Factors influencing yield gap of rice varieties in the districts of South Kerala

The present study was undertaken during the year 2020-2021 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki districts representing the rice growing tract of South Kerala. The study was done to determine the extent of yield gap in rice production and assessment of the factors influencing yield gap of rice varieties. Total of 105 rice-growing farmers were selected for the research. The analysis of respondent rice farmers based on their yield gap in rice production revealed that Jyothi rice variety had a higher yield gap index of 28.91 percent followed by 27.09 percent in Kanchana, 24.35 percent in Hraswa, 21.83 percent in Uma and 20.53 percent in Manurathna and it can be deduced from the Friedmann test results that socio-economic factors and institutional factors were the most important components affecting the yield gap of Uma rice variety whereas, biophysical and climatic factors were the most key factors influencing the Jyothi rice variety's yield gap. Thus, the higher yield gap in Jyothi can be significantly reduced by improving the biophysical and climatic factors corresponding to the farmers.