Impact of Frontline Demonstrations on White Jowar Variety NTJ-5 in SPSR Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh, India

The Frontline Demonstrations (FLDs) were conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Nellore, to popularize the white jowar variety, Nandyal Tella Jonna-5 (NTJ-5) in the SPSR Nellore district. NTJ-5, released by Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University in 2018, is a short-statured, non-lodging, dual-purpose sorghum variety with medium bold grains, moderately tolerant to shoot fly, stem borer, and blight. It has a crop duration of approximately 95-105 days with a yield potential of 4500-5000 kg/ha under optimal conditions. The demonstrations were conducted across 15 locations over three consecutive rabi seasons of 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 in the mandals of Ananthasagaram, Chejerla, Marripadu, and Kaluvoya to evaluate the performance of NTJ-5 compared to local varieties/hybrids under farmer field conditions. Standard practices, including seed treatment, INM, IPM, and IDM, were followed in FLD plots. Yield, economic returns, and key agronomic traits were then recorded and analyzed. As an outcome of FLD, it was noticed that the demo variety (NTJ-5) recorded an average yield of 3889 kg/ha with a net return of Rs. 80588/ha as compared to the farmer’s practice, which produced an average yield of 3412 kg/ha with a net return of Rs. 59706/ha. The other parameters, such as technology gap, extension gap, and technology index, were 1111 kg/ha, 519 kg/ha, and 22.22%. The average Benefit-Cost ratio was high in NTJ-5 (3.09) compared to local varieties/hybrids (2.43). On average, a 13.98% yield increase was observed in demo plots over the farmer’s practice. The results clearly showed the positive impact of frontline demonstrations on farmers’ practices towards increasing the productivity of the white jowar variety, NTJ-5, in the SPSR Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.