HERBICIDES USING BEHAVIOR OF RUBBER FARMERS IN KAMTAKA DISTRICT, SAKONNAKON PROVINCE

Abstract

90% of the farmers in Khamtaka District, SakonNakhon Province work in agriculture, with 39,496 rai of rubber plantation area. 90% of the rubber growers use herbicides to take care of the rubber trees to grow better. This research aims to examine behavior of using and compare herbicide by rubber farmers in Khamtakla District, Sakon Nakhon Province. The population was legally-registered rubber farmers from 2,331 households in 4 sub-districts of Khamtakla District, i.e. Khamtakla, Natae, Nongbuasim, and Phaet by using Taro Yamane’s formula. The sample were 341 rubber farmers. Data collection was completed by using questionnaires as a primary research tool during May - November 2020. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, i.e. mean and standard deviation, and One-Way ANOVA was also applied for hypothesis test. The findings found that all the rubber farmers in 4 sub-districts had overall appropriate behavior before using herbicide in a similar way – in other words, their behavior before using herbicide was sometimes appropriate. Besides, their overall behavior while using herbicide and after using herbicide was also indifferent, that is, they always had appropriate behavior while using herbicide. and after using herbicide. It showed that the behavior of farmers in using herbicides was appropriate. and should be controlled for safety. and required cooperation from all parties in order to reduce the number of patients caused by the use of herbicides by farmers.