Influences of Socio-economic Factors on Lemon Pest Management Practices in Tangail District of Bangladesh

Aims: The main objective of the study was to explore the influences of socio-demographic factors of lemon cultivators on accepting pest management practices.

Study Design: A total of 120 lemon growers of the Tangail district were selected as samples following the proportionate random sampling technique. Primary data were collected from sampled respondents using a pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire by face-to-face interview.

Results and Discussion: Findings indicate that majority of the respondents were middle-aged (69.2%), having a secondary level of education (47.5%), small farm size (73.3%), medium family size (57.5%), and medium use of information sources (74.2%). Farmers use chemical, mechanical, and cultural pest management practices, with the majority of respondents had a moderate degree of adoption. Education, annual family income, contact with the source of information, and organizational participation of the respondents showed positive significant relationships with their adoption of pest management practices. High input price, low market price of the product, disease, and pest attack was identified as the major problems faced by the lemon growers.

Conclusion: Adoption of pest management practices significantly influenced by socio-economic factors of lemon growers. Hence, agricultural extension agents should step forward to work with different groups of farmers for raising their knowledge of integrated pest control and improve expertise in lemon cultivation. Furthermore, the government should take the requisite steps to address issues such as high production costs, low commodity prices, and disease and pest infestation.