Response of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. saccharata) to planting geometry and NPK levels
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Date
2019-08
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at the Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand during kharif season, 2018to assess the response of sweet corn to varied nutrient doses and different levels of plant population. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four planting geometry (60 cm × 25 cm, 60 cm × 30 cm, 75 cm × 25 cm and 75 cm × 30 cm) in main plots and three doses of NPK (120: 60: 40, 150: 75: 50 and 180: 90: 60 kg N: P2O5: K2O/ha) in sub plots. Crop sown at 75 cm × 30 cm resulted into significantly higher leaf area per plant, dry matter accumulation per plant, stem girth, cob length, number of grains/row, number of grains/cob and individual cob weight with husk and without husk than the other geometries. Dry matter accumulation per square metre, LAI and net assimilation rate were significantly higher in the narrowest planting geometry (60 cm × 25 cm).The narrowest
planting geometry i.e. 60 cm × 25 cm recorded significantly higher husked cob yield (13325 kg/ha), dehusked cob yield (10327 kg/ha), green fodder yield (18232 kg/ha), biological yield (31557 kg/ha)and dry matter yield than the other planting geometries. Different planting geometry did not show any significant effect on N, P and K content and their uptake (except N and K uptake in grain).Partial factor productivity of N, P and K was significantly higher under 60 cm × 25 cm. Significantly higher gross return (Rs. 199888/ha) was obtained under 60 cm × 25 cm but was at par with 60 cm × 30 cm. Net return (Rs. 150176/ha) and B: C (3.02) were also maximum in this geometry but differences were non-significant.
Crop fertilized with 180: 90: 60 was at par with 150: 75: 50 kg N: P2O5: K2O/ha but was significantly higher than 120: 60: 40 kg N: P2O5: K2O/ha for plant height, leaf area per plant, dry matter accumulation per plant, LAI, CGR, RGR, NAR, stem girth, cob length and number of grains/row.Application of 180: 90: 60 kg N: P2O5: K2O/ha produced numerically maximum husked cob yield (12687 kg/ha) and dehusked cob yield (10351 kg/ha) and recorded significantly higher biological yield (29585 kg/ha). This nutrient level was at par with 150: 75: 50 kg N: P2O5: K2O/ha but was significantly superior to 120: 60: 40 kg N: P2O5: K2O/ha for green fodder yield (16897 kg/ha) and dry matter yield of fodder
(7486 kg/ha). Nutrient content in different plant parts (except N content in grain and fodder) did not vary significantly with different nutrient levels. Crop nourished with 180: 90: 60 kg N: P2O5: K2O/ha had significantly higher nutrient uptake. Application of 120: 60: 40 kg N: P2O5: K2O/ha showed significantly highest partial factor productivity of N, P and K. The economics of sweet corn cultivation in terms of gross return, net return and B: C was non-significant however, 180: 90: 60 kg N: P2O5: K2O/ha gave the highest values (Rs. 190311/ha, Rs. 142942/ha and 3.01, respectively).
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