EFFECT OF PLANT DENSITY AND NITROGEN MANAGEMENT ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF SWEET CORN
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Date
2019
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ACHARYA N G RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY,GUNTUR
Abstract
A field experiment entitled “Effect of plant density and nitrogen management on yield and quality of sweet corn (Zea mays var Saccharata)” was conducted at Agricultural College Farm, Mahanandi during kharif, 2018-2019. The experiment was carried out in randomized block design with factorial concept and the each treatment was replicated thrice. The treatments consisted of combination of three plant densities (D1 : 60 cm X 15 cm, D2 : 60 cm X 20 cm, and D3 : 60 cm X 25 cm) and five nitrogen management levels (T1: control, T2: 100% RDN, T3: 75 % RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 , T4: 100% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 and T5 : 125% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1) in Factor – I and Factor – II respectively. A popular sweet corn hybrid in this region, sugar-75, released by a private company M/s Syngenta India Limited, Baner, Pune, Maharashtra, was used for the study.
The soil was sandy loam and it was slightly alkaline in reaction with a pH of 8.08; EC of 0.25 dSm-1, low in organic carbon (0.49%) and available nitrogen (166 kg ha-1), medium in available phosphorus (46.6 kg ha-1) and high in potassium (675.3 kg ha-1).
Plant height, leaf area index and drymatter accumulation was maximum with a plant density of 60 cm X 15 cm which was significantly superior to 60 cm X 20 cm, and 60 cm X 25 cm. While, the planting density with 60 cm X 25 cm registered significantly the lowest plant height, leaf area index and drymatter accumulation. Application of 125% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 (T5) recorded significantly more plant height, leaf area index and drymatter accumulation compared to control, 100%
RDN, 75 % RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 throughout the growth period and was on par with 100% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1.
Higher number of days to 50 % tasseling and silking was recorded in a plant density of 60 cm X 20 cm and the lowest number of days was observed in 60 cm X 25 cm. The number of days taken to 50 percent tasseling, silking were significantly lowered when the crop was fertilized with 125% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 followed by 100 % RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1.
Among the plant densities 60 cm X 25 cm recorded more yield attributing characters like no. of cob plant-1, cob length, 100 grain weight (g) and no. of grains per cob over the other treatments. Yield attributing character like no. of cob plant-1, cob length and 100 grain weight (g) were superior with the application of 125% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1, however it was on a par with 100 % RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 and no. of grains per cob were significantly superior in 100 % RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 followed by 75 % RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1.
Among the plant densities 60 cm X 25 cm recorded significantly higher cob yield and lower cob yield in 60 cm X 20 cm and higher stover yield in 60 cm X 15 cm and lower stover yield in 60 cm X 20 cm. Significant increase in sweet corn yield and stover yield was noticed with increasing levels of nitrogen. Higher cob and stover yields were obtained with the application of 125% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 but it was significantly superior with rest of the treatments.
Among the plant densities 60 cm X 15 cm recorded significantly higher nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake in stover and cob over other treatments. The maximum nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium uptake in stover and cob was recorded with the application of 125% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 at harvest.
Among the plant densities 60 cm X 20 cm recorded higher total sugar, starch and amylose content over the other plant densities. Application 100 % RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 recorded significantly higher total sugar, starch and amylose content over rest of the treatments.
Among the plant densities 60 cm X 20 cm recorded higher available nitrogen and 60 cm X 25 cm recorded higher available phosphorus and potassium available in soil after the harvest over other treatments. The maximum available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium in soil was recorded with the application of 125% RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 and it was on par with 100 % RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1.
The highest gross returns and net returns were higher at a plant density of 60 cm X 15 cm with application of 125 % RDN + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 but the benefit cost ratio was highest at a plant density of 60 cm X 25 cm with application of 100 % RDN.
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D5789
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