Title: RESOURCE USE MANAGEMENT BEHAVIOUR OF COTTON GROWERS AND ITS DETERMINANTS

Authors: T. D. Kapuriya, N. B. Jadav and V. K. Dobariya

Publisher: The President, Society of Extension Education Gujarat

Keywords: cotton growers, resource use management, yield index, annual income, managerial ability

Volume: 41

Issue: 2

Year: June 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56572/gjoee.2026.41.2.0023

Abstract: Cotton is a major commercial fibre crop in India and plays a vital role in the agricultural economy due to its high economic importance. The present study was carried out in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, covering Surendranagar, Rajkot and Amreli districts, with the objective of identifying factors influencing resource use management behaviour among cotton growers. An ex-post facto research design was adopted, and data were collected from 288 respondents through a multistage sampling procedure. Multiple regression analysis was applied to examine the relationship between selected independent variables and resource use management behaviour, while stepwise regression analysis was used to identify the most influential predictors. The findings indicated that out of 19 variables, six variables namely yield index, annual income, farming experience, scientific orientation, market orientation and cropping intensity had a significant effect. Among these, yield index and annual income were found to be the most dominant contributors. The regression model explained 53.50 per cent of the total variation in resource use management behaviour. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that yield index alone accounted for 30.90 per cent of the variation, which increased to 50.70 per cent with the inclusion of other significant variables. The analysis of variance further confirmed that the model was highly significant (F = 50.28, p < 0.01), indicating the reliability of the results. The study highlights that both economic and behavioural factors play a crucial role in efficient resource utilization. Improving farmers' income, productivity and scientific orientation can enhance resource use efficiency and support sustainable cotton cultivation.