MSc

The present study under the title 'Managerial behaviour of
commercial banana growers in Thriuvananthapuram District’ was
undertaken to study managerial behaviour and its relationship
with socio-psychological and situational factors of commercial
banana growers. The study also revealed their socio-economic
profile and extent of adoption of recommended cultivation
practices of banana. Further, the indigenous farming practices
adopted by the banana growers and the major marketing channels
of banana were identified. Then the constraints in banana
cultivation as perceived by the respondents were also analysed,
based on which an extension strategy for the enhancement of
commercial scientific banana cultivation had been formed.
The study was conducted in Thiruvananthapuram district,
covering the three sub-divisions by concentrating in three
Panchayats using stratified two stage sampling method. A sample
of 150 commercial banana growers consisting 75 Nendran growers,
45 Palayankodan growers, and 30 Red banana growers formed the
respondents of this study. Personal interview with the help of
a well-structured and pre-tested interview schedule was adopted
to collect the data from the respondents, and suitable
statistical techniques were employed for the analysis of data.

The study revealed that majority of the respondents possessed high level of managerial behaviour and there was significant difference among Nendran, Palayankodan and Red Banana growers with respect to their level of managerial behaviour.

Majority of the respondents adopted more than 75 percent of



the recommended cultivation practices of banana.


There was



significant difference among Nendran, Palayankodan and Red
Banana growers with respect to their extent of adoption of
Recommended cultivation practices of banana. Majority of the
respondents belonged to the category of high level adapters with
regard to sucker selection, treatment of suckers, pit size,



manuring,
I


irrigation, weeding and propping.


In the case of



adoption of recommended spacing and fertilizer application,
majority of the respondents belonged to medium level.


The most frequently used marketing channel by the respondents was ‘producer-wholesaler-retailer-consumer’. The benefit cost ratio of Nendran, Palayankodan and Red banana were worked out as 1.80,1.30 and 1.75 respectively ‘incidence of pests and diseases’ was the most important production constrained and ‘high cost of material input’ was the most important economic constraint banana cultivation as perceived by the banana growers.