Performance of baby corn (Zea mays) under different fertility levels and planting methods and its residual effect on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)

摘要

A field trial was conducted at Varanasi during 2010-11 and 2011-12, to study the effect of fertility levels and planting methods on growth, yield, nutrient uptake and economics of baby corn (Zea mays L) and its residual biomass incorporation effect onsorghum [Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench]. The experiment was carried out in a spilt-plot design with 4 replications. The main plots were allocated with fertility levels F_0 (no fertilizer as control), F_1, (75, 19.64, 37.35, 20 and 5), F_2 (150, 39.28, 74.71, 40 and 10) and F_3 (225, 46.76, 112.06, 60 and 15) kg/ha of N, P, K, S and Zn and sub-plots with combinations of 2 planting methods (flat bed and raised bed) and 2 varieties viz; (Pro-Agro 4212' and 'Sweet Corn Sugar 75'). Application of 225, 46.76, 112.06, 60 and 15 kg/ha of N, P, K, S and Zn fertility level significantly increased plant growth, yield, yield attributes and nutrient removal over rest of the treatments. Overall, this particular fertility level registered 55.0% more yield (without husk) than control. Among the sub-plot treatments raised bed planting recorded the highest plant height, leaf-area Index, dry-matter production, nutrient removal and registered 12.5% more baby corn yield (without husk) than flat bed, while 'Pro-Agro 4212' also recorded the same and registered 18.8% more baby corn yield (without husk) than Sweet Corn 'Sugar 75'. Further, 225, 46.76, 112.06, 60 and 15 kg/ha fertility levels applied to previous crop increased the sorghum grain yield by (33.3%) over the control.