Criteria of pesticide selection in shallot pestdisease control in Brebes Regency, Central Java

Abstract

Farmers’ socio-economics, beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes affect their behavior toward pesticides. This study was aimed at identifying criteria considered by shallot farmers in selecting and using pesticides. A survey of shallot pesticide-use was carried out in Brebes, Central Java. Data were collected by interviewing 75 respondents that was proportiona-tely and randomly selected from three villages in Brebes. By using factor analysis, four components are extracted and they account for 65.15% of the total explained variation. The rank of importance of selection criteria is “financial and accessibility criteria” (FA-1st), “performance, knowledge and information criteria” (PK-2nd), “safety and environmental criteria” (SE-3rd), and “technical and operational criteria” (TO-4th). Farmers with higher education prefer more PK, FA and TO criteria for pesticide-use. Farmers with land size of 1,001 - 2,000 m2 prefer more PK and FA criteria. Farmers who put attention to pesticide active ingredients and pesticide movement in the plants show a tendency to prefer to PK and TO criteria more than farmers who do not. Farmers who have participated in IPM training tend to consider all of the four criteria when selecting and using pesticides. The findings provide useful information for improving extension programs related to safe and appropriate pesticide use.