Evaluating the Impacts of Integrated Pest Management Techniques on Cotton Crop for Cost-effectiveness as Recommended by Dr. PDKV, Akola, Maharashtra, India

Since cotton is a major crop grown for commercial purposes in the Vidarbha region, Dr. PDKV Akola conducted and recommended the current study, which has several goals, including determining the extent to which recommended technology has been adopted in cotton production, examining input utilization in cotton at varying levels of adoption of IPM technology, calculating the cost-effectiveness and profitability of cotton at varying levels of adoption of IPM technology, and analyzing the barriers to technology adoption. The districts of Akola and Buldhana in Maharashtra State's Vidarbha area served as the study's locations. Three tahasils—Akola, Akot, and Sangrampur—were chosen from these districts, and 120 farmers were chosen from these villages, namely Varvat Khanderao, Khiroda, Sangrampur, Rambhapur, Mandala, Kinkhed Purna, and Khambora. The primary data, which cover the years 2022–2023, were gathered using a straightforward random sample technique. As a result of input usage, the group with a high adoption level utilized the most human labor. All three categories had seed rates, resistant variety usage at the indicated level, and sowing times that were closer to the recommended level. Farmyard manure, at 30.68 quintals per hectare, is most commonly used in the high adopter category. This is followed by medium adopters (16.80 q/ha) and low adopters (14.05 q/ha). The results of applying fertilizer (NPK) indicate that more was applied in all three categories at the recommended level. The highest per hectare yield, 16.64 quintals, was recorded by the high adopter group, followed by 14.01 quintals for the medium adopter group, and 12.71 quintals for the low adopter group. The net returns at Costs "A1," "B2," and "C2" were in the high adopter category, with amounts of Rs. 76557.94/-, Rs. 59781.64/-, and Rs. 50163.47/-. For low, medium, and high adopters, the input-output ratios at cost "A1" were 1.95, 2.05, and 2.27, respectively, but the input-output ratios at cost "C2" were 1.36, 1.43, and 1.58 for these same adopters. High adopter farmers saved Rs. 599.58 and Rs. 854.32/-per quintal at Costs "A1" and "C2" as a result of the per unit cost decrease. IPM technology was discovered to make cotton farming profitable because it reduced the cost of plant protection measures while simultaneously increasing yield. As a result, all cotton growers need to employ IPM technology more widely.