عوامل تاثيرگذار بر سرمايه گذاري كشاورزان چغندركار استان خراسان رضوي در زمينه تكنولوژي هاي بهبود خاك زراعي

Factors Influencing the Investment in Farm Soil Improvement Technologies by Sugar Beet Growers in Khorasan-e-Razavi Province, Iran

The aim of present investigation was to evaluate the sugar beet farmersʹ investment regarding sustainable soil management technologies as well as analyzing the factors affecting this investment. The methodological approach in the research was a descriptive-correlational study of the survey type. The target population in the study was the sugar beet farmers of Khorasan-e-Razavi Province. Using multi-stage cluster sampling technique, 395 farmers were selected as a statistical sample in Torbat-e-Jam, Torbat-e-Heydarieh and Sabzevar Townships and finally, 94.9% of questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The face validity of questionnaire was specified after several times of review and correction by the faculty members at Tarbiat Modarres University and several experts of administrative offices. A pilot test was conducted to determine the reliability of the instrument and Cronbachʹs Alpha coefficients were estimated between 0.71 and 0.93 for all parts of the questionnaire. The results of descriptive findings showed that investment of 54.1% (203 farmers) of studied sugar beet growers regarding soil improvement technologies in sugar beet fields were at relatively-low level. The results of means different analysis revealed that there are significant discrepancy between sugar beet growersʹ investment regarding on-farm soil management practices in relation to use of perssurized irrigation method, soil test, extensionist, type of farming system and method of sugar beet cultivation. The result of stepwise multivariate regression analysis indicated that 47.9% (R2 = 0.479) of the variability in farmersʹ investment with respect to on-farm soil management practices could be explained by variables of agricultural annual income, soil test, acceptance of extension advice, respondentsʹ skill regarding on-farm soil management, extension contacts, social participation, distance from sugar beet farm to agricultural sector of sugar factory and sugar beet yield per hectare. Based on the results, suggestions are presented for inhancing behavioral domains and investment of sugar beet growers regarding farm soil improvement technologies.