PERFORMANCE OF SWEET CORN HYBRID UNDER DIFFERENT LEVELS OF IRRIGATION AND NITROGEN APPLIED THROUGH DRIP SYSTEM
Loading...
Files
Date
2012
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at Maize Research Station, AICMIP,
Agricultural Research Institute, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University,
Rajendranagar, Hyderabad during rabi 2011-12 to study the “Performance of sweet corn
hybrid under different levels of irrigation and nitrogen applied through drip system”.
The experiment was laid out in a factorial RBD with combinations of five Irrigation
levels viz., I1 - Drip irrigation at 60% Epan, I2 - Drip irrigation at 80% Epan, I3 - Drip
irrigation at 100% Epan, I4 - Drip irrigation at 120% Epan and I5 – Ridge and
furrow/surface irrigation at 1.0 IW/CPE and four N fertigation levels viz., N1-120 Kg ha-1,
N2-160 Kg ha-1 , N3-200 Kg ha-1 and N4- 240 kg ha-1 and was replicated thrice. Sweet
corn hybrid HSC-1(Haryana sweet corn-1) was sown on 15-11-2011 at a spacing of 60
x 20 cm with one seed hill-1. 60 kg P2O5 and 50 kg K2O ha-1 were applied in the form of
SSP and MOP as basal to all the treatments. The experimental soil was clay loam with
low in available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and potassium. The
irrigation and fertigation treatments were scheduled once in two days and six days
respectively as per the treatments. The mean maximum and minimum temperature were
30.8oc and 14.40c respectively during crop growth period. No rainfall was received
during experimental period. The mean bulk density and available soil moisture in 60 cm
depth of soil was 1.417 g cm-3 and 121.28 mm respectively.
Plant height LAI and dry matter production were not influenced by drip
irrigation and N fertigation levels at 20 DAS. The maximum plant height, LAI and dry
matter production were recorded with drip irrigation scheduled at 120% Epan at 40, 60
DAS and at harvest and statistically on par with 100% Epan. Among the nitrogen levels,
application of N at 240 kg ha-1 recorded maximum plant height, LAI and dry matter
production and it was on par with 200 kg N ha-1 but significantly superior over other
treatments. The interaction effect of treatments was not significant on plant height and
LAI at all crop growth stages whereas dry matter production was significantly
influenced by interaction of treatments at 60 DAS and at harvest. Dry matter production
was higher at drip irrigation level of 120% Epan along with 240 kg ha-1(I4N4) and was
at par with I4N3, I3N4 and I3N3. The leaf stem ratio was significantly influenced due to
irrigation and nitrogen levels at all the growth stages. Maximum leaf stem ratio was
registered with drip at 120% Epan it was statistically on par with 100% Epan. Each
increment of N level from 120 kg ha-1 to 240 kg ha-1 significantly influenced leaf stem
ratio at 20 and 40 DAS reaching a maximum at 240 kg ha-1 but it was on par with 200
kg N ha-1 at 60 DAS and at harvest. The less number of days to reach 50 per cent
tasseling and silking was recorded with drip irrigation scheduled at 120% Epan and
100% Epan. Application of 200 and 240 kg N ha-1 took same number of days to reach
50 per cent tasseling and silking.
