Impact Study on Foliar Spray of Potassium Nitrate on Yield and Economics of Mango Cultivation Through on Farm Trails and Front-Line Demonstrations in Peddapalli District of Telangana

Mango is one of India's most important commercial fruit having more nutritional properties. Poor nutrition and imbalance fertilizer applications are the two major drawbacks for low productivity of mangoes. Nutrient feeding to the old orchards became difficult due to nutrient fixation and immobility in soil also effecting the mango productivity. Potassium and nitrogen are highly required for the obtaining quality and optimal yields. To overcome this foliar application of Potassium nitrate and urea will increase flowering, fruit yield, helps to resist temperature, drought and salt stress in mango orchards. In order to assess the efficacy of foliar sprays of Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) and Urea demonstrations were conducted at various farmers fields across 16.8 hectares of land in 8 villages in Peddapalli district of Telangana during 2011-12 to 2016-17 Rabi seasons. A mean fruit yield of 18.93 t/ha was recorded by the demonstration method, which was 28.18% greater than the yield of 15.20 t/ha produced by farmers using no KNO3 spray with an extension gap of 3.73 t/ha, technology gap 6.08 t/ha and technology index 24.30%. As a combined effect demonstration technology resulted with an improvement of 31.01% better net returns and a rise of Rs. 43,101.73 above farmers' practices, with a greater benefit cost ratio (4.00) when compared to farmers' practices (3.15) and the adoption rate of the demonstrated technology by the gap farmers after demonstration is 100%.