TECHNOLOGICAL GAP AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF MUSKMELON GROWERS IN RECOMMENDED MUSKMELON PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Muskmelon is gaining lot of importance due to its more remuneration in short crop cycle, high production potential with high nutritive value, taste, delicacy and also its suitability for cultivation under rain fed and irrigated condition throughout the year. Total 150 muskmelon growers were selected from fifteen villages belongs to Deesa, Dantiwada and Palanpur talukas of Banaskantha district of Gujarat state. The independent variable viz., education, land holding, annual income, social participation, extension participation, innovativeness and market orientation had negative and significant correlation with overall technological gap in muskmelon production technology. While, sources of information and level of knowledge had negative and highly significant correlation with overall technological gap in muskmelon production technology. Whereas, age had positive and significant correlation with overall technological gap and cropping pattern had positive and non-significant correlation with overall technological gap in muskmelon production technology. It revealed that the high technological gap was observed in recommended variety was 92.67 per cent followed by seed rate 76.67 per cent, spacing 70.67 per cent, plant protection 69.33 per cent and chemical fertilizer 64.67 per cent, the overall technological gap indicates that nearly two third (65.33%) muskmelon growers had medium technological gap followed by 22.67 per cent and 12.00 per cent had high and low technological gap in muskmelon cultivation technology, respectively.