Growth and Yield of Baby Corn (Zea mays L.

) As Influenced by Spacing, Nitrogen Fertilization Levels and Plant Growth Regulators

Shankar Lal Golada* Research Scholar Dr. G.L. Sharma** Major Advisor

ABSTRACT

A field experiment entitled Growth and Yield of Baby Corn (Zea mays L.) As

Influenced by Spacing, Nitrogen Fertilization Levels and Plant Growth Regulators

was conducted during kharif season, 2010 and 2011 at the Instructional farm of

Agronomy, Rajasthan college of Agriculture Udaipur. The experiment was laid out in
split plot design with three replications. The treatments comprised combinations of three spacings (45 cm 20 cm, 60 cm 15 cm and 90 cm 10 cm), three nitrogen levels (60, 90 and 120 ka ha-1) allocated in the main plots and three plant growth regulators (control, NAA @) 40 ppm and Mepiquat chloride @ 200 ppm) in the sub-plots, thereby making twenty seven treatment combinations. The results indicated the superiority of crop spacing of 60 cm 15 cm, which brought about improvement in various growth parameters viz., plant height, LAI, CGR, NAR and thereby in overall growth of baby corn in terms of dry matter accumulation plant-1 at successive growth stages as well as at harvest. These enhancement manifested in improvement in yield components (viz., cobs plant-1, length of cob, girth of cob, weight of cob, length of corn, girth of corn and weight of corn) and consequently recorded increases in green cob, baby corn and green fodder yields by 692.81, 404.20 kg ha-1 and 2.05 t ha-1 over that produced by the crop at spacing of 90 cm x 10 cm (5066.39,

1660.93 kg ha-1 and 23.25 t ha-1, respectively) but was found at par with spacing of 45 cm x 20 cm. The crop spacing of 60 cm x 15 cm gave the maximum net returns of
`33547 ha-1 with benefit cost ratio of 1.86 but was found at par with crop spacing of 45

cm x 20 cm
Application of nitrogen at 90 and 120 kg ha-1 levels were observed at par and both these levels recorded significantly higher plant height, dry matter accumulation and LAI
*

**

Ph.D, Scholar, Department of Agronomy, R.C.A., Udaipur. Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy, R.C.A., Udaipur.

at 30, 45 and 60 DAS over 60 N kg ha-1 over lower levels. Application of 90 kg N ha-1 level gave significantly higher CGR and NAR at 30-45 DAS while at 45-60 DAS over lower levels of N and it was observed at par with 120 kg N level. Application of 120 kg N level gave the maximum numbers of cobs per plant, length of cob, girth of cob, weight of cob, length of corn, girth of corn and weight of corn which was found significantly higher over 60 kg N ha-1 level but at par with 90 kg N ha -1 level. Application of 120 kg N ha-1 level gave significantly higher green cob yield (5904.36 kg yield ( ha-1) and baby corn ) over 60 kg N ha-1 levels but was found at par with 90 kg N ha-1 level.

Significantly the highest green fodder (26.90 t ha-1) was obtained with application of 120 kg N ha-1. Application of 120 kg N ha-1 level recorded significantly higher chlorophyll content at 30, 45 and 60 DAS in plant over 60 kg N ha -1 level but was found at par with 90 kg N ha-1 level. Significant increases in nitrogen concentration in fodder were noted with application of increasing nitrogen levels up to 120 kg N ha -1 level. Application of 120 kg N ha-1 level recorded significantly the highest nitrogen uptake by fodder. Application of 120 kg N ha-1 and 90 kg N ha-1 levels were found at par with each other in respect of TSS and protein content in baby corn and both these levels gave significantly higher TSS and protein content in baby corn over 60 kg N ha-1 level. Application of increasing levels of nitrogen up to 120 kg N ha-1 level recorded significant increases in available nitrogen status of the soil at crop harvest. The highest net returns (` 34895 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio ( ) were obtained with application of 120 kg N ha -1 level closely followed by 90 kg N ha-1 level ( net returns Rs--- and B:C ---) and both these levels recorded significantly higher net returnsa and benefit cost ration over lower levels of N . Spray of NAA @ 40 ppm recorded significantly higher plant growth characters viz., plant height, dry matter accumulation, LAI at 60, CGR at 30-45 and 45-60 and NAR at 30-45 and 45-60 DAS over control and Mepiquat chloride @ 200 ppm. Yield attributes viz., numbers of cobs per plant, length of cob, girth of cob, weight of cob weight, length of corn, girth of corn and weight of corn were significantly higher under spray with Mepiquat chloride @ 200 ppm over control but was found at par with NAA. Spray of Mepiquat chloride produced significantly higher green cob yield (5903.03 kg ha-1) and baby corn yield ( ) over control but was found at par with spray of NAA. In case of green fodder yield NAA produced significantly the highest green fodder yield (26.88 t ha -1).. Spray of Mepiquat chloride recorded significantly higher chlorophyll content at 30, 45 and 60 DAS in plant over control but was found at par with NAA. Application of NAA recorded significantly higher N concentration and uptake by fodder over control and Mepiquat chloride. Application of Mepiquat chloride significantly increased TSS and

protein content in baby corn over control but was found at par with NAA. Significantly higher net returns (`34975 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (1.95) were obtained with NAA, over control and Mepiquat chloride.