Frontline demonstrations (FLDs) are among the important technology transfer programs to illustrate the profitability and productivity potential of improved technologies. FLDs are being conducted for the past many years in oilseed crops and significant yield gaps between improved technology and farmers practice fi elds were reported. The yield gaps were due non-availability of critical inputs, labour intensive nature using technology, requirement of additional investment and non-remunerative prices for the crop itself apart from individual farmers’ characteristics which influence his adoption behaviour. Hence, it is important to evaluate the farmers’ characteristics affecting the yield gaps. The current study was carried out during the year 2021-22 in eight villages of the Prakasam and Raipur districts of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh states, respectively with objectives to evaluate the yield gaps of the FLD and non-FLD farmers and understand the farmers’ characteristics affecting the yield gaps. The information was gathered from 160 randomly selected oilseeds cultivating farmers consisting of FLD and non-FLD farmers. There were significant differences in yield gaps between the FLD and non-FLD farmers. The yield gap was affected by farmers’ characteristics such as education, annual income, innovativeness, social participation, mass media exposure, and extension participation.

Keyword: Yield gap; Frontline demonstrations; Castor; Sunflower; Sesame; Oilseeds.