Investigating the Effects of Innovation perceived Characteristics on Bio-fertilizers Consumption among Farmers (Case Study: Yengijeh Village, Zanjan County)

Perceived innovation characteristics are one of the components affecting innovation adoption. Accordingly, present study aimed to investigate the perceived bio-fertilizers characteristics impact on consumption of these bio-fertilizers. Statistical population of this study constituted of all farmers were working in Yengijeh Village in Zanjan county (N= 313) from which 161 farmers were accessed through convenient sampling. Sample size was determined according to appropriate sample size for multivariate statistical techniques. The appropriateness of determined sample size was also confirmed by Cochran formula. Data collected through a questionnaire that its validity and reliability were examined respectively by a panel of experts and Cronbach's alpha (α ≥ 70). Stepwise discriminant analysis was applied to examine the effect of innovation characteristics including "perceived compatibility", "perceived observability", "perceived complexity", "perceived trialability" and "perceived relative advantage" on bio-fertilizers consumption. Discriminant analysis revealed that "perceived relative advantage" was the only bio-fertilizers' characteristic that could distinguish consumer farmers from non- consumer farmers. Other variables entered the discriminant function lacked acceptable discriminant power for separating consumer farmers from non-consumer farmers. In this study farmers' perception of bio-fertilizers may could affected by their financial, technical conditions and skills. Thus, it is suggested that farmers' individual and social characteristics considered, besides, bio-fertilizers perceived characteristics.