Journal of Scientific Research and Reports

Wheat, as a staple food and a major source of food to a significant number of the population, is at the centre stage in Indian agricultural practice. It is among the highly grown crops in the nation especially in the northern and central plains. In spite of the many years of growth, many farmers are unable to fully understand better wheat production methods and the management systems of new high-yielding varieties. This knowledge gap usually negates productivity and denies farmers to exploit the full potential of modern wheat farming. The current research was conducted to determine the extent of awareness and knowledge among the wheat farmer in the Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh in the central plains. The ex post facto research design was to be used and 120 random farmers in five villages were chosen using primary data through a structured interview schedule that had been previously tested. An overall knowledge index was established to determine the level of knowledge of farmers regarding the recommended technology of wheat production, which included some basic practices, including land preparation, seed selection, sowing techniques, nutrient management, irrigation, weed control and plant protection, harvesting and storage. The results showed that most of the interviewees (61.66) had an intermediate amount of knowledge pertaining to the recommended practice of wheat production. Farmers who possessed a high degree of knowledge (24.16%), and low degree of knowledge (14.16%) were followed respectively. Despite the relatively higher awareness of the farmers on managing irrigation, field preparation, and post harvest storage methods, these farmers had serious gaps in other fields such as seed selection, the utilization of superior varieties, and methods of protecting the plants. Lack of proper understanding of pest and disease control and lack of proper selection of seed can directly influence the establishment of crops, stability of yield and profitability of a farm. These findings demonstrate the disparity in the availability of technical knowledge among the wheat farmers and emphasise the importance of extension services in filling these gaps. Specific extension programs, field trials, training, and capacity building programs are needed to make farmers know more about scientific wheat production methods. The importance should be given to seed quality, selection of varieties, and combined pest and disease management. By enhancing farmer-extension relationships and encouraging participatory learning styles, this can enable the farmers to embrace better technologies, thus leading to increased productivity, sustainability, and food security in the area.