Determinants of Adoption of Mini-Tuber Seed Potato: A Case in Ardabil Province of Iran

Subject Areas : Environmental policy and management

Asghar Bagheri ¹

1 - College of agricultural technologies and natural resources- University of Mohaghegh Ardabili

Received: 2014-12-28 Accepted : 2015-02-12 Published : 2015-12-01

Keywords: adoption, Ardabil, Potato, Mini-tuber seed,

Abstract :

The aim of this study was to examine factors affecting adoption of mini-tuber seed potato. Survey research design was used in this study. A sample of 100 potato growers who were informed about mini-tuber was selected and divided into adopter and non-adopter groups. Questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection and was validated by a panel of experts. A pilot study was conducted for reliability and Cronbach’s alphas obtained 0.77- 0.87. Results revealed that other farmers were the main source of information for respondents. Higher yield, healthy seeds, marketability and high quality of potato produced from mini-tuber seeds were the main important reasons of adoption. Non-adopters mentioned high cost of mini-tuber seed as the main factor for rejection. The result of t-test showed that adopters had used more farm machineries and equipments. Result further showed that among farming unit characteristics, the number of pieces of owned farmland had negative effect on the adoption. However, the adoption was positively affected by the extent of owned farmlands and extent of owned potato acreage. Among personal characteristics, education level, number of literate household members had positive effect while farmers’ age and farming experience had negative effect on the adoption, respectively.

References:

1. Bagheri, A., & Malek-mohammadi, I. (2005). Adoption behavior of Sprinkler irrigation in Ardabil province, Iranian journal of Agricultural sciences, 36(6), 1479-1488.


2. Deffo, V., & Demo, P. (2003). Adoption of two new potato varieties in Cameroon: progress and constraints. American Journal of Potato Research, 80, 263-270.


3. Ekwek, C., & Onunka, B.N. (2006). Adoption of sweet Potato production technologies in Abia State, Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture and Social Research, 6(20), 92-100.


4. FAO. (2008). International year of the Potato. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/potato-2008/en/world/asia.html


5. Faraji, A., & Mirdamadi, (2006). Investigation of extension rule in the adoption of the apple crop insurance by growers of Damavand County. Journal of Agricultural Science, 12 (3), 500-489.


6. Hirpa, A., Meuwissen, M.P.M., Tesfaye, A., Lommen, W.J.M.-, Oude Lansink, A., Tsegaye, A. & Struik, P.C. (2010). Analysis of seed Potato systems in Ethiopia, American Journal of Potato Research, 87, 537–552.


7. Iqbal, M., Bashir, A., & Farooq, U. (1999). Factors affecting the adoption of hybrid maize varieties in the irrigated Punjab. International Journal of Agriculture & Biology, 1(3), 149-151.


8. Joshi, G., & Pandi, S. (2005). Effects of farmer's perception on the adoption of modern rice varieties in Nepal. Conference on International Agricultural Research for Development, October 11-13, Stuttgart-Hohenheim.


9. Kafle, B., &- Shah, P. (2012). Adoption of improved Potato varieties in Nepal: a case of Bara district. The Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 7 (1), 14-22.


10. Keshavarz, F., Allahyari, M., Azarmi Sesari, Z., & Khayati, M. (2010). Factors affecting non adaption of high-yielding rice varieties in Guilan province, Journal of Agricultural Extension and Education, 3 (4), 109-112.


11. Kohansal, M., Ghorbani, M., & Rafiee, H. (2009). Factors affecting of environmental and non-environmental on the adoption of Sprinkler irrigation. A case study in Khorasan Razavi Province. Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development, 17 (65), 112-97.


12. Lal, B., Sinha, T.K., Kumar, A., Pandit, A., & Pandey, N.K. (2011). Constraints perceived by the farmers in adoption of Potato technology, Potato Journal, 38 (1), 73-77.


13. Mbanaso, E.O., Agwu, A.A.C., & Asumugha, G. N. (2012). Assessment of the extent of adoption of sweet potato production technology by farmers in the southeast agro-cological zone of Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture and Social Research, 12(1), 124-136.


14. Neupane, R.P., Sharma, K.R., & Thapa, G.B. (2002). Adoption of agroforestry in the hills of Nepal: A logistic regression analysis. Journal of Agricultural Systems, 72, 177-196.


15. Ommani, A. F., & Chizari, M. (2006). Determination of wheat farmers’ the social, economic and farming characteristics in Counties of Ahvaz, Dezful and Behbahan with respect to the adoption of low input sustainable agriculture. Journal of Agricultural and Natural Resources Science and Technologies, 10 (1), 23-13.


16. Pzeshki-Rad, G., & Masaeli, M. (2002). Economic factors affecting the adoption of IPM in the control of rice stem borer in Esfahan province. Journal of Agricultural and Natural Resources Science and Technologies, 6(4), 53-64.


17. Rajaee, Y., & Najafloo, B. (2011). Investigation of dryland wheat farmers’ attitude in Mianeh county on the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices (case study: the outskirt of Mianeh county), the first national congress on science and new technologies in agriculture, September 10-12, Zanjan, Zanjan University.


18. Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (4th ed.). New York: Free Press.


19. Struik, P.C. (2007). The canon of Potato science: 25- mini-tubers. Potato Research 50,305–308.


20. Tabarraei, M., & Hasannejad, M. (2009). Investigation of performance and factors influencing the adoption of agricultural extension programs implemented in the course of the development process, a case study of wheat farmers in Mashhad County. Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development (Agricultural Science and Technology), 23 (1), 68-59.

21.    Zarghami, R. (1999). Effect of culture medium and hormones used on rooting and the single nodes growth of Potato meristem culture. Proceedings of the First International Conference on Biotechnology of the Islamic Republic of Iran, March. 14-15, Tehran.