PERCEPTION OF DIRECT SEEDING (NO TILLAGE-ZERO TILLAGE) METHOD IN WHEAT PRODUCTION BY THE FARMERS IN TURKEY: KONYA PROVINCE CASE

This study aimed to determine the usage levels of direct tillage and traditional methods and the farmers’ attitudes in Konya province-Turkey. The study was formed by the data gathered from Kulu, Cihanbeyli, Altinekin, Sarayonu and Cumra districts representing rainfed and irrigated wheat production conditions in Konya province via face to face interview method. The questionnaire forms was fulfilled in March 2014. According to the survey results, direct seeding method has been applied in only 2 ? of wheat production area in Konya province. As 62.50?of the farmers engaged with direct seeding methods in their own wheat production area remarked that they saved fuel on their production input, 25% and 12.50? of them indicated that they received low yield and suffered from weed problem in their wheat production area respectively. In the study, 43? of the farmers said that they hadn't had any information on the direct seeding method, but 57? of the farmers indicated that they were familiar to the method. The main reasons of the farmers, who even know the direct seeding method but haven't been used it before, on why they don't prefer the method on their production area were shown as low yield in the productions (19.18?), not enough demonstration activities being done for direct seeding (13.70?), low level adoption of the method among the farmers until now (12.30?), believes on the necessity of more than one tillage for the production (12.30?), and perception on that the method leads to more weeding and plant disease problem in the production (10.95%).