Resource-use management of castor (Ricinus communis L.) growers in Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the resource-use management (RUM) behaviour of castor growers in Mahabubnagar district of Andhra Pradesh with 120 randomly selected castor growers through a pre-standardized scale. It was found that the respondents with large size of land holdings had medium to high level of RUM behaviour, while respondents with small and medium size of land holdings had low to medium level. Overall, there was low to medium level of RUM behaviour as exhibited by the castor growers. The respondents had low to medium level of management towards land, cropping system, seed, soil-moisture and nutrients, while medium to high level of management towards weeds, pests, diseases and irrigation. Seed, soil-moisture and nutrient were the primary indicators contributed towards both productivity and profitability of castor cultivation. Strategies for efficient management of these indicators are to be popularized through need-based extension efforts to improve the productivity and profitability of castor under rainfed conditions of Andhra Pradesh.