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The effectiveness of agricultural research in Iran has always been accompanied by many debates by its supporters and opponents. In this study, the application coefficient and economic effectiveness of research activities in mandarin product in the field of different varieties were investigated. For this purpose, 315 mandarin farmers were selected in Mazandaran province using random sampling method. Using the information collected through telephone interviews from these farmers, the combination of mandarin cultivars and rootstocks used and their different characteristics, the application coefficient of new cultivars and rootstocks introduced by the Citrus Research Center and other research centers and different paths of agricultural knowledge transfer were evaluated. In the following, a sample of 100 farmers were interviewed and all the management affairs, costs and benefits performed in the mandarin orchards of the region were calculated and the possibility of replacing a suitable mandarin variety with an unsuitable mandarin variety was evaluated economically. Statistical analysis, mean comparison, regression estimation and engineering economics methods were used to obtain the results using Excel and Spss22 software packages. The results showed that the most important channels of agricultural knowledge transfer to mandarin farmers in the region are sellers of agricultural inputs (fertilizers and pesticides) and consultation with researchers, promoters and agricultural experts, participation in training classes, reading extensional publications and using the information is in the virtual space, among which, the sellers of agricultural inputs have not played a role in the transfer of knowledge and information related to mandarin cultivars and rootstocks. The history of using mandarin cultivars in order (from old to new) has been non-commercial cultivars, Clementine, Ovary Unshiu, Early ripening Unshiu and Page. In other words, there is no mandarin cultivar that is newly introduced in the region. This shows that the application coefficient of new mandarin cultivars introduced by the research system in the studied area is zero. Investigating the reasons for the lack of application of new varieties of mandarin showed five reasons of not informing about new varieties and rootstocks, not building a new garden, not feeling the need for new varieties and rootstocks, not being suitable for new varieties and rootstocks, and lack of trust in new varieties and rootstocks have been effective in this regard. Regarding the mandarin rootstock used, the results of the study showed that many farmers do not know about the type of rootstock used in their garden. Nevertheless, most of the farmers who have announced the mandarin rootstock of their garden have put almond and then commercial mandarin cultivars in this row. In general, from the point of view of farmers, the mandarin rootstock is not very important and the mandarin variety is more important. The results of the economic evaluation showed that if the total costs of research, extension and identification of areas compatible with a suitable cultivar such as Page are less than 4,500 billion rials, it will be economical to carry out research on the breed that has led to such a cultivar.
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