Impact assessment of Shalimar sarson - 2 (SS -2) under frontline demonstrations and cluster front line demonstration programme in District Anantnag, UT Jammu and Kashmir, India

Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) have been implementing various Frontline Demonstrations (FLDs) and Cluster Frontline Demonstrations (CFLDs) to showcase the production potential of newly developed technologies across different locations within farmers' fields in specific farming systems. In a similar effort, KVK Anantnag carried out the CFLD program on oilseeds across multiple villages in the Anantnag district, including Dooru, Kokernag, Phalgam, Anantnag, Achabal, and Shangus, over the consecutive years of 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022- 23 and 2023-24. The trials were conducted on silty clay loam soil, characterized by high organic carbon content and moderate levels of available phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium, to evaluate the performance of Brown Sarson (Brassica rapa L. var. Oleifera). Throughout the program, the SS-2 variety yielded an average seed production of 12.75 quintals per hectare in the demonstrated fields, compared to 9.16 quintals per hectare in the local check plots. Over the four-year period, the average technology gap was 3.25 quintals per hectare, and the extension gap was 3.59 quintals per hectare, with an average technology index of 19.12%. Demonstrated fields also exhibited higher gross returns (Rs 81,383 per hectare) and net returns (Rs 50,266 per hectare) with a benefit-cost ratio of 2.62, as opposed to 1.68 in the local checks. The higher yield can primarily be credited to the introduction of the new high-yielding brown sarson variety (SS-2) developed by SKUAST-K.