Effect of weed management on growth and yield of summer baby corn (Zea mays L.)
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Date
2023
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Abstract
A field experiment entitled “Effect of weed management on growth and yield of summer baby corn (Zea mays L.)” was carried out at Instructional-Cum-Research farm Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during summer 2023 to study the effects of different weed management practices on weeds and growth, yield and economics of baby corn. The treatments consisted of Earthing-up and weeding at 25 DAS (T1); Paddy straw mulching at 1 DAS 4 t/ ha (T2) ; Paddy straw mulching at 1 DAS 4 t/ ha followed by earthing-up and weeding at 25 DAS (T3); Atrazine 1.0 kg/ha as preemergence (T4) ; Metribuzin 2.0 kg /ha as pre-emergence (T5); Metribuzin 1.0 kg/ha as pre-emergence followed by hand weeding 25 DAS (T6); Metribuzin 1.0 kg/ha as pre-emergence followed by hand weeding at 40 DAS (T7); Metribuzin 1.0 kg/ha as pre-emergence followed by POE application of tembotrione 120 g/ha at 25 DAS (T8);The weedy check (T9) and Weed free (T10). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The soil texture of the experimental site was sandy loam which was low in available N (262.93kg/ha), medium in available P2O5 ( 27.48kg/ha ), medium in available K2O (147.94 kg/ha) and medium in organic carbon(0.52 %). The baby corn hybrid G-5414 was sown on 21.02.2023and first picking was done on 21.04.2023.The total rainfall received during the crop growing period was 263.80 mm
In the experimental site, total 10 major weed species were recorded including grasses, sedges and broad leaved. Different weed management practices significantly influenced the density and dry matter of weeds at all the observations. At 40 DAS application of paddy straw mulching at 1 DAS (4t/ ha) followed by earthing-up and weeding at 25 DAS(T3) recorded the lowest weed density whereas the lowest dry matter was recorded with application of Metribuzin 1.0 kg /ha as pre-emergence followed by hand weeding 25 DAS(T6).Similarly, all the weed management treatments significantly influenced the growth, yield attributes and yield of baby corn. The highest plant height (146.50cm), number of leaves/plant(11.38), LAI(5.64) at 60 DAS and dry matter accumulation(60.26 g/ plant) at harvest was recorded with the T3treatment which was found at par with the T6 and T8 treatments. The highest number of baby corn/plant(2.78),corn weight with husk(53.64 g) ,corn weight without husk(13.74 g) and cob yield (9.45 t/ha ) and green fodder yield ( 29.32 t/ha) was
recorded with the T3 treatment which was found at par with the T6(cob yield: 9.28 t/ha ) and T8(cob yield : 9.23 t/ha ) treatments. The content and uptake of N, P and K by plant as well as available N, P2O5 and K2O post harvest soil was also recorded highest with the T3treatment which was at par with T6 treatment.
The highest gross return ₹ 220317.00 /ha was recorded with the T3 treatment. However, the highest B-C ratio of 3.32 and the highest net return of ₹ 164815.00/ha was recorded with treatment T6.
The study revealed that the application of paddy straw mulching at 1 DAS @ 4t/ha followed by earthing-up and weeding at 25 DAS (T3) resulted in effective management of weeds as well as the highest cob yield (9.45t.ha) and green fodder yield (29.32t/ha) with a net return of ₹ 1,56,409.00/ha and B-C ratio 2.45. However, application of Metribuzin 1.0 kg/ha at as pre-emergence followed by hand weeding at 25 DAS (T6) recorded the next best cob yield (9.28t/ha) and green fodder yield (28.72 t/ha) with the highest net return of ₹ 1,64,815.00/ha and B-C ratio of 3.32 due to low cost of cultivation in T6 treatment compared to the T3 treatment