Socio-economic structure of poplar producers in sakarya regions and factors affecting their success

This study was carried out to investigate the socio-economic structure of the poplar growers in Sakarya province and its districts (Akyazı, Adapazarı, Karapürçek, Geyve, Taraklı, Hendek, Kaynarca, Karasu ve Kocaali) and to determine the factors affecting the success levels of the growers in poplar growing. The data used in the study were acquired using surveys filled out by poplar growers, from previous similar studies as well as from records kept by various government agencies. The data were analyzed using the percentage and statistical analysis methods including correlation, multiple regression, factor, and discriminant analyses.The poplars growers in Sakarya province had a mean age of 55. 74% of the growers were graduated from the primary school, indicating a low level of education. 50% of the growers had a medium level of income. 75% of the growers owned the land on which they grew poplar, and 62% of the growers acquired the land through inheritance. 45% of the growers used their family members for labor. 64% of the growers preferred the Samsun (77/51 Populus deltoides Bartr.) clone for their plantations. 45% of the growers used intercropping in their poplar plantations with agricultural plants. 43% of them projected a bright future for poplar growing. Only 11% of the growers benefited from technical knowledge, extension services and scientific publications in their poplar growing.The most important factors affecting the success levels of the growers in poplar growing included, in order, (1) net income, (2) the size of plantation area, (3) irrigation, (4) characteristics of seedling and land, (5) the scale of the growers, (6) the education levels of the growers, (7) information, (8) family characteristics, (9) planting spacing, (10) impact area of poplar growth, (11) pruning, (12) the occupation of the growers, (13) replanting, (14) the characteristic of demand, (15) sustainability in poplar culture. Also, the growers were divided into four groups based on their success levels, and the changes in their success levels were explained. Some recommendations for improving the success levels of the growers were made based on the results of the study.Key words: Poplar culture, socio-economic characteristics, success factors, Sakarya province, multiple regressions, factor analysis, discriminate analysis