Vol. 9, Special Issue 8, Part I (2025)

The study was conducted to find out the relationship between profile of Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project beneficiary cotton growers and impact of Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project in Ardhapur, Kandhar and Loha tehsils which were purposively selected from Nanded district of Marathwada region of Maharashtra State. The result was concluded that the majority of both beneficiaries (69.34%) and non-beneficiaries (61.33%) belonged to the medium age group, with no significant difference. There was significant difference in education i.e. (37.33%) beneficiaries were educated up to secondary level, while (38.67%) non-beneficiaries were illiterate. Regarding landholding, beneficiaries had small (54.67%) and medium (41.33%) landholdings, whereas non-beneficiaries were concentrated in (18.67%) marginal and (62.67%) small categories, showing a statistically significant difference. For family size, (81.33%) of both groups fell into the medium category with no significant difference. Majority of the beneficiary (65.33%) and non-beneficiary (70.67%) cotton growers belonged to medium annual income, with a significant difference. A majority (65.33%) of the beneficiaries were full-time farmers, whereas non-beneficiaries (44.00%) were engaged in agriculture + labour, indicating a significant difference. Majority of the beneficiary (68.00%) and non-beneficiary (61.33%) cotton growers belonged to medium farming experience group with no significant difference. Majority of the beneficiary (68.00%) and non-beneficiary (60.00%) cotton growers of medium use of source of information, with the difference being significant. Majority of the beneficiary (62.67%) and non-beneficiary (69.34%) cotton growers belonged to medium level of economic motivation, showing significant difference. Regarding cropping pattern, Beneficiaries mainly had 46.67 per cent seasonal and 25.33 per cent seasonal + biseasonal cropping pattern and majority (76.00%) of non-beneficiaries belonged to seasonal cropping pattern with a significant difference. Majority of the beneficiary (70.67%) and non-beneficiary (78.67%) cotton growers belonged to medium level of scientific orientation; majority of the beneficiary (66.67%) and non-beneficiary (64.00%) cotton growers belonged to medium level of risk orientation; and majority of the beneficiary (64.00%) and non-beneficiary (65.33%) cotton growers belonged to medium level of extension contact with statistically significant differences.
Regarding to the correlation analysis it was observed that independent variables like Education, Annual income, Occupation, Source of information, Cropping pattern, scientific orientation, Risk orientation, Extension contact had positive and highly significant relationship with impact of CROPSAP on beneficiary cotton growers at 0.01 per cent of probability. Variables like Land holding and Economic motivation had positive and significant relationship with impact of CROPSAP on beneficiary cotton growers at 0.05 per cent of probability. Variables like Age, Family size and Farming experience were found non-significant.
Objectives
1.    To study the profile of beneficiary and non-beneficiary cotton growers.
2.    To study the relationship between profile of beneficiary cotton growers and impact of Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project