Yield attributes viz., cob length, fresh cob weight, number of kernels per row,
number of cobs per plant and test weight were significantly higher by scheduling drip
irrigation at 120% Epan and it was on par with drip at 100% Epan but superior over
other treatments. Each increment in N levels significantly increased all these attributes
up to 200 kg ha-1. Cob girth was maximum with drip irrigation scheduled at 120% E pan
and it was on par with 80 and 100% Epan. Cob girth recorded at 240 kg N ha-1 was
higher and it was on par with 160 and 200 kg N ha-1. Interaction between Irrigation and
nitrogen levels was not significant on these attributes except number of cobs plant-1
The response of sweet corn to drip-fertigation was found superior in terms of
green cob yield and fodder yield. Maximum green cob yield and fodder yield were
recorded with drip irrigation scheduled at 120% Epan followed by 100% Epan and both
were significantly superior from remaining levels of irrigation. Lowest yield was
recorded with surface irrigation at 1.0 IW/CPE ratio. All the drip irrigation levels were
significantly superior over surface method of irrigation. Among the nitrogen levels,
application of 240 kg N ha-1 was recorded maximum green cob yield and fodder yield
which was on par with 200 kg N ha-1 and both were significantly differed from
remaining dose of nitrogen levels. Minimum green cob and fodder yield were recorded
at 120 kg N ha-1.The interaction effect between drip irrigation scheduling and N
fertigation levels showed that significantly higher green cob yield and fodder yield were
obtained with drip irrigation at 120% Epan and N fertigation of 240 ka ha-1(I4N4) but
drip at 120% and 100% Epan along with application of 240 and 200 kg N ha-1 recorded
on par results but significantly superior from other treatments.
Crude protein content of sweet corn kernels was superior with drip at 120%
Epan and 100% Epan. Application of nitrogen levels of 240 and 200 kg ha-1 recorded on
par results but superior performance over other treatments. Sucrose content of sweet
corn was significantly influenced by nitrogen levels only and it increased with increase
in levels of nitrogen from 120 to 240 kg ha-1. Application of 240 kg N ha-1 recorded
maximum per cent of sucrose in the grain but it was found on par with 200 kg N ha-1.
Maximum uptake of nutrients (N, P and K) at harvest was observed with drip
irrigation scheduled at 120% Epan and was on par with drip irrigation scheduled at
100% Epan while in case of nitrogen levels, significantly higher uptake was obtained
with application of 240 kg N ha-1followed by 200 kg N ha-1 and superior over remaining
treatments. Influence of varying irrigation and nitrogen levels on nutrient status of soil
at harvest showed significant difference for available nitrogen only. Maximum
availability of N was noticed in drip irrigation schedule at 100% E pan followed by
120% E pan and both were at par. Available nitrogen content of soil increased with
higher doses of nitrogen (240 kg N ha-1) however it was on par with 200 kg N ha-1.
Irrigation scheduling through drip at 120% Epan resulted in higher crop
coefficient value (Kc) at 20, 40, 60 DAS and at harvest. Kc values increased linearly
with advancement of crop life, attained peak values at mid season stage and decreased
towards late season stage. The seasonal crop ETa was highest in drip at 120% Epan
followed by 100% Epan. Highest field water use efficiency (FWUE) efficiency was
recorded with drip at 60% Epan followed by drip at 80%, 100% and 120% Epan
respectively. Crop water use efficiency was significantly higher with drip irrigation
scheduled at 60% Epan. However, Drip at 80%, 100% and 120% Epan recorded on par
results of crop water use efficiency but significantly superior to surface irrigation
scheduled at 1.0 IW/CPE. Crop water use efficiency increased with increase in N levels
reaching a maximum at 240 and 200 kg ha-1 respectively.
The economics of sweet corn hybrid as influenced by drip irrigation and N
fertigation revealed that the highest net returns (Rs.57266 ha-1) were obtained with drip
irrigation scheduled at 120% Epan followed by 100% Epan. Regarding the nitrogen
levels, highest net returns (Rs.50342 ha-1) were obtained with 240 kg N ha-1 followed by
200 kg ha-1. Higher B: C ratio (2.6) was obtained with drip irrigation scheduled at 120%
Epan and 100% Epan and the lowest (1.5) was recorded with surface irrigation. Among
the nitrogen levels, the highest B: C ratio (2.4) was obtained with 240 kg N ha-1 and 200
kg N ha-1. The lowest B:C ratio was with 120 kg N ha-1 (1.8).
It can be concluded that for maximizing production of sweet corn, drip irrigation
scheduling at 100% Epan and N fertigation at 200 Kg ha-1 can be recommended in
semiarid climate of Andhra Pradesh.
Description
Keywords
SWEET CORN, HYBRID, LEVELS, IRRIGATION, NITROGEN, DRIP,