Technical Efficiency Analysis of Blackgram Varieties in the Humid South Eastern Plain Zone of Rajasthan, India

Pulse production is one of the most important segments after oilseeds and cereals in agriculture. Among the diverse pulse crops, blackgram or urdbean (Vigna mungo L.), a member of the tribe Phaseoleae within the family Leguminosae, holds considerable significance due to its high content of protein and phosphoric acid. Greater emphasis should be placed on the adoption of improved pulse varieties, alongside the strengthening of technology transfer related to blackgram and other pulses. Such efforts should be implemented through a participatory approach involving farmers, with the active collaboration of a multidisciplinary team of scientists, in order to enhance overall pulse productivity. For The present investigation was undertaken to measure the technical efficiency levels of improved as well as local varieties of blackgram used by farmers in terms of area production and productivity and total income generated in comparison to existing varieties. Kota Urd – 3 (KPU 12-1735) this improved variety of blackgram released from Agriculture University, Kota in the year 2020. The Bundi district of Rajasthan was purposively selected for the present investigation. A multistage sampling procedure was employed for the selection of respondents. In total, 120 farmers were included in the sample for the study. The results indicated that the blackgram farmers of improved variety (Kota Urd-3) grower were better than the existing variety (PU-31). The findings further indicated that variables such as age, education, mass media utilisation, social participation, innovativeness, and risk orientation exhibited positive and statistically significant associations with the technical efficiency of blackgram growers. Additionally, farming experience and extension contact were also found to be positively and significantly associated with the technical efficiency of blackgram growers.