Bhatnagar, AmitDehury, Shraddhanjali2019-01-282019-01-282018-06http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810092640Field experiment was conducted at N.E.B. Crop Research Centre, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar during spring season 2016 to study the effect of different sowing dates and time of application of rice straw mulch @5t/ha on growth, yield and economics of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. saccharata). The soil of experiment plots was sandy loam in texture with neutral in reaction, organic carbon (0.65%), available nitrogen (289 kg/ha) and available phosphorus (29.1 kg/ha) and available potassium (245.3 kg/ha). The experiment consisted of 12 treatments; having 4 sowing dates (8th, 18th, 28th February and 10th March) and 3 time of mulch application (no mulch, mulch application after 2nd and 3rd irrigation) was laid out in Split Plot Design with three replications. Sowing dates were accommodated in main plots and mulch treatments in sub plots. The plant height, leaf area per plant, dry matter accumulation per plant, crop growth rate, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, cob length, cob girth, husked cob yield, dehusked cob yield, biological yield, TSS in grains, production efficiency and economics were influenced significantly by sowing dates. Crop sown on 8th February being at par with 18th February resulted in significantly more husked cob yield (15870 kg/ha), dehusked cob yield (11427 kg/ha) and total soluble solids (15.59 brix) than that of other sowing dates. Irrigation water use efficiency remained at par among all sowing dates but water productivity was significantly highest in first sowing date and was significantly lower in last sowing date. The maximum gross return (Rs. 171406/ha), net return (Rs. 110361 /ha) and B:C (1.80 ) were obtained under 8th February which was at par with 18th February but significantly superior to rest of sowing dates. Application of rice straw mulch after 2nd irrigation being at par with mulch application after 3rd irrigation resulted into better growth and produced significantly more husked cob yield (15497 kg/ha), dehusked cob yield (11128 kg/ha), production efficiency, irrigation water use efficiency and water productivity than without mulch. TSS in grain was not affected significantly by mulch application. The maximum gross return (Rs. 166932/ha), net return (Rs. 105337/ha) and B:C (1.71) were recorded under mulch application after 2nd irrigation that was significantly higher than without mulch but remained statistically same with mulch application after 3rd irrigation.ennullThesis