~ 2184 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2017; 5(6): 2184-2189 E-ISSN: 2320-7078 P-ISSN: 2349-6800 JEZS 2017; 5(6): 2184-2189 © 2017 JEZS Received: 18-09-2017 Accepted: 23-10-2017 Rufaida Mir Research Scholar Div. of Agricultural Extension and Communication SKUAST-K, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Dr. Mohd Afzal Beigh Associate Professor Div. of Agricultural Extension and Communication SKUAST-K, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Zahoor Ahmad Shah Research Scholar Div. of Agricultural Extension and Communication SKUAST-K, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Dr. Rekhi Singh Programme Coordinator, KVK Srinagar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Jehangir Muzaffar Matoo Research Scholar Div. of Agricultural Extension and Communication SKUAST-K, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Dar Associate Professor Div. of Agricultural Extension and Communication SKUAST-K, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Correspondence Zahoor Ahmad Shah Research Scholar Div. of Agricultural Extension and Communication SKUAST-K, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India An evaluation of extent and gap in adoption in recommended apple spray schedule of the apple growers Rufaida Mir, Dr. Mohd Afzal Beigh, Zahoor Ahmad Shah, Dr. Rekhi Singh, Jehangir Muzaffar Matoo and Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Dar Abstract The present study was carried out to evaluate the extent and gap in adoption in recommended apple spray schedule of the apple growers in district Ganderbal of Jammu and Kashmir in 2014. By following the simple random sampling, 100 respondents were selected from 25 villages of four blocks. The data was elicited through personal interview method. The district Ganderbal was purposively selected, because of the potentiality for the development of horticulture, and most of area of the district was under apple plantation. An overall 73.66 per cent of technological gap was observed. The total adoption of the recommended apple spray schedule was found to be only 26.34 percent. Farmers adoption pertaining to recommended chemical, dose and time of spray was high for petal fall stage (46.67%), fruit let stage (42%), dormant stage (36.67%) and pre-harvest stage (29.34%). Overall extent of adoption of the recommended apple spray schedule by the respondents, majority of the respondents (63%) belonged to medium category extent of adoption of the recommended apple spray schedule followed by high 19.00 and low with 18.00 per cent of the respondents. Keywords: apple growers, adoption, gap, ganderbal, Kashmir, spray schedule 1. Introduction Apple (Malus domestica Borkh) is commercially the most important temperate fruit and is fourth among the most widely produced fruits in the world after banana, orange and grape [1] . Out of all the deciduous fruits in India apple is the most important in terms of production and area. It is mostly grown in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland [2] . It is grown over an area of 2.89 lakh ha, with a production of 28.91 lakh tons, contributing 3.9 per cent share in total fruit production [3] . In Jammu and Kashmir, production constraints of apple in the state, among others, include a complex of key and secondary insect pests and diseases. Because of their impact upon the tree and fruit, ecological diversity and demand for almost blemish free crop the pests of pome fruits have received extensive study. Under Kashmir conditions, the most important pests attacking apple are: European red mite Pannonychus ulmi (Koch), two spotted mite, Tetranychus urtica (Koch), Sanjose scale, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Cmstk), Woolly apple aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann), etc. Not only insect pests but also many diseases cause huge economic losses to apple. Principle diseases attacking are: Scab Venturia inequalis (Cke) Wint, Brown rot Sclerotinia fructigina, Sooty blotch Gloedes pomigena (Schw) Cloby & Leaf spot Alternaria mali (Str) etc., [4] . A variety of pesticides have been employed to minimise the losses due to insect pests and diseases all over the world. Fungicides such as Carbendazim, Mancozeb, Myclobutanil and Fenarimol etc have been recommended against scab [5] . Similarly Dimethoate, Phosphamidon, Ethion, Endosulphon, Quinolphos, Oxydemeton methyl, Malation and Carbaryl etc., has been recommended on apples against the key arthropod pests [6, 7] . During the past two decades, there has been a substantial increase in the use of pesticides in terms of both volume and value. The demand for agrochemicals depends upon the type of crops grown, farmer’s knowledge about technologies and their profitability and also upon the availability, affordability and ease in accessing the input and output markets [8] . Among different crops grown in Jammu & Kashmir, apple cultivation is highly capital-intensive in terms of pest control measures. In the apple-growing belt of the valley, chemicals are being