Biography:
Mallikarjun Gurappa Kerutagi is currently working as a university head for the Department of social and allied sciences, UHS, Bagalkot, Karnataka. He was awarded with gold medals at university level from Sri Ramakrishna Mission. He is also a member in academies, have published 50+ articles and also working as a referee for journals. His focus of interest is seed production, horticulture, testing trials, dairy etc.
E-mail: mgkerutagi@yahoo.com
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