Pal, Mahendra SinghMeena, Dilkhush2018-09-062018-09-062014-08http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810072215Field experiment was conducted at Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Center, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, India during rabi season of 2013-14 to study the effect of planting geometry and nutrient management on quality production of baby corn (Zea mays L.). The experimental site was sandy loam in texture with neutral pH (6.85), medium in organic carbon (0.625), in available nitrogen (269.28 kg/ha), available phosphorus (24.56 kg/ha) and available potassium (226.64 kg/ha). The experiment consisted of 12 treatments having planting geometry (45cm × 15cm, 45cm × 20cm, 60cm × 15cm and 60cm × 20cm) and 3 nutrient management practices (N1:120:60:40, N2:150:75:50 and N3:180:90:60) was laid out in split plot design with three replication. The plant population, plant height, dry matter accumulation, leaf area index, cob length, number of cobs/ha, cob yield and green fodder yield, NPK content in corn and green fodder, protein % in grain, N uptake and economics were influenced significantly by planting geometry and the crop grown under 60cm × 15cm planting geometry had 22.32%, 9.65% and 14.98% higher cob yield than 45cm × 15cm, 45cm × 20cm and 60cm × 20cm planting geometries, respectively. Similarly baby corn yield was recorded significantly higher at 60cm × 15cm planting geometry with 1.9%, 17.3% and 24.7% higher than 45cm × 20cm, 60cm × 20cm and 45cm × 15cm planting geometries, respectively. Significantly higher gross return and output-input ratio was also recorded at 60cm × 15cm followed by 45cm × 20cm planting geometry. Nutrient management practices also had significant effect on growth, yield, quality and economics of baby corn production. The results revealed that application of 180 kg N+ 90 kg P2O5 + 60 kg K2O gave significantly higher values of growth, yield, quality attributes and also economics. N3:180:90:60 gave 1.5% and 9.5% higher baby corn yield than N2:150:75:50 and N1:120:60:40, respectively. Planting geometry and nutrient levels had significant effect on residual soil fertility as well as apparent nutrient balance. The highest soil organic carbon, available N, P and K were estimated at 60cm × 20cm and also at N3:180:90:60 nutrient level. Similarly apparent nutrient balance was found lowest at 60cm × 20cm planting geometry and N3:180:90:60 nutrient level. The lower apparent nutrient balance is the index of higher sustainability. On the basis of experimental results, it was found that planting of baby corn at 60cm × 15cm geometry fertilized with 180kg N+90kg P2O5+60kg K2O /ha had higher productivity, profitability and better quality of baby corn production.ennullThesis