EFFECT OF DATE OF SOWING AND ROW SPACING ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF BABY CORN (Zea mays L.) DURING RABI SEASON
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Date
2019-07
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AAU, Jorhat
Abstract
A field experiment entitle “Effect of dates of sowing and row spacing on
growth and yield of baby corn (Zea mays L.) during rabi season” was carried out at the
Instrutional-cum-Research farm. Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat in the year of
2017-18. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design and replicated thrice. The
treatment consist of two different factors, viz., four dates of sowing 31stOctober (D1),
10th November (D2), 20th November (D3) and 30th November (D4) and three row spacing
60 cm x 20 cm (S1), 45 cm x 20 cm (S2) and 30 cm x 20 cm (S3). The baby corn Cv. G-
5414 was sown with application of recommended those of 90:60:60 N, P2O5, and K2O
kg ha-1. The soil of the experimental site was sandy loom in texture, acidic in reaction
(pH 5.4), medium in organic carbon (0.52 %), low in available Nitrogen (190.24 kg ha-
1) and available P205 (20.03 kg ha-1) and medium in available K2O (160.03 kg ha-1).
Experimental findings revealed that almost all the growth and yield
attributes such as plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area index, dry matter
accumulation per plant, number of cobs per plant, cob length, cob girth, cob weight
were significantly influenced by different dates of sowing. In most of cases early
sowing on 31st October and 10th November were statistically at par and shown their
superiority over late sowing on 20th November and 30th November sown crop. The
dates of sowing show significant difference on harvest duration of baby corn. The
highest harvest duration was found in 31st October sown crop which was statistically at
par with 10th November sown crop. Crops sown on 31st October recorded 4.72, 18.05
and 24.60 per cent higher cob yield with husk and green fodder yield by 12.52, 14.72
and 26.68 per cent higher respectively over 10th November, 20th November and 30th
November sowing. The 31st October sown crop recorded significantly higher total N, P
and K uptake by crop over 10th, 20th , 30th November sown crop. Crop sown on 30th
November significantly recorded higher available N, P2O and K2O (Kg ha-1) in the soil
after harvest over rest of the dates of sowing.
Results showed that at 50, 75 DAS and at tasseling and at harvest spacing
30 cm x 20 cm recorded significantly higher plant height over those of 45 cm x 20 cm
and 60 cm x 20 cm spacing .Spacing of 60 cm x 20 cm recorded highest harvest
duration which were significantly higher than those of other spacing. Wider spacing of
60 cm x 20 cm had significantly higher number of cobs plant-1, weight of cob and
length of cob and cob girth , however, the lowest values were found at 30 cm x 20 cm
spacing. Yield of cob with husk, without husk and fodder yield was found to be the
higher under spacing 45 cm x 20 cm (88.24 q ha-1, 20.79 q ha-1 and 363.34 q ha-1
respectively). Cob yield with husk obtained under 45 cm x 20 cm spacing increased by
8.40, 17.57 per cent over other spacing viz. 60 cm x 20 cm and 30 cm x 20 cm
respectively. Total N, P and K uptake was also found to be higher under 45 cm x 20 cm
spacing than rest of the spacing treatments.
In terms of economics, higher gross return (Rs. 2,07,011.11,) net return
(Rs.1,60,224.11/ha) with BCR ( 3.42) were recorded by the 31st October sown crop than
other dates of sowing. Among different spacing the highest gross return
(Rs.2,02,627.50/ha), net return (Rs.1,52,486.10/ha) and benefit-cost ratio (3.04) was
recorded from the spacing 45cm x 20cm than other spacing.