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In Distt. Kangra Brinjal used to be the main cash crop in kangra, Nagrota Bagwan, Rait, Dehra, Bhawarna, Bhedu Mahadev, Panchrukhi and Baijnath blocks of the Distt. covering there by more than 100 ha area but due to severe incidence of bacterial wilt in the past decade crop was totally failed and the farmers were disappointed. The productivity was very low. This issue also emerged as one of the key researchable issues for identification and verification of suitable bacterial wilt resistant varieties.
       

Intervention and process:                                                                   Back toTop

                Keeping in view the magnitude of the problem ATMA Kangra convened an interaction meeting with of Scientists of KVK & SAU, officers of Agriculture department, BTTs conveners and progressive farmers of wilt prone areas to resolve the Issue. Preliminary steps were initiated by ATMA Kangra in collaboration with the KVK Kangra and BTTs to organize 5 awareness cum training camps for the farmers. Simultaneously KVK was assigned the responsibility to collect the bacterial wilt resistant verities from different Institutes, select the polyhouses in the area and conduct the verification /testing trials at farmers fields in different locations of the wilt prone areas.
             In the first year, five disease resistant varieties of Brinjal viz. Arka Nidhi, Arka Keshav, Arka Neelkanth, Pusa Anupam and Pusa Purple cluster were assessed at farmers fields by KVK Kangra and on the basis of performance parameters and Consumer’s ranking Arka Keshav and Arka Neel kanth were found quite promising which were replicated by conducting demonstrations and on Farm trials in 6 FIG’s namely Sunerh and Mundla of Nagrota Bagwan block, Sadarpur, Kachiari and Balla Kotkawala of Kangra Block and Saloh of Bhawarna Block, covering 10 ha area, there by benefiting 120 farmers. The innovative farmers Sh. Amar Singh FIG leader Sunerh and Sh. Partap Chand FIG leader of Kachiari were instrumental to adopt and disseminate this intervention by way of supplying 3.5 lacs seedlings of resistant varieties from their polyhouses, earned Rs. 70,000 and created economic activity worth 5-6 lacs on community basis.       

 In the second year, this activity was further successfully replicated in other 11 villages namely, Jassour,Thanpuri, Mundla of Nagrota Bagwan block and Nanderh, Upper Rajaina, Ghurkari of Kangra Block, Bankhandi and Dhanot of Dehra block, Paprola of Baijnath block , Ladwara of rait block, Guler of Nagrota Surian block , there by covering more than 30 ha area and covering 550 farmers. For the fast spread of this intervention the FIG leaders Sh. Vinod Kumar of Mundla and Sh. Sant Ram of Jassour of Nagrota Bagwan Block ,Sh. Balbir Singh of Kotkawala, Sh. Prem Singh of Balla and Amit Saini of Ghurkari of Kangra, Sh. Prithi Chand of Bankhandi, Sh. Parkash Mishra of Roda, Sh. Garib Das and Nagender Katoch of Baijnath block, Sh. Kishori Lal of Bagroo of Rait block, Sh. Bishan Das of Dheera Lahar of Bhedu mahadev played a key role and earned net return to the tune of Rs. 60,000-70,000 per ha. However KVK, BTTs and ATMA organized 32 nos. of farmers training camps, exposure visits there by benefiting 1250 members of FIGs/WIGs, field functionaries and others progressive farmers.
In the 3rd year this activity was further extended at mega level in other 37 villages/FIGS/WIGs thus covering total area of 65 ha and covering more than 2500 farmers of the district. At present, this activities is being replicated at large scale in more than 70 FIGs/WIGs and covering more than 75 ha area there by benefiting more than 3000 farmers thus created an economic activity of more than 50-60 lacs on community basis.

 

Benefits                                                                                               Back to Top

Previously the survival was only to the extent of 5 to 20 % at the time of second to third harvest but with the introduction of bacterial wilt resistant varieties the survival at the time of final harvest was 90 to 95%. Hence a direct economic benefit was obtained worth Rs. 60-70 thousand per ha against Rs. 7-9 thousand per ha per season, prior to this intervention introduced in the adopted villages/ FIGs. The overall economic activity after replication is estimated to the tune of Rs. 50-60 lakhs in the district covering an area of about 75 hectares, there by benefiting more than 3000 farmers / farm women in bacterial wilt prone area of the district.

Lesson Learned                                                                                 Back to Top

Replication Process                                                                         Back to Top

                With the successful implementation of this participatory intervention, the fast adoption rate has been recorded & due to encouraging results the farmers of adjoining areas /districts have also adopted this intervention at mega level for sustainable production & economic returns per unit of area & time.

Farmers have been trained to produce seeds of bacterial wilt resistant cultivars at-least for their self-requirement. Efforts are being made to multiply seed of these varieties at Govt. seed multiplication farms / Institutions as per their requirement. The area under the crop is expected to increase as the concerted efforts are being made by ATMA, stakeholders, FIGs etc. for effective dissemination and adoption on sustainable basis of the technology.

Case  Study                                                                                       Back to Top

 Initiation:

• Brinjal cultivation was abandoned by the farmers due to heavy incidence of bacterial wilt disease.

• Incidence of bacterial wilt disease in solanaceous crops particularly brinjal emerged as a major researchable issue in SREP document.
  KVK, Kangra collected, identified and verified various resistant lines/varieties collected from PAU, SAU,IIHR,HAU,IARI etc

• On the basis of on farm trials conducted on varieties, Arka Nidhi, Arka Neelkanth, Arka Keshav and Hisar Shyamal were identified resistant to bacterial wilt disease.

• Steps were taken to ensure timely availability of nursery seedlings by promoting polyhouse technology for nursery raising.

• Participatory research and extension strategy was followed to transfer the technology.

Current Situation:

•    70 farmers interest groups (FIGs-Vegetables) were formed in bacterial wilt prone areas of the district.

•  75 hectare area has been replaced by introducing bacterial wilt resistant varieties. It was also ensured to supply 25-30 lakhs seedlings to the FIGs/farmers.

•  2 Govt. project and four private units are engaged in production and supply of compost to the mushroom growers.

•  11 polyhouses in different parts of the district have been constructed under the technical guidance of KVK and BTTs/departments.

• Direct Marketing and export of produce to distant market has been ensured by strengthening marketing information system and convergence with the line departments.

•  An additional economic activity worth 35-40 lacs has been created there by benefiting more than 3000 farmers in wilt prone areas of the district.

 Future Implication                                                                              Back to Top

•  100% replacement with bacterial wilt resistant varieties in prone     areas will be made.

•  Seed multiplication programme of disease resistant varieties will be strengthened at KVK Kangra, Vegetable farms of Agriculture Department and at progressive farmers fields.

•  Identification of high yielding round type verities with high degree of bacterial wilt resistance will be carried out for further cultivation on farmers fields.

•  More emphasis will be given to the construction of community polyhouses at FIG level at different locations in disease prone areas.

•  Awareness about marketing information system and direct marketing will be created  among the vegetable growers through IT connectivity.