CORRELATES OF KNOWLEDGE AND ADOPTION ABOUT SOIL TESTING TECHNIQUES AND ITS RECOMMENDATIONS WITH PROFILE OF ORANGE GROWERS

The research study was conducted in Warud and Morshi talukas of Amravati district (Vidarbha region) of Maharashtra with exploratory design of the social research during 2015-16. Multistage sampling method was used for the study. Total 100 orange orchards owner having productive orange trees were the respondents for the study. The study revealed that 58.00 per cent orange growers have tested their orchard soil and 64.00 per cent of the respondents had medium level of knowledge about soil testing techniques and its recommendation. Out of the 58.00 per cent orchard owners who have tested soil, out of them 72.42 per cent had adopted soil test report recommendations at medium level. That means they have not applied the fertilizer doses as per the report of soil test. Among selected variables education, land holding, annual income, occupation, area under orange orchards, extension contact and method of irrigation are positively significant with knowledge about soil testing techniques and its recommendations at 0.01 level of probability. Whereas among the selected variables education, land holding, income, occupation, area under orange orchards, employment guarantee scheme availed, soil testing agency, extension contact, method of irrigation are significantly correlated with adoption of soil testing techniques and its recommendation as per the soil test report